Fan Creations

There are oh-so-many creations out there dreamed up by avid fans of the series that it was difficult for me to create a semi-coherent post on my favorite forms of expression of HP-love and my favorite examples of said expressions.

I've discussed fan fiction a bit in the past. While I do love me some fan fiction, I prefer older fics or future fics because, generally, the canon is left pretty much intact. Marauder's, trio era, and new generation fics bother me most often because they aren't even remotely close the story. There are a few shining examples of fics that follow the story closely and add their own spin on events we didn't actually see or weren't fully let in on in the books. However, I do not want to read about pairings that aren't remotely possible (i.e. Harry/basilisk, Dumbledore/Harry, etc.). I will stand for some more whimsical pairings/events that still have some basis in the stories (i.e. a story where Luna and Ginny date for a bit before going their respective ways is ok in my book because we know a lot about Ginny or Luna when they're not with Harry). That said, I don't read or write much fan fiction anymore.

Not being the least bit talented in the visual arts, I do have great respect for fan artists, and I've seen some EXCELLENT examples of it. The most memorable of these were probably in the gallery at Infinitus, but I do remember a few pieces that stopped me in my tracks when I stumbled across them online.

Fan films are another matter. (I shall devote an entire post to Starkid, so don't really look for that here.) Being an actress and a sometimes director, I have high expectations when you mix my favorite art form with HP. I've actually wanted to make fan film for a few years, but I didn't think I could put it together and be impressed with it at all. That didn't always deter some fans, though. I don't want to be mean and call out anyone who put hard work into a fan film, so I'll leave it at the fact that I watch several of them, but I have yet to find a single one that is impressive at all (unless we're talking about impressively hilarious...for a drama).

But what about other writing? I've discussed role play in another post, so I guess that only leaves the books about the fandom. I have Erin Payne's The Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Harry Potter Fandom on my Amazon wish list, and I hope to get to read it soon. I have, however, read all of Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli, and I loved it, though I did find myself with an aching desire to be able to go back in time and relive the height of the fandom and become more involved in the real life fandom in addition to the online fandom. I also cannot wait for Dear Mr. Potter, and I'm counting the days until we receive our pre-ordered copy!

There's so many amazing fan creations out there that I cannot even begin a list of my favorites! It's also been a long time since I've really read most pieces of fan fiction, examined most pieces of fan art, and been that involved in seeking out these fabulous reminders of how much HP means to its fans that I feel like reliving my original reactions would be impossible or seem fake. The last thing I want to do is provide a cheap personal narrative for you guys to read.

The important thing is that these creations are there as a testament to the series, to the fandom. Some we'll look back on and laugh, some we'll look back on and cry. Some will instantly transport us to our favorite moments in the books or fandom. And some may be forgotten, but the purpose behind their creation will not.