The Small Fries

In his recent documentary, Tom Felton – famously known as Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter franchise – sets off to find out why superfans do the things we do. I would like to state right off the bat that this is a very accurate glimpse into the life of the superfans, fangirls, fanboys, or whatever else we go by. It shows that each of our obsessions means something more to us than just what’s on the surface, and Tom is on a mission to find out what exactly that is.

He was first inspired to find this explanation when his very own superfan, Tina, gave him a card about his dog passing. He had met her many times before, but this one special moment made him wonder; why does she care? Tina had once waited four hours outside of an event just to see Tom. She follows him to all of his events just for that picture, autograph, or just a brief moment with him. Tom wants to know what drives her.\

We start off by meeting “The Biggest Harry Potter Fan,” Steve. Honestly, I wouldn’t argue that statement. He has a basement full of Harry Potter merchandise; over 1000 pieces and worth more than $13,000. He has enough Harry Potter clothes to last him three months, without ever having to repeat an outfit. Steve is the ultimate Harry Potter fan. Tom took his time to sit down with him and find out why he is such a big fan. We learn that Steve was bullied as a kid for being a small, skinny nerd. Harry Potter helped him get through everything, and he carried this obsession with him into his adult life. He will tell you that “this never impacted my life negatively. It has never driven people away.” People accept him for his obsession with Harry Potter; it is a part of who he is. However, unlike many fans, Steve is not “fanboying” over the fact Draco Malfoy is sitting in his house. He recognizes the actors as “people playing the characters that I love.”

Steve and Tom

Tom, thinking he has a better understanding of what drives a superfan, decides to head “straight into the lion’s den,” to a comic book convention in Tulsa. There he meets William Shatner and decides to interview “the king of cons” and learn what he thinks of the fans. I couldn’t help but smile the entire time, because Tom was becoming very flustered in front of Captain Kirk – just like any other fan would. I don’t know if he caught on to it, but he was acting the way any fan would when meeting someone that iconic. Tom was starstruck. Here, he also met a young fan, Jade, who was another superfan. Tom learned that her obsession began when Harry Potter helped her through her depression. She described how the Dementors were the physical form of depression and reading the books helped her “escape into their [Harry Potter’s] world and not think about my problems.”

The creator herself, J.K. Rowling, even said that “literature’s most powerful effects is to tell everyone, ‘no, you’re not alone.’” I completely agree with this part of the film. Literature in general helps everyone escape from their reality and lets them live vicariously through their favorite characters. It can help the reader cope with their problems or overcome a terrible obstacle. People look at superfans and think they’re weird and different. This documentary sheds light on the fact that our obsessions run much deeper than some people want to believe.

Bryan and Tom

We meet a few more fans, one who waits outside places for stars to come out, and two others who are cosplayers. Bryan, the fan who waits, helps Tom understand the thrill of being recognized by someone you admire and look up to is what makes all this worthwhile. When Tom heads to his final con of the documentary in Birmingham, he decides to don a costume. Tom goes as the Joker and is instantly blending in with thousands of fans and enthusiasts. He says how contagious the atmosphere is and how much fun he is having.

Tom cosplaying as The Joker

After being exposed to every aspect of what it means to be a part of a fandom, Tom still doesn’t quite understand what makes us tick. So, finally we get to meet Tina, and I think she sums it up perfectly. Seeing the characters grow up and watching them grow up on screen made it feel like we were watching our own family grow up, and we wanted to be a part of that family. Ask any fan around you and they will say it’s true. The fandoms they are involved in are their extended family. They’re people who understand them and essentially are just like them.

Tom's interview with Tina. Photo: Buzzfeed.

This documentary explains why we do the crazy things we do. Being a part of a fandom brings people together from all over the world, which explains why Comic-Con has grown into the multi-billion dollar convention that it is today. People come from all over to go to cons to dress up, meet stars, and find other members of their extended family. I suggest that anyone who wants to understand more about professional fans should watch Tom’s documentary. It is a perfect peek into what kind of effort we put forth to show support for our role models and helps show that fandoms go much deeper than the pages in the books or the movies on screen.

--Kasey