Calling Doctor Who fans
...because I'm making a documentary about people like you.
Fans come in all shapes and sizes - some dress up/cosplay and attend events like Gallifrey One or ComicCon. Others write fan fiction. Some analyze the show in critical research. And some do all of the above and more. There are hundreds of ways you might express your fandom.
So how do you express yours?
I'm a filmmaker (and professor of film & digital media) starting work on a documentary about American fans of the BBC sci-fi show Doctor Who.
So - do you have an interesting story about being a fan of the show, or know of people who are obsessed with the show or have a story about it? Are you a fan of the new series since its return in 2005, or the classic series, or both? Do you go to Doctor Who conventions (or other sci-fi conventions where Doctor Who is part of the landscape)?
If you're an academic who studies Doctor Who, why?
These are just some of the possible expressions of fandom - what's YOUR story?
If you're interested in being interviewed for the documentary, please email me. I'm assembling a list of potential interviewees and locations.
A little about me, by way of introduction: I'm an award-winning writer-director. My previous films include The Proper Care & Feeding of an American Messiah (available on Hulu, Fandor, and Amazon), the short documentary comedy Clean Freak (available on Fandor), and the dramatic feature Endings (winner of Best Dramatic Feature and Best Screenplay awards). My most recent film, Where We Started, is coming soon.
You should also know that I am also a Doctor Who fan. I discovered it as a child on Georgia Public TV in the early 1980s. My favorite Doctor then was the fourth. I still love him, but I'm also a David Tennant fan.
So - please email me or leave a comment here.
Chris Hansen
christopher_hansen (at) baylor.edu
posted by Chris Hansen at 10:36 PM
10 Comments:
You should see about attending Hurricane Who (in Florida). I went last year and it was a really interesting concentration of Doctor Who fans. Let me know in any other way I might be able to help!
Ha! The link would help!
http://www.hurricanewho.com/
Are you looking specifically for Americans, or are Canadians okay as well?
I'm a Canadian Doctor Who fan, cosplayer, and scholar. If you're interested, I'd love to help you.
My website is www.jmfrey.net, where you can find some of my TARDIS cosplay, and some info about my academic exploits.
--J.M.
I'm going to be a junior in high school. Dunno if you need that for age stuff, but...
Anyway, my story as a Doctor Who fan is as follows: My friends were going on and on about this show. It was unreal how obsessed they were with a doctor who wasn't really a doctor but instead a crime-fighting alien. I kept picturing this mushy guy with purple skin and eye stalks. Anyway, they kept telling me I had to watch it. Sometime after the season 6 finale, perhaps a few weeks, I was in the library, and I noticed a REALLY ATTRACTIVE GUY as my friend's laptop background. It was Matt Smith. Well, I had to watch it now. And so I did. It took me under two months to watch every single episode/special of the new series. I have since formed opinions that none of my friends seem to agree with, such as that Donna is the greatest companion and Nine is the best doctor, and have since become addicted to the fantastic obsession that is Tumblr. In which I have developed a deep respect for Alex Kingston, and a love for Matt Smith, and a bit of an obsession with the show myself. However, my friends have since moved onto new obsessions, as have I, during the absence of Who, and we're all eagerly awaiting the fall for its return.
Thanks for your responses!
J.M. - I have ben seriously considering expanding it to all of North America so that I can include Canadian fans. I'll check out your site, and as my schedule firms up, I'll keep you in the loop!
Maggie - can you email me at christopher_hansen (at) baylor.edu so I can have a way to contact you directly? Thanks!
I'm a total Whovian lol. I think the main pull is that most Sci-fi is predictable. The writers go far out of their way to make every minute blow you away.
About a year a go exactly, during finals I started watching Doctor Who. It was recommended to me by my best friend and I instantly fell in love with it. I remember starting at season 5 of the new series, obsessively watching until I reached the middle of season 6. Then I went back and watched seasons 1-4 and loved the show even more. I can't even explain how much I love this show. It's the long history behind it, the complex story lines, the science fiction, the drama. To this day I still analyze the character of the Doctor, trying to understand him deeper. I'm not just interseted in catch pjrases and sonic screwdrivers; the 11th Doctor's style has influenced my own wardrobe. I own several bow ties and plan on getting a stylish tweed jacket, not only for cosplay but for everyday wear. The huge fanbase of this show and it's influence in my life has introduced me to so much British culture. I found myself watching Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes, IT Crowd, Sherlock, and even appreciating the Harry Potter series more. I just can go on and on about the show. where else can you find a rolemodel that teaches the importance if intellectualism over violence? Doctr Who is my favorite TV show ever. I owe a lot to this show.
Anonymous- send me an email at christopher_hansen (at) baylor.edu so I can contact you directly!
Newvian, new series (always thought the old ones were a bit cheesy when I was a kid), academic, Star Trek fanatic, hoping to have a sonic screwdriver (10th Doctor, please) to take on job talks this season (hint to my hubby!), temporarily dumped by the academic TARDIS in Texas. Am not a robot. Am also not a Dalek or Cyberman. Always take a banana to a party. *not that kind of doctor* :-)
LadyAlchimia,
Can you email me at christopher_hansen (at) baylor.edu? Id love to chat more about your fandom!
Chris
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