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The future of FanForce

Discussion in 'FanForce Communications' started by Obi Anne , Sep 13, 2022.

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  1. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU and Costume/Props MOD star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    That was what disappeared when the fan force died and the 501st/RL took over. I met so many wonderful people who were fans but didn't costume, some gamed, some read the books, some just loved it all, but the 501st/RL made it exclusive and had social events that these 'non costume' people (me included) were not part of. :( I found that unless you have enough $$ or are the right 'shape', you can't make the grade for those groups for all the good they do. How many old over weight ladies are there in SW? And no I will not be a slave dancer with 6 breasts......... :p
     
    Adalia-Durron , Oct 6, 2022
    #26
    Dandelo likes this.
  2. Dandelo

    Dandelo SW and Film Music Interview Host star 10 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 25, 2014
    wow, that's not right at all, I hate exclusivity like that, shame on the 501st people.

    I'd hate to think Fan Force got a bad reputation because of stuff like that.
     
    Dandelo, Oct 6, 2022
    #27
  3. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU and Costume/Props MOD star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    It just kinda happened, and there were a few 'lies' about a member circulating.........and we all know how well the roots of that tree can spread. In the span of 6 months the FF was ripped apart by ONE person spreading lies. It took one of the 'neutral' people dying (cancer at 34) to bring apologies around when many realised the truth.

    How do I know this? I was the victim of the lies, and I know who told them. Apparently I lied about having breast cancer for attention (despite this persons life partner visiting me in hospital after the surgery!) and that I also lied about having MS as it'd been 18 months and I had not died, cause MS kills you, apparently. Ignorance MUST be bliss as this person spread their lies. sigh. Couple months before the neutral members death, I got a call on a Saturday night, another member apologizing for believing the lies. Then at the funeral of this person several not only apologized but hugged me, but this ONE person who did it all just stood there glaring at me like I was in the wrong still. Never understand that kind of venom.

    But I learned from that, and sadly still struggle with trust issues and friends. Very small circle of true friends now.
     
    Adalia-Durron , Oct 6, 2022
    #28
  4. Dandelo

    Dandelo SW and Film Music Interview Host star 10 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 25, 2014

    oh wow...just wow.

    Thank you for telling us this.

    This definitely shouldn't happen,
    can I ask did an RSA get involved in the situation?
     
    Dandelo, Oct 6, 2022
    #29
    Adalia-Durron likes this.
  5. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU and Costume/Props MOD star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    I was the RSA.............water on this ducks back now.
     
    Adalia-Durron , Oct 6, 2022
    #30
    Dandelo likes this.
  6. Skiara

    Skiara ~• RSA FFC •~ star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2002
    That is something that never should happen! Thanks for your trust to tell it in public, Adalia! [:D]

    Whenever people come together, there will be disharmony at one point, since we all are different characters. Although I always had the feeling that FF is mainly very easy, it happens. But things like that what you, Adalia, gone through never shall happen!



    In my view the big advantage of FF was always the emphasis of “just be a fan - no matter how much or what you enjoy the most - and post here to be part of FF”.



    Ideas/Brain Storming ideas:
    - bringing JC/FF closer together
    - WNU-info-thread about FF
    - motivating CR's to post more at JC
    - FF rules are truncated
    - making sure that new people get a reply when asking for joining
    - make joining a FF meeting far more easier
    - adding FFC/FF to the same section as JCC
    - moving all FF chapters to FFC (each chapter has one thread in FFC)
    - leading newbies in WNU to their FF more often
    - finding a good way to help potential new members to find their local FF and finding out if it's still active
    - greater emphasis on socialization
    -
    -
     
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2022
    Skiara , Oct 7, 2022
    #31
    Darth Gangrenous likes this.
  7. JediXXL

    JediXXL Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 11, 2003
    My local Fanforce went Facebook only, I am not on facebook so that ended that.
    I was a member of the 501st but resigned for personal reasons, I am still a member of the Rebel Legion but have resigned all leadership positions.

    I just do my own thing now.
    @Porkins on twitter
    @Porkins-Red_6 on Instagram
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2023
    JediXXL, Jan 16, 2023
    #32
  8. SithLordDarthRichie

    SithLordDarthRichie CR Emeritus: London star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2003
    I think that FanForces suffered after ROTS because once there were supposedly no more Star Wars movies there wasn't enough to keep a lot of the members around after maybe 2007 (which is pretty much when FFUK started drying up).

    Without big events like the Star Wars marathon or regular movies to attend, it became more difficult.
    Plus the reap life stuff, full time work & family & education etc made other things a priority instead of the forums.

    What's weird is that there are comic-cons in the UK many times a year, easy enough to meet up there if enough people were interested but nobody has ever really suggested it.

    I do think social media is important if we want to further the idea of FanForce.
    We did have a general Facebook page & at one point there were pages for the different groups, but those are either gone or nobody posts there anymore.
    Maybe bringing those back/restarting them is a good way for those that drifted away to be encouraged to return
     
    SithLordDarthRichie, Jan 29, 2023
    #33
    Skiara likes this.
  9. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin and Collecting/Lucasfilm Ltd Mod star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    I think Facebook did for quite a few of the FF groups - the ones that are still around use that for arranging meetups, etc. And Covid didn't help either.
     
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2023
    LAJ_FETT , Jan 29, 2023
    #34
  10. JediXXL

    JediXXL Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 11, 2003
    Facebook is a virus
     
    JediXXL, Feb 27, 2023
    #35
  11. Jedi Knight Fett

    Jedi Knight Fett WNU Interview-Teh Mole Host star 10 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2014
    Amen to that. Most social media is.
     
    Jedi Knight Fett, Feb 27, 2023
    #36
    Skiara likes this.
  12. Lightsabre

    Lightsabre Fan Force Founder star 4 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 12, 1999
    It's been like that since the early days. It felt like a natural extension since the early grassroots effort spawned from the JC community and threads devoted to meeting up. We had TPM to look forward to and the first SW Celebration in Denver. FF carved out some space in the forums and shared resources, but it still felt like sleeping on a friend's couch...

    Nevertheless, TPM was a great catalyst for bringing people together and creating regions, groups, and volunteers. As others have mentioned here, Social Media wasn't really a thing at that time, so FF was the place to be. Early days saw meet-ups at Celebrations, Comic/Sci-Fi Cons, and other local events. Some even held fundraisers as a way to meet others and help the community.

    I moved to another state in the early days of FF but still made it back home to see the new movie releases with my local group. Still text some of them about SW stuff to this day. Mixed feelings on Mandolorian S3:E1...oh wait, this is FF, have to discuss that in JC forums (sarcasm - but that's kinda how it was back in the day).

    I love seeing some of the OG's hanging around here - just awesome! Going on 23+ years since FF started, that's saying something. There are just so many ways to connect these days, altho I'd argue there's not much 'social' about social media, that it's a challenge to reach and retain folks on this platform.
     
    Lightsabre, Mar 3, 2023
    #37
    Skiara , Lady_Belligerent and Dandelo like this.
  13. Skiara

    Skiara ~• RSA FFC •~ star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2002
    The more I think about „social media isn’t social” the more I have to agree. Sad that is.

    In addition, it seems that everybody has more more less time - and this forum needs time to read, to get involved, to enjoy the fun! Find the mistake…
     
    Skiara , Mar 6, 2023
    #38
    Lady_Belligerent and Lightsabre like this.
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