It's time.

I have French filmmaker friend who has just relocated to LA to try and make it in the film industry here in America. He is mainly interested in documentaries. He contacted me a few months back and asked me if I had any interesting ideas for a project. I didn't at the time, but now seeing all this activity in England has made me realize that there just might be something interesting about our little purple community. I ran the idea past him and he absolutely LOVED it. On March 20th he is flying out to Savannah, Ga to film my fourth Prince tribute party. We are then going to launch a kickstarter project to try and get some funding. We will not be using any of his music or likeness. This will be completely about the fans. I will also be attending the party in Vegas on April 19th (Thepurplereunion.com), in support of T.C Ellis' High School for Recording Arts in Minneapolis, to try and drum up interest. Marcus Scott has said he's fully on board to help.

My filmmaker friend has asked me to reach out to the community and ask two questions. So here they are:

1. What kinds of things would you want to know about your fellow Prince fans

2. What kind of incentives would inspire you to contribute to the project. For example, you could be a co-producer, have your name in the credits, receive your own physical dvd copy of the doc, or we could even fly out and interview you for the project.

If you are interested in supporting/following this project please feel free to email me at billyjackb@hotmail.com, find me on facebook under Benjamin Thomas Umbreit, follow me on twitter under Ben Umbreit @25shadesofPurpl, or like my page at 25 shades of purple

Cheers everyone!

[Edited 2/26/14 19:44pm]

Good luck on your project.

Thank you. You know we'll have to head up your way : )

Shadesofpurple said:

Thank you. You know we'll have to head up your way : )

If you do, let me know.

Interesting idea. They have made cool docs on Trekkies and such. But the ultimate expose on Prince fans would have to be an in depth open look at Bart!

But seriously there are some legendary Prince fans/collectors from people that were close to him, to people that tyr to emulate his style.

Me, I'm a serious collector that is also a creative person, who is very much influenced by the free all encompassing creativity, the patterns of his work, and consistent hard work ethic of Prince.

I dont know about that. Prince fans I have found are the most hateful fans I have ever seen. If the documentary doesn't include that it will be a false documentary. Because of that you either have to lie and paint a false picture or showcase it which doesnt really paint a good picture for Prince. I for one don't have any interest in this. I like Prince's music but the more I listen to fans on this site over the past year or so since joining the more I actually have started disliking Prince and ots honestly because of the hatred from fans. I really have never seen such towards an artist before by the fans. I am relatively a newbie and was really blown away by discovering PRince at first and thought this site would be a fun place but it actually did the opposite. Unfortunately I have to keep coming back here as this is the only place to find out whats going on in the PRince world. I really wish Prince has a real website that was updated with real news that truely kept us inthe loop. That way for those of us who do not want to read or take part in the Prince lynching don't have too and can enjoy his music the way we want to.

KatSkrizzle said:

When is the savannah party?

March 20th. 9 pm. Seed: Eco Lounge. Right downtown on Broughton and Montgomery

I really feel that the hatred of him is one of the most interesting aspects, and really sets his fanbase apart. This site is extraordinarily negative. It might be because of all the abuse it's taken : ) I created a facebook page for my party (25shadesofpurple) and have liked 60 or so other sites from it. Those are all super positive. There is a fantastic thriving community on facebook so I would definitely recommend linking up to them.

Funklov said:

I agree that it would make an interesting documentary if it touches on the love/hate relationship Prince fans have with him that is revealed every minute on this site. It should include both the admiration and frustration fans share about him.

I completely agree.

trax said:

I dont know about that. Prince fans I have found are the most hateful fans I have ever seen. If the documentary doesn't include that it will be a false documentary. Because of that you either have to lie and paint a false picture or showcase it which doesnt really paint a good picture for Prince. I for one don't have any interest in this. I like Prince's music but the more I listen to fans on this site over the past year or so since joining the more I actually have started disliking Prince and ots honestly because of the hatred from fans. I really have never seen such towards an artist before by the fans. I am relatively a newbie and was really blown away by discovering PRince at first and thought this site would be a fun place but it actually did the opposite. Unfortunately I have to keep coming back here as this is the only place to find out whats going on in the PRince world. I really wish Prince has a real website that was updated with real news that truely kept us inthe loop. That way for those of us who do not want to read or take part in the Prince lynching don't have too and can enjoy his music the way we want to.

He needs to focus on one aspect, in stead of a vage topic as Prince fans.

Prince is versatile, and so are his fans.

It seems that your friend is merely looking for a subject, and is not intrinsically motivated.

I like this one about the fans of the Boss.


http://vimeo.com/55827701

A similar doc. can be made about Prince. But I doubt if that is interesting.

Funklov said:

I agree that it would make an interesting documentary if it touches on the love/hate relationship Prince fans have with him that is revealed every minute on this site. It should include both the admiration and frustration fans share about him.

but when they do the 'love' part........they need to stay far away from some of the crazy ones like that lady who wears white all the time - Princess? or the Tambourine lady and some of the ones that follow him around wherever he goes - literally

Shadesofpurple said:

I really feel that the hatred of him is one of the most interesting aspects, and really sets his fanbase apart. This site is extraordinarily negative. It might be because of all the abuse it's taken : ) I created a facebook page for my party (25shadesofpurple) and have liked 60 or so other sites from it. Those are all super positive. There is a fantastic thriving community on facebook so I would definitely recommend linking up to them.

it wasn't always this bad, believe me. 10-15 years ago this community was mostly positive and fun.

certain prince fans are obsessed, unbalanced folks who spend their time creating website altars to him and trading/buying stolen prince music for free since they love him so much. you know the type: "i'm your biggest fan!"

apparently when such websites or portions thereof are shut down by prince under copyright/trademark infringement claims etc. (see, prince-bootleg issues) these thieving/obsessive/now bitter fans come here to this website trash talking everything prince, angry because he challenged their entitlement to stolen goods, angry because he does not appreciate their devotion and angry becasuse he isn't doing what they want him to do.

it's been this way for years now and despite the fact that many of them have had nothing good to say about prince's recent work they refuse to leave and continue to linger here and attack him, out of spite.

[Edited 2/28/14 6:27am]

I know it was positive. I was here. I find it completely absurd and amusing how fans hang around only to diss him.

Recent biographer, Matt Thorne, said in an interview that there are 6 levels of Prince fandom. I find the depth and variety extremely interesting. I've met people that say that Prince is one of their favorite artists, but only own Purple Rain, and don't even know about the massive amount of material that came out the same year as that album. It would be my goal to find and showcase as many of the levels as possible.

Right after posting this thread a man contacted me from Atlanta, who says he has been a fan since 78'. He seems very passionate about the project and says he knows alot of fans in the area. He is putting together a night for us to travel up there and shoot them for the kickstarter. I know that a lot of people think that Prince doesn't have a lot of fans, but I've traveled enough and discussed him enough to know that in actuality it is quite huge.

3rdeyedude said:

Funklov said:

I agree that it would make an interesting documentary if it touches on the love/hate relationship Prince fans have with him that is revealed every minute on this site. It should include both the admiration and frustration fans share about him.

but when they do the 'love' part........they need to stay far away from some of the crazy ones like that lady who wears white all the time - Princess? or the Tambourine lady and some of the ones that follow him around wherever he goes - literally

Actually, the lady in white is intriguing, good character for a doc.


Follow him around? You mean, go to his concerts when he's in the country, or travel around the world to see every concert?

Fans have the time and money to do that?


The eccentric fans make a documentary interesting, otherwise it's just a copy of the one of the Boss.

3rdeyedude said:

Funklov said:

I agree that it would make an interesting documentary if it touches on the love/hate relationship Prince fans have with him that is revealed every minute on this site. It should include both the admiration and frustration fans share about him.

but when they do the 'love' part........they need to stay far away from some of the crazy ones like that lady who wears white all the time - Princess? or the Tambourine lady and some of the ones that follow him around wherever he goes - literally

I'm looking forward to Bart as the personification of the 'hate' part.

vainandy said:

trax said:

I dont know about that. Prince fans I have found are the most hateful fans I have ever seen. If the documentary doesn't include that it will be a false documentary. Because of that you either have to lie and paint a false picture or showcase it which doesnt really paint a good picture for Prince. I for one don't have any interest in this. I like Prince's music but the more I listen to fans on this site over the past year or so since joining the more I actually have started disliking Prince and ots honestly because of the hatred from fans. I really have never seen such towards an artist before by the fans. I am relatively a newbie and was really blown away by discovering PRince at first and thought this site would be a fun place but it actually did the opposite. Unfortunately I have to keep coming back here as this is the only place to find out whats going on in the PRince world. I really wish Prince has a real website that was updated with real news that truely kept us inthe loop. That way for those of us who do not want to read or take part in the Prince lynching don't have too and can enjoy his music the way we want to.

Andy, you make a good documentary on your own.

Funklov said:

I agree that it would make an interesting documentary if it touches on the love/hate relationship Prince fans have with him that is revealed every minute on this site. It should include both the admiration and frustration fans share about him.

It could be like the documentary The People vs George Lucas.

If you are going to do a documentary, why not focus on the whole spectum of fans? Who cares that there are crazy, hateful ones or obsessed ones? It is part of the whole Prince fan experience.

Guys, I'm a semi-fanatic making this. That is what interests me. I have professional means at my disposal.