Have you ever loved a movie so much that you can watch it time and time again, memorize every scene and recite every word of the script?

Then why not try your hand at making a homemade homage or picture perfect pastiche in the form of a fan film?

‘Fan films’ are videos inspired by movies, TV shows, comic books and even advertisements that are made by fans of the original work as a way for movie lovers to connect with their favorite characters and stories.

The Simpsons has referenced hundreds of well-known movies in its episodes, from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey in Deep Space Homer (Season 5 Episode 15) to Ridley Scott’s Thelma and Louise in Marge on the Lam (Season 5 Episode 6).

Imitation has long been considered the sincerest form of flattery but it is also a brilliant way to learn. As Pablo Picasso once said, you must “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”

By copying scenes (or even entire films if you’re feeling ambitious!) shot-for-shot, you are essentially retracing the steps of directors and getting hands-on experience of professional film-making decisions.

With the HUE cameras’ flexible necks – that work like built-in tripods – it’s a breeze to recreate interesting, dynamic camera angles just like your favourite directors. Watch The HUE Book of Animation: Model Car Smashups for an example of creating drama and excitement using different camera angles…

Thanks to movie merchandise from toy makers such as LEGO®, there is an abundance of ready-made versions of our favourite film characters. Animating stop motion fan films has never been easier!

So raid your toy box, grab your copy of the HUE Book of Animation and get making a fan film over this half term break. We love to see your creations so be sure to tag us if you share them online.

The team at HUE are huge Harry Potter fans. So much so we decided to recreate our favourite scene from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban where Harry and Hermione rescue Buckbeak. Watch the video below and let us know how we did?

For more inspiration, why not check out a few of our favorite fan films from the list below?

John Lewis Christmas Advert 2012 – The Journey – Animated

This lovingly crafted remake of the 2012 John Lewis Christmas commercial is sure to bring a tear to your eye.

Toy Story 3 In Real Life

Brothers Morgan and Mason McGrew loved Toy Story 3 so much they spent eight years painstakingly recreating the whole feature film shot-for-shot using toys, real-life locations and the magic of stop motion animation. The fan film was released online in January 2020 and has already gained more than 2.8 million views.

LEGO® Jurassic Park

Father-and-daughter team Paul and Hailee Hollingsworth combined their love of LEGO® and film-making in their brickfilm version of Jurassic Park.

The Ultimate “The Lion King” Recap Cartoon

Animator Cas van de Pol recreated the entire Lion King film in 2 minutes in this super silly hand drawn remake.

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