After the FanFic Gala, we realized that a many fans were interested in screenwriting. The ones that did submit to the festival were already practicing writers, and in wishing for more of these amazing submissions to come our way, we had to ask "Where can we find more?"

A local library, at Sunland-Tujunga, CA, requested that we do a film series every Monday, this September. We loved the idea, but rather than encouraging people through our usual FanFilm Festival, we tried something different. Instead, we produced an anime festival. But not just any anime festival, no. We produced our very own Classic Anime Festival!

The idea was simple: return to what made fanfiction popular.

When we began, we knew that it was an experiment. Not everyone comes to a small town for anime, that's typically for Conventions and close friends relaxing at home. But we had to make the gamble. We wanted to serve the community of Sunland-Tujunga, but needed something more than just a good time. We needed a program.

In the early 2000, people were writing stories about their favorite characters, mixing into other universes - Sherlock with X-Men, Sailormoon with Indiana Jones - you name it, the internet was writing about it. These were called FanFictions, mainly due to the popularization of fans writing their own stories for their own pleasure. Rewriting bad stories into better versions, so as long as everyone agreed to never sell them.

Fast forward to today's FanFilms and Artist Alleys - where fanfiction is sold, and screened publicly - we now have Studios giving permission to allow filmmakers and artists to produce non-parody films, and sell fanart, since their works have boosted the sales of the franchises the Entertainment Industry produces! We cannot encourage the fandom enough.

But now, people aren't writing enough. Or rather, people don't know where to look to submit their work, and why? FanFiction is best known for amateur smut published for readers in closed-doors. The idea of disciplining oneself to be a screenwriter is beyond them. Or so we thought.

Three weeks in, and the Classic Anime Festival has attracted young geeks into the Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library. New fans that have only began their intrigue into the world of anime within two to four weeks' time. Beginning with Astroboy and Speed Racer, and last Monday ending with Dragon Ball Z and Sailormoon - ending these Monday meetups with My Neighbor Totoro - the enthusiasm to watch more was spectacular!

Although, we may have to admit defeat, as this experiment has come to a close, and without fruition. No one was interested in FanFiction. Yet, these fans were now aware of our existence, and may prove to be the potential we hoped to gain in a world of "Fake Fans".

Today, Conventions are filled with Cosplayers that seek attention, knowing less than a fraction of the anime they represent, and too eager to join in on the fun without preparation of what bullying awaits them. Poor young geeks are typically ousted from the celebrations, and fandoms are slowly dying. This may have happened before, with old Sci-Fi geeks - now Renaissance Faire Folks, but we hope that we may find a happy medium, so to encourage people to pursue beyond the fandom, and enjoy the opportunities that await them, here at Azure Lorica.