Ballard filmmaker trying to raise funds for documentary about Wikipedia vandalism

Have you ever read an entry on Wikipedia, and realized something didn’t quite sound right? A local filmmaker is taking a closer look at how vandalism occurs on the popular encyclopedic website, and the results have been surprisingly funny.

J.J. Stein is a documentary filmmaker who lives in Ballard and is studying at the University of Washington. He and two other filmmakers, Philip Eldred and Ryan White, are producing a film titled, “The Encyclopedia Game: A Quirky Film on Wikipedia Vandalism.” They’ve started a Kickstarter page, which is an online fundraising site. The group hopes to raise $60,000 by April 5th, 2012.

Stein said the idea grew out of a “quirky” friend of theirs who often vandalized various Wikipedia entries. If you’re not familiar with how Wikipedia works, here’s a quick explanation: using an open format, Wikipedia allows anyone with an internet connection to edit almost any article. That structure has turned it into one of the largest online encyclopedias on the web, but it also means it can’t be fully trusted.

Stein says the concept appealed to him because it plays on the notion of truth in its various forms. He says many vandals they’ve interviewed do it because, “it’s a powerful thing to be able to decide what is real for other people. It can be a really addictive thing for people, toying with the idea of truth,” said Stein. “Some are just trying to subversively show us that objectivity isn’t something that really exists.” He says he’s fascinated by what people choose to believe and why.

The filmmakers have focused on three talented vandals for their film, and hope to have the film finished early next year. To learn more about the film, or to help fund the project, visit the film’s website or their Kickstarter page.