by Rebekah
Courtesy of SyFy/Wynonna Earp
Wynonna Earp is a supernatural western horror on the Syfy network going into its fourth season. The show is about the great-great granddaughter of Wyatt Earp fighting revenants (resurrected demonic outlaws) and other supernatural beings. Wynonna has Wyatt’s special revolver called “Peacemaker”, her sister Waverly, a shadowy government organization, and some mysterious friends she meets along the way.
The show has been noted for its LGBT inclusion and was nominated twice for the GLAAD media award for Outstanding Drama Series. It has also been lauded for its strong women characters with Rachel Brittain at The Mary Sue saying, “It’s really wonderful to see a show with so many distinct and interesting female characters who get to be heroes and villains and everything in between.”
Also noteworthy is the fandom of Wynonna Earp, called Earpers. In three seasons, the fandom has independently created podcasts, fan conventions, art books, and non-profit endeavors. When The People’s Choice Awards did not include Wynonna Earp in its nominees for 2018, Earpers organized a successful write-in campaign, with Wynonna Earp ultimately winning for best Scif-Fi/Fantasy show.
And now, a group of fans has decided to make a documentary about the Earper fandom titled #Fandom: The Power of Positivity and Kindness. The first trailer was released on January 10, 2018. To get some background on the project, we spoke to the makers of the documentary.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
- When did the idea for this documentary come about?
The idea came up for our documentary last summer. It was around the same time Vulture released the article about Earpers being “the nicest fandom”. Our Executive Producers (Tanya, Terran, and Joe) knew we had something worth showing the world.
- In the trailer, we saw clips of conventions. What other type of content will be in the documentary? What is the format going to be?
Along with filming at conventions, we plan on having fan interviews, interviews with the cast and crew of “Wynonna Earp”, and conversation about what is possible with a fandom like the “Earpers”.
- Why do a documentary on the Wynonna Earp fandom? Why is it special?
The “Earpers” are like no other fandom we have been in before. They have presented inclusivity, positivity, kindness, support, and even make a difference throughout their communities. For example, when the wild fires were taking over California, Kat Barrell (Deputy Nicole Haught), tweeted that the Humane Society needed help. Several groups of Earpers responded and volunteered their time. Also, Dominique Provost-Chalkey (Waverly Earp), founded Start The Wave, an eco-friendly and inclusive community for positive change that invites people to take conscious actions towards our planet and communities.
There have been multiple fan actions as well, such as Earpers coming together to buy a convention ticket for someone who could not afford one There’s also a fandom created hashtag known as #Earpersupport that provides guidance and advice.
Lastly, we have never seen such an interactive, caring cast. They reach out on social media and even know some of the fans just through Twitter and conventions. It’s truly the best fan experience and it is something that needs to be captured and utilized in other fandoms. Every fandom deserves the love Earpers give!
- How do you hope people react after watching this documentary? What do you hope it inspires?
We hope that it inspires others to see how much power lies within simple acts of kindness, positivity, acceptance, love, and so much more. How it can actually help change the world for the better.
We hope it provokes change. We live in world filled with negative things, that we want to document how people sharing a connection can attract and encourage a shift to positive behaviors and actions for themselves and others.
Lastly, we hope that this documentary motivates people; not just within their fandoms, but outside of them; to spread kindness and treat everyone with love and respect. There are power in numbers and the Earpers have shown what a community can do.
- When do you plan to complete the documentary?
Our tentative plan is to film everything in 2019. Ideally that would mean we want the film out at festivals and digitally by 2020.
- How will people watch it once it is completed? Where will it be hosted?
We have several plans for distribution, but it being so early in the project we do not have exact outlets yet. It will be digitally accessible for fans. Our goal is also to attend several film festivals and screen at conventions.
- Can people still be a part of the project, and if so how?
Yes! As of now we have completed our applications for interviews within the documentary, but we will be announcing soon how fans can still be a part of this journey.
- Where can people find more information?
You can find all of the information regarding the documentary, crew, etc. at https://www.fandomdocumentary.com/. For updates on the project you can find us on Twitter and Instagram @Fandom_Doc.
