This Nickscast are covering an unfortunately named fandom: TransFans (Transformers fans). What is it about a franchise so tied to toys and the 80s that helps its fandom to grow and thrive today? What is its key demographic? Why did Orson Welles get involved in the Tranformers movie? And where is all the Transformers fanfic? This week, we're going to transform and roll out (to find out)!
Next week, we'll be working our way through the mysterious pines to a place thats all sunshine and roses on the outside, but suspicious and enigmatic on the inside; we'll be talking about Twin Peaks fans.
## Episode outline
### [Last episode's](http://fanthropological.com/e/27-sherlockians/) Famous Last Words
**Z:** Why did Orson Welles agree to be in this movie?
> The Transformers: The Movie was the final film to which Orson Welles contributed. Welles was in declining health during production. Shortly before he died, he told his biographer, Barbara Leaming, "You know what I did this morning? I played the voice of a toy." He elaborated, "I play a planet. I menace somebody called Something-or-other. Then I'm destroyed. My plan to destroy Whoever-it-is is thwarted and I tear myself apart on the screen." According to director Nelson Shin, Welles had been pleased to accept the role after reading the script and had expressed an admiration for animated films
>
> — [Wikipedia - The Transformers: The Movie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Transformers:_The_Movie)
> **Z**: ... I found a reddit AMA ...
> **G**: Orson Welles did an AMA?!
> **T**: From BEYOND THE GRAVE
> It is his enduring legacy, and I guess Citizen Kane or something
>
> — G
**G:** Why was Weird Al's *Dare to be stupid* included in the movie? Who thought that was a good idea?
> It was used as the music for the "Junkions attack" and "Junkions become friends" scenes in the movie; the song's rampant pop-culture referencing certainly fits with the pop-culture-talking Junkions.
> Reportedly, it was included in the movie soundtrack because Scotti Bros. Records decided to promote acts on their label heavily, and Al (always popular with the kids) was one of the biggest. As Al himself tells it, he just got a phone call one day and said "Okay", and that was basically the last he heard about it, save the royalty checks.
>
> — [TransformersWiki - Dare to be Stupid](http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dare_to_Be_Stupid)
**T:** Who is the primary demographic supposed to be? Still going, can only assume it's 30-somethings.
> ... Michael Bay takes a weird, reverse approach with the ‘Transformers’ films: the primary target audience for these films is adults, but Bay is talking down to them as if they were children, and the humor and subject matter is exceedingly regressive.
>
> — [Screencrush - Trying to Understand the 'Transformers' Franchise: What Is the Meaning of All This?](http://screencrush.com/transformers-franchise-meaning/?trackback=tsmclip)
> I will stand by my words though! I'm still not sure who the important audience is.
>
> — T
### Fandom Facts
**Origins:**
> Origins: this is actually a bit dizzying. There's a lot of different origins of Transformers.
>
> — T
Varied. All franchises are focused on a race of transforming sentient beings with one faction, the Autobots—lead by Optimus Prime—in their struggle against the Decepticons—lead by Megatron. The reasons for the clash differ from series to series. There are at least six different universes.
- Generation 1 (G1): 1984-1987
- Robots in Disguise: 2001-2002
- The Unicron trilogy: 2002-2006 (Armada, Energon, Cybertron)
- Live-action films: 2007—present
- Transformers animated: 2007-2009
- Transformers prime: 2010-2013
> That is a lot of just origins! I don't usually spend nearly as much time talk about the things [Transformers].
>
> — T
**Fandom Origins:**
The first fan activity was probably the letters pages in the G1 comics by Marvel. There was also the Secret...
