Primer (2004 film)
| Live-Action Film Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Primer |
| Abbreviation(s): | n/a |
| Director: | Shane Carruth |
| Production companies: | StudioCanal |
| Release date: | October 8, 2004 |
| Genre: | science fiction |
| Country: | USA |
| External links: | at IMDb at Wikipedia |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Primer is a 2004 science fiction film written and directed by Shane Carruth. The film centers on two engineers, Abram "Abe" Terger and Aaron, who accidentally create a time machine and proceed to try - and fail - to use it responsibly.
The film was shot on a microbudget of $7,000 USD. It received critical praise, going on to win the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2004.[1] Its complex plot, unorthodox method of time travel, and realistic technical dialogue have been the subject of fascination from fans for almost two decades. As such, Primer is an incredibly well-studied film, with a cult following that to this day is trying to parse its plot.
Theories
The plot of Primer is complex and hard to follow, even for a time travel story. Consequently, much of its fandom centers around explanations and theories regarding the film's events. Common topics of discussion are the role of Granger, the number of timelines created, and the apparent deleterious physical effects of time travel.
Examples of explanatory works include:
- The Primer Universe, a blog dedicated to exploring and explaining various aspects of the film. It was also available in book form, but has been out of print since at least late 2012.
- Primer (2004 movie) Deobfuscated (Plot Guide) by Bisqwit, an explanation of the film's events told in the style of a .txt file that deletes portions of itself when a timeline is rewritten.
- PRIMER (2004) - ILLUSTRATED EXPLANATION by LondonCityGirl, a video which uses both excerpts from the film and illustrated clips to explain the movie's plot.
- Primer Explained: Kind Of by ZackJ100, a video which explains the movie via a whiteboard and a ~20-minute-long unedited monologue.
The fanbase's focus on plot over character has, according to The Primer Universe, been a subject of frustration for writer/director/star Shane Carruth:
Some of you may know that Shane Carruth was one of the first to read the book 'The Primer Universe'. (Actually his brother John read it first when it came in the mail.) Recently Shane spoke about The Primer Universe.
"I'm grateful that anybody who cares enough would take the time to do that. But I'm also a little bit discouraged that that seems to be the main thing that's taken away from the film – the mechanics of it."
Sorry, Shane. But the mechanics of Primer was the main discussion as it is the only thing that needs explanation. The aspects of their emotions and the effects on their relationship is important. Most people can grasp those points without my dissecting it. Others have already explored that part.[2]
Example Fanworks
Fanfiction
- After by woodironbone, After the party's final revision, Abe tries to confront Aaron about a lot of things, but confrontation was never his strong suit. When that goes as well as can be expected and they part ways, he thinks that'll be the end of it. It's not. (slash fic)
Fanart
- Day 47 of 365 – Primer. by amovieposteraday
- Poor Little Meow Meow-ifies your Generic White Guy from a Niche 2004 Sci Fi Time Travel movie. by abeterger
- PRIMER 2 - Movie Poster by Christopher G. Wright
- Primer - Minimal Movie Poster by jrsly
Fanvids
- Ilustración para @secuencia_vertical sobre la película Primer, de Shane Carruth (2004). by julian__emilio
- Primer (2004) - Trailer *HD*: a fan trailer by amdvpro
Archives, Communities & Resources
- Primer tag at AO3
References
- ^ Eugene Hernandez (2004-01-24). ""Primer" and "DIG!" Win Top Prizes at Sundance '04 IndieWire". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 2022-11-03.
- ^ Tim S (2012-11-22). "The Primer Universe: ' THE PRIMER UNIVERSE'". Blogspot. Archived from the original on 2022-11-03.