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Fanimatrix - The Matrix Re-done By Fans

wishes writes "It appears Matrix fans have banded together to create the fanimatrix. From the Trailer it's not just an amateur event either. Release date is 27th September. " From the trailer, the movie actually looks good!

43 of 268 comments (clear)

  1. No quicktime trailer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    How can someone not include a QT format? They got every other flavor.

    Also, aren't they infringing on WB's copyright?

  2. Obligatory TORRENT link by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    if you're only looking for the torrent link to the trailer: here goes

  3. In case the site starts to struggle... by alwsn · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here is the torrent for the mpeg. Fanimatrix 14MB mpeg trailer

    1. Re:In case the site starts to struggle... by Jagasian · · Score: 5, Informative

      Make sure you guys upgrade to the latest version of BitTorrent as a new official version came out this past week! It has tons of bug fixes and network/filesystem/CPU/memory optimizations. Also, the rule-of-thumb is that you don't close the BitTorrent download window until you have uploaded as much as you have downloaded. The new official client lists your total upload and your total download.

    2. Re:In case the site starts to struggle... by Jagasian · · Score: 3, Informative

      One last thing, I almost forgot to mention. If you really like BitTorrent, and you want to see it get even better, then donate $10 to Bram. The guy makes a living off of his BitTorrent donations. Since I noticed big improvements in this weeks new version of BitTorrent, I donated $20. No more long initialization times when starting/restarting a torrent download, no more download window lockup bug, faster downloads, no longer hogs CPU, etc...

    3. Re:In case the site starts to struggle... by isorox · · Score: 2, Funny

      It is isn't it? Most of them seem to be left wing loonys

  4. 10/10 for effort by BillsPetMonkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    How long before there's a Matrix Convention, with lots of nerds dressing up in black trenchcoats, acting out scenes and theorizing about the symbolism of The Oracle, then having a disco at the end of the evening. Lots of geek girls dressing up as Niobe.

    Actually, you know ...

    --
    "It's not your information. It's information about you" - John Ford, Vice President, Equifax
    1. Re:10/10 for effort by Theodore+Logan · · Score: 3, Funny

      Lots of geek girls dressing up as Niobe.

      In your dreams, pal. But that's ok. In my dreams they're dressed up as Trinity.

      --

      "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance" - Derek Bok

    2. Re:10/10 for effort by Theodore+Logan · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hey, it's my dreams! I decide what those girls look like!

      --

      "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance" - Derek Bok

    3. Re:10/10 for effort by ChowyChow · · Score: 3, Funny

      In Soviet Russia the girls decide your dreams!!

    4. Re:10/10 for effort by dmayle · · Score: 5, Funny

      Gosh, you guys have such overly elaborate dreams. In my dreams, they're not dressed at all...

    5. Re:10/10 for effort by GeorgeH · · Score: 4, Interesting

      As per the usual, Japan's been there, done that. Personally, I'm looking forward to the cosplay at a Tetris convention. "Oh man, check out the girl in the T brick costume!"

      --
      Why can't I moderate something "Wrong" or at least "Grossly Misinformed"?
    6. Re:10/10 for effort by sharkey · · Score: 2, Funny
      How long before there's a Matrix Convention

      They had one, and got Keanu Reeves to be the keynote speaker. Here's a transcript:

      "Woah."

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
  5. very nice / similar stuff by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    I like the work they put in their project and it looks really nice. Must have been great fun to shoot the movie, too.
    I once did a statist-job for a small film, and it is fun. The same fun people write software for.

    There is a similar, albeit not so complicated and shaped project at Matrix-XP.

  6. Impressive, what's next? by 3seas · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It won't be long before someone makes it available on CD/VCD/DVD at costs, for those like me who simply don't have a fast enough connection.

    There are other sites out there that have every thing from gatherings to RL RPG but one I'm on, that has been around since the beginning, with some of it's members even making it on Matrix Revisited, is Matrixcommunuity

    I am impressed with things fans have done, including writing full scripts of their own.

    And as the matrix is, there is plenty of room, for everyones story.

  7. Not to disparage this effort but... by dodgyville · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why do all "Matrix" spin-offs have something with "trix" appended to the end? Two examples are "The Animatrix" and now "The Fanimatrix". Why don't they do it the other way round? What's wrong with "The Matran" or "The Matrimation"???

    It's also the same with unix. Why don't programs do something other than end in "x" (eg Linux, lynx, lyx, knoppix...)? They should start with "un" (or if you like linux, "lin"). For example, "open-office" could be called "un-office", and "link" could be called "linlink".

    --
    apt-get install deathstar && deathstar alderaan && echo "You're far too trusting"
    1. Re:Not to disparage this effort but... by azzy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Did you notice that Animatrix and Fanimatrix actually end with 'matrix' not just 'trix'?

    2. Re:Not to disparage this effort but... by caillon · · Score: 2, Funny

      > Did you notice that Animatrix and Fanimatrix actually end with 'matrix' not just 'trix'?

      Um, actually they end with 'animatrix'.

    3. Re:Not to disparage this effort but... by Zardoz44 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Because they rhyme. Its very difficult to rhyme with the first few letters.

  8. What's the point? by gL4cier · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Saw Trinity alike, Neo alike & Agent Smith... What's the freaking point anyway. I mean I respect their creativity/artistry n stuff but come on... use them on something else other than matrix copycat. (or try to make a story like one of those animatrix stories)

  9. Guerrila Film makers by Nodatadj · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the trailer it looks like they're competent film makers. I can't comment on the storyline, cos really, the trailer doesn't actually say much about it, its just showing "Look we can copy the stuff the Matrix did".

    I was going to complain about "Why don't these people write their own stories, based on their own created characters, etc etc, then we might have some new worthwhile cinema and new ideas coming though", but I guess there are people who do that, they just don't get on the front page of /.

    I dunno, I guess I have the same feeling about professional cover bands too.

    1. Re:Guerrila Film makers by metroid+composite · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Eh, it's not just the explicit remakes that lack innovation. Plenty of Hollywood movies have a "been there, done that" feeling to them. When it comes right down to it, I've watched more than one Jackie Chan movie, enjoyed them, but can't say I found them to be all that different.

      Actually, if people are interested I can try to coerce a film studies prof into writing a /. article. There's quite a few alternative film experts at McGill, and heck some good alternative films have been made here (though I'll sheepishly admit that I missed the screening of the most recent one. I blame the Internet for being too entertaining).

    2. Re:Guerrila Film makers by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Funny

      " "Why don't these people write their own stories, based on their own created characters, etc etc, then we might have some new worthwhile cinema and new ideas coming though"

      Easier said than done. It's hard to get noticed on-line. But if you start leg-humping another hot-property, then you've instantly got people who are curious.

      When the setting is familiar, it's easy to get a few people to say "what the hell" and get it.

      Don't worry about the noise generated by garbage out there. Look for the gems.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
  10. Legal? by caillon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Their disclaimer says "Although copyrighted materials (e.g. music and sound fx) do appear in this film, we hope that the spirit of goodwill will prevail in allowing us to feature their work on our movie in the hopes that it will promote their own talents."

    I like the idea, but it seems far fetched that the copyright holders will actually go for this...

    1. Re:Legal? by caillon · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Well, if the claims are true and they are using copyrighted music, the RIAA and record labels have shown in the past that they will go after people with out caring who they are. They have no direct connection to the Matrix (AFAICS), and it wouldn't matter to them whether they are sincere fans of the movie or bootleggers. I wonder if the fanimatrix people tried contacting the copyright holders....

  11. It's a Prelude, Not a Remake by Deslock · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Did you title the story "Re-done" because it sounds more sensationalistic? From their "What is the Fanimatrix" section:

    *********

    "The Fanimatrix - Run Program" is a collaboration between over a dozen professional actors, stuntpeople, special effects artists as well as an amateur filmmaking crew (all based in New Zealand) who set out to accomplish four primary goals:

    1. Do something constructive with our spare time (boredom is a killer y'know...)
    2. Create a short film that the general audience would actually WANT to see
    3. Celebrate our mutual love for one of the finest film sagas put on our screens for over a decade - "The Matrix".
    4. Provide an opportunity for everyone involved to practice and hone their filmmaking skills and respective talents.

    "The Fanimatrix" is a fan-made, zero-budget short film set within the Matrix universe, specifically shortly before the discovery of "The One" (i.e. the first "Matrix" feature film). It tells the story of two rebels - Dante and Medusa - and of their fateful mission onto the virtual reality prison world that is The Matrix.

    The film was shot on the Sony Mini-Digital Video format and edited on a PC editing suite utilizing Adobe Premiere, After FX and AlamDV Special FX. The entire production was completed over nine nights, ranging from six to over fifteen hour shoots, not including rehearsal and blocking-tape-shooting sessions. Most of the props, sets and lighting equipment was borrowed and locations were either hired or shot guerilla style. Although the film was a "zero budget" production, the final cost of the movie (combining personal expenses of cast and crew such as investment into costumes, transport costs, food etc) has reached upto approximately $1000 NZ (or $400-$600 US). The movie was shot entirely within Auckland City, New Zealand (our home).

  12. Like that actually means something by michiel.h · · Score: 2, Funny
    From the trailer, the movie actually looks good!
    You can say the same about Spy Game and Inspector Gadget.

    Think about that!

  13. Re:I doubt that they will match the Matrix. by Ineffable+27 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wow, they're letting anyone into Mensa these days I guess. Any way to moderate someone "-1, Looney Tunes"?

    --
    "He'd be a broader guy if he had dropped acid once." - Steve Jobs on Bill Gates
  14. From the trailer... by RedWizzard · · Score: 5, Funny
    From the trailer, the movie actually looks good!
    From the trailer, Reloaded looked good!
  15. Re:I doubt that they will match the Matrix. by drkich · · Score: 2, Interesting

    There are a number of ways you can view this. Yes, you can percieve that Neo is the equivilent of Satan, and that he is trying to bring disorder to where order exists.

    However, I have a different view. Neo is the one, however, he could not do what he does without Trinity and Morpheous. They together also form the one, the trinity.

    If we are going to go the route of the bible, let us look at Revelations. Satan controls the earth for seven years I believe. Then Jesus returns with his army and casts Satan back to the lake of fire. Could not the machines be Satan and their control of the earth be actually evil. Even if it is orderly, there is nothing in the bible that says the earth will necessarily be a teeming mass of Chaos. Just the opposite, the people are bar coded for better record keeping. Sounds pretty orderly to me.

    However, I believe none of the above, I think it is just a fun movie. I just wanted to point out an opposite hypothesis to you.

  16. Give us a second... by BMonger · · Score: 4, Funny

    "There is no trailer."

  17. Pretty much all the info from their site... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here is the FAQ. There isn't much other info on the site...

    F A Q

    F.A.Q.

    Q. What the heck does "Fanimatrix" mean?

    A. It's the "Fan"-imatrix. As in it's a "fan" film.

    Q. Will there by any sequels?

    A. Depends. If the movie is popular enough across the Net and if nobody objects to the material, then we may yet see more "Fanimatrix" movies before long. We sure had a lot of fun putting the film together and would relish a second chance, possibly with better equipment and more money as well.

    Q. What the heck IS Medusa doing in that office building?

    A. Both her and Dante's stories provide lead-in material for a larger body of work should more "Fanimatrix" movies be made. You'll have to wait and see.

    Q. What was the most expensive part of the whole project?

    A. Possibly Dante's outfit. The actor - Steven A. Davis - got a little carried away we think ;) That and the amount of petrol we spent zooming around town.

    Q. What city is the story set in?

    A. "Run Program" is not set in the same city that Neo lives in - for one thing all the cars drive on the left side of the road. Although the film is shot in Auckland, we always intended that the setting be something of a bohemian location - possibly Europe. To answer your question succinctly, we didn't really think about it.

    Q. What was the most difficult part of the whole project?

    A. Possibly the three consecutive nights of shooting in the machine-shop location and the Goth bar - over 48 hours of constant filming and practically all of it involving martial arts, wire-fx and handling large amounts of crew and cast. Combined with incredible lack of sleep, sore muscles and the freezing cold, it was the hardest shoot we'd ever done (professionally or otherwise) and many of us went home that night with our bodies riddled with physical pain and exhaustion.

    Q. Is that copy of NMap on Medusa's machine trying to port-scan itself?

    A. Shutupshutupshutupshutup....

    Q. What are your backgrounds in filmmaking?

    A. See our cast and crew page (coming soon).

    Q. What sort of martial arts are featured in the "Fanimatrix"?

    A. The same type you see in the feature films: Wushu (a.k.a. Chinese Martial Arts or Kung Fu).

    Q. Is the story of "Run Program" canon?

    A. No, the "Fanimatrix" films are not to be considered canon at all. We are in no way affiliated or involved with the Warschowski Brothers, Warner Brothers Pictures, Silver Pictures or Village Roadshow.

  18. Re:Nobody has ever done this before by cluke · · Score: 2, Funny

    Lawsuites? Is that what you call the chairs in a attorney's waiting room?

  19. Re:Good on them! by gabeman-o · · Score: 3, Funny

    the above post is obviously an ad for Verisign SiteFinder

  20. Today is the 27th sep by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting


    so where is the full film ?

  21. Re:I doubt that they will match the Matrix. by AllUsernamesAreGone · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, the voices do say there's a fine line between genius and insanity.....

  22. Re:I doubt that they will match the Matrix. by james_gnz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Much agreed on the human bodies as batteries, but otherwise thought it was excellent.

    Neo is an anagram of "one", the "one". This doctrine usually refers to the avatar of Satan because Satan is - unlike God who exists in TRINITY - only ONE being. Furthermore Neo takes clearly the defilers role as he fights against order and propagates anti-autoritarian behavior and the relativity of moralic values.

    Already I'm not really sure if you're serious. Neo <-> one is hardly an impressive anagram, and I suspect neo is more often used to refer to something being relatively new or recent than to refer to Satan. Most Christians would hold that they are mono-theistic, I think, despite what the Jews or Muslims might say. Yes, he fights against order, and part of the order he fights against is ordered rows of human bodies used as batteries. More of a concern, I think, are all the people he kills along the way. (And here I could draw a parallel with either the Hebrew assult on the Canaanite people, or the Christian Crusades.) Lastly, you must realise that even within Christanity, there are widely different views on many moral issues. The search for absolute truth may well be a noble persuit, but the assumption that you already have it and everyone else is wrong is not.

    Morpheus doesn't refers to Greek mythology but to the KABBALISTIC figure of M'orphir'ne'us, servant of the evil one and traditionally the preparator of his plans.

    A name can refer to more than one thing.

    Nebukadnezar was a heathen king and is mentioned in the Holy Book for serving Baal and being killed by the warth of the LORD. See the book Daniel.

    Don't believe everything you read, Nebukadnezar got a lot of bad press.

    And since you're a member of Mensa, perhaps you can explain this. As you surely know, the god you worship made a covenant with the Israelites on Mount Sinai, and the English translation begins thus:

    I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
    You shall have no other gods before me.
    Note it does not say "There are no other gods besides me." It actually implies there are other gods. A god would not be likely to get that wrong. Of course, relative to the Israelite/Jewish view there are no other gods. But that's just their moral values. Why shouldn't other people be allowed to worship any god(s), or none, as they choose? Or, to get to the point, why should anyone else be bound by the morals that you have chosen?
  23. Re:Of Wizards by Minna+Kirai · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Modern fantasy literature defines wizards as those who wield flashy special effects and blow shit up. Not that I mind flashy methods of blowing up stuff. ;)

    Tolkien's the one who started pop-culture down that path, though, even if he didn't move much in that direction himself.

    His whole style was based on taking myth and making it concrete. More direct and immediate. Instead of Shakespere-style fairies that live in vaguely remembered dreams, his dwarves and elves were real people that cursed, sweated, and bled.

    Too, his Gandalf held the seeds of a modern fireball-tossing 'wizard'. Although the reader never watched Gandalf display distructive power, he always knew it was there. This was particularly affirmed in the offscreen Balrog-fight. Knowing that Gandalf had stood toe-to-toe with such a demonic brute implied his own aggressive power were vast, but the details were left to the imaginations of individual readers. The 2nd and 3rd generations of typical "fantasy" authors grew up on that, and wrote down their own interpretations of what a magical battle would entail.

    Basically, modern fantasy has done to wizards what Star Wars has done to space movies: more flashiness, less subtlety.

    The real change was "more budget, more budget". Have you seen space movies before Star Wars? The direct cultural precedent was Flash Gordon... equally flashy, except it couldn't afford a big display. Few "space movies", before or after, have been intentionally subtle. (Yes, we can point to 2001 and Alien as exceptions)

    In certain ways, Star Wars was distinctly more subtle than prior "sci fi" movies: in the presentation of "alien" costumes. Prior movies had every alien as an important threat or mysterious savior- something that draws the camera to center on it whenever it's in frame. Lucas, for the first time, allowed weird-looking aliens as background characters and barkeepers. A distinctly subtle way to emphasize the strangess and variety of the setting.

    (Note that he backed away from that restrained style in the 3rd and especially 4th Star Wars films. The 2-headed race-announcer, for example, was purely body-shape as punchline. Ironically, the technical constraint of needed actors inside suits had helped keep the creature design within credible limits)

    That said, I'd love to see a well-done film adaptation of the Dragonlance stories as well!

    It couldn't possibly be worse than the film called "Dungeons and Dragons", right?

    Actually, Dragonlance would work better as a 9 episode miniseries (covering one trilogy), on a cable network like the SciFi channel. The main cast of primary heros is too large to fit in a single film. The lower FX budget would keep them from going overboard on spectacle (you don't want to black out the sky with dragons- that distracts from the sheer power just one of those beasts should represent)

  24. This should be legal... by sterno · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This should be legal for two reasons:

    1) none of the copyright holders for any of the material used in this film or that this film is based on are losing ANYTHING because of it

    2) they aren't making money. In fact, they are losing money on it.

    --
    This sig has been temporarily disconnected or is no longer in service
    1. Re:This should be legal... by The+Kow · · Score: 4, Informative

      Legally speaking, I believe they are. IANAL, but I did take a business law course which discussed the *real* necessities for a copyright infringement lawsuit, and, while I don't remember precise details, I do remember that having to document dollar-value losses is not a part of the requirement. Tarnishment is considered a viable 'loss' as are several other intangibles.

      Think for a moment that you're a company who's copyrighted work is being subjected to a fan-imitation work that you've AUTHORIZED. Someone else comes along and does the same thing and finishes there work before the authorized fan-mimicked work is released. The second one comes out, and your attempts to market it have now been cut short.

      In addition, you may not want people dilluting your trademarked logo, fictitious world, or concepts. Trademark is a whole new can of worms, though, and I don't remember enough of that to really get deep into it, either.

      Suffice it to say that your two reasons wouldn't cut the mustard, unfortunately.

      --
      Moo
  25. Re:I doubt that they will match the Matrix. by 33degrees · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Another interesting biblical reference is the Merovingian. According to certain versions of history (which was first popularised by the book "holy blood, holy grail") the Merovingian kings were direct descendants of Jesus (who hadn't died at the cross and who fled Jerusalem with Mary Magdalene and later had a child with her) and that bloodline is the actual Holy Grail. One of the first things that hint at this possibility is the term Holy Grail, which come from the french "San Greal"; it's likely that it's a misstranslation of the term "Sang Real", which literally means Royal Blood.

    This would mean that the Merovingian in the movie is a decendant of Christ, which adds an interesting twist to biblical interpretations of the movie.

  26. Re:Nobody has ever done this before by flogger · · Score: 2, Informative

    People have always done these kinds of things for the films that they enjoy. Go to The Force.Net. All sorts of fan movies.
    There was even an article here on slashdot about some KIDS that were remakng Indiana Jones (I can;t find it though. I'm sure someone will point it out for us)

    Or, when you said no one has done this before, you were talking about the matrix? Well My favortie just happens to be matrix based.

    --
    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
    "First things first -- but not necessarily in that order"
    -- The Doctor, "Doctor
  27. Re:Nobody has ever done this before by pontifier · · Score: 2, Funny

    There's a porno version of the Matrix.

    Trixxx 02

    The acting is like a B movie. Very funny stuff, and ok porn quality.

    --
    -John Fenley