Hi everyone,
I wanted to share a meaningful progress update on Faking Filmation, including where the film currently stands, an upcoming potential screening milestone, and an important clarification about one aspect of the original campaign.
The short version:
• The rough cut of the documentary is complete and the film is moving through final refinement and legal review.
• We are currently aiming for a screening at Power-Con 2026 in Cincinnati (https://thepower-con.com).
• Due to legal restrictions, we cannot distribute or facilitate access to The Return of Faker as part of this campaign.
• We are evaluating whether there are responsible ways to acknowledge that change for backers while the documentary itself moves toward completion.
Below is a more detailed update on where everything stands and what happens next.
Some encouraging news first
We are currently working toward a potential screening of Faking Filmation at Power-Con 2026 (September 12–13 in Cincinnati). https://thepower-con.com
While final details are still being worked out, the goal is to premiere the film for the community there if the project is in the right state to do so.
Whether that screening is a finished film or a work-in-progress preview will depend on where the legal and finishing process lands over the coming months — but it’s an exciting milestone we’re actively aiming toward.
Where the film stands
The rough cut of Faking Filmation is complete, and the film was very close to picture lock when my previous update was drafted.
However, since that time Andy Mangels has come on board as a producer, and his involvement has opened up access to additional archival materials and resources that significantly elevate the film. In several cases we now have the opportunity to replace temporary or lower-quality materials with better source elements and higher-quality archival assets.
Because of that, portions of the film are currently being refined and upgraded, which has required temporarily stepping back from the near-picture-lock state the film was approaching.
At the same time, we’ve begun a clearance process where we are attempting to license as much of the material used in the film as possible, rather than relying solely on fair-use doctrine. While fair use remains an important legal framework for documentary storytelling, licensing material where feasible helps strengthen the long-term release path for the film.
Once we determine which elements can be licensed and which must rely on fair use, the film will go through a formal legal pass to ensure everything sits on solid ground before final picture lock.
This step is standard for documentaries working with archival footage, commentary, and case-study material — but it does mean the finishing process takes a little longer in order to do it correctly.
Creatively, the film is where it needs to be — and I’m really proud of how clearly its core themes are coming through.
Unfortunately, there is some difficult news to share
Since this campaign first launched, the landscape around fan films has become more aggressive and significantly less forgiving. Enforcement actions have increased, tolerance has narrowed, and the environment has grown more cut-throat overall. In that context, even within a documentary, it’s essential that any use of fan-created material is clearly grounded in commentary, criticism, and transformation — not distribution.
There’s also an undeniable irony here. Faking Filmation documents a period when fan creativity was institutionally supported and licensed, even as the modern space for similar work has tightened while we were making the film. As we explored that history, the present-day reality became clearer: the very forces the film examines are still shaping what can and can’t exist now.
While early legal discussions explored potential ways the fan film might be handled within a documentary context, following subsequent legal review and in light of how the project now exists in the world, where we have landed is a clear and final boundary.
I can’t explain or elaborate on this further — but it’s important that I state it plainly and explicitly so there’s no gray area:
After subsequent legal review, and because Faking Filmation examines the legal gray area around fan films, at this time we cannot distribute or facilitate access to The Return of Faker. Any potential future release would require a separate license and rests solely with its creator, James Eatock.
That distinction matters, and it reflects the reality the film itself explores — the tension between fan creativity, intellectual property, and permission.
Why your support still mattered
It’s also important to say this clearly: even though we cannot distribute or facilitate access to The Return of Faker, the documentary did succeed in doing something meaningful.
By examining James’s story and the broader fan-film ecosystem, Faking Filmation helped raise awareness around this specific project and fan films more generally — contributing to a legitimate and significant outcome for The Return of Faker that exists entirely outside this campaign.
Many of you supported this project because the original cease-and-desist felt unjust. Your backing helped shine a light on that story, give it context, and ultimately change how it was understood. That impact is real, even if the form it takes isn’t what was originally imagined.
What Faking Filmation does include
While I cannot distribute the fan film itself, Faking Filmation is being delivered as a feature-length documentary, along with a substantial set of Additional Documentary Materials designed to deepen and expand the story.
These materials are framed as case studies and contextual analysis, and may include things like:
• Expanded examination of The Return of Faker as a creative and legal case study
• Spotlight segments on other fan filmmakers featured in the documentary, including their experiences navigating similar challenges
• Extended interviews and discussions that didn’t fit into the main cut
• Deeper exploration of Saturday-morning cartoons, Filmation, and the creative environment that gave rise to shows like He-Man
• Comparative analysis of licensed vs. unlicensed continuation, and why some projects move forward while others remain unresolved
All materials are presented as documentary exploration and commentary, not as standalone releases of fan films.
Backer likeness participation (clarification)
I also want to clarify something for backers who selected the reward tier that included having their likeness appear in the 40-minute iteration of The Return of Faker.
While I cannot distribute or facilitate access to the fan film itself, I can still facilitate the inclusion of backer likenesses as part of the ongoing production of that version of the film, in coordination with James as the creator.
This participation relates only to inclusion in the creative process — it does not involve access to, previews of, or distribution of the finished film, which remains solely at the creator’s discretion.
A note about refunds and rewards
I also want to address something I know some people may be wondering about.
This campaign was funded and produced several years ago, and the funds raised at the time were used to support the production, travel, research, and post-production work required to complete the documentary.
Like all Kickstarter campaigns, this project was ultimately about supporting the creation of a film — and that film is being completed and delivered.
At the same time, I recognize that many backers originally supported the campaign with the expectation that The Return of Faker would be part of the overall package. As explained above, subsequent legal review has made it clear that we cannot distribute or facilitate access to that film.
While the documentary itself and the additional documentary materials remain the core deliverables of the campaign, I also understand that the absence of the fan film changes how some backers may view their original support.
Because of that, we are currently evaluating whether there are responsible ways to acknowledge that change, and I’m discussing potential options with our legal team. That process takes time, and I want to make sure anything we consider is done thoughtfully and within the legal realities surrounding the project.
For now, I ask for patience while we explore what may or may not be possible. When there is clarity, I will share more in a future update.
Regarding delivery and backer copies
Many people have asked whether backers will receive their copies of the documentary — and the associated rewards — before the potential Power-Con screening.
The honest answer is that it depends on the state of the film.
If the film reaches final picture lock and clears the legal pass in time, we will move as quickly as possible to manufacture the discs and produce the remaining physical rewards so they can be delivered to backers.
If the Power-Con screening happens while the film is still finishing its legal and post-production process, the screening there may instead be a work-in-progress presentation.
Either way, the priority remains the same: finishing the film properly and ensuring it can exist cleanly and professionally in the world.
Perspective on the timeline
I also want to acknowledge the time this project has taken.
This film wasn’t put on pause and forgotten — it continued, often quietly, through years of research, production, legal review, and a shifting creative and industry landscape.
The work changed as the world around it changed, and the responsibility was always to finish the story honestly — not quickly or recklessly. I know that doesn’t erase frustration, but it’s the truth of how this project arrived here.
Why this matters
Faking Filmation has always been about more than a single project.
It’s about how a generation of creators was shaped, how fandom evolves, and why the rules around creativity and ownership matter — especially when passion collides with legacy IP.
In that sense, the current status of The Return of Faker isn’t separate from the film’s thesis — it’s central to it.
Thank you for your patience and continued support. I’m excited to share the finished film and its additional materials with you soon, and I appreciate your understanding as I make sure this project can live cleanly and professionally in the world.
— Rob
And James Eatock confirms the bad news.
Without The Return of Faker, some folks may feel ripped off... but unfortunately, copyright laws can be a bitch and with an upcoming MOTU movie, NBC Universal may not want a fan project eclipsing their IP... among other things. C'est la vie and all that. I won't pretend that I'm accepting this in the most mature way, but I won't be all
LeCaillou... about it.
