Ten-percent of Harry Potter fans are addicts. This is a fact, according to a recent scientific study. But after watching We Are Wizards, a documentary about Harry Potter fandom directed by Josh Koury, it seems clear that the study was a waste of time. One only needs to see this film to know that Potterphiles go a little overboard with their love for the boy wizard.Koury’s film is not simply Trekkies for the Hogwarts set, however. It’s not so much about the obsessed as it is about the inspired; We Are Wizards puts the spotlight on those Harry Potter enthusiasts who have turned fandom into a source of creativity. Like most popular franchises, J.K. Rowling’s series of novels and Warner Bros.’ movie adaptations have spawned their share of fan fiction, fansites and podcasts on the web, which has in turn introduced the phenomenon of fans of fans. But considering Pottermania and the Internet exploded at about the same time, the significance of online Potter fandom is huge. Let the multiple lawsuits brought by Rowling and Warners against the fans be a testament to that. These legal battles have opened up new debates regarding intellectual property and fan loyalty with regards to the (world)wide-open arena of the web. Just last week, in fact, yet another fan was sued for publishing a non-fiction work celebrating the Harry Potter lexicon. …Read more