Michael Jackson Fan Documentary Fandemonium

Jennifer Esquivel, American based fan, is presently producing, and filming a special documentary about Michael Jackson and His Fans entitled “Fandemonium”

Ms. Esquivel talks about her admiration for Michael Jackson and what inspired her to produced and create “Fandemonium”

When I was just shy of 13, my world was turned upside down. Motown 25 was on the TV, Michael Jackson moonwalked for the first time, and I found a lifelong hero all in one night. Funny enough, before that, I was deep into rock music. In fact, when my dad said he wanted to watch the show, I grabbed my walkman, put my headphones on and blasted Aerosmith in defiance. But when I saw the introduction to the Jackson Five, I took notice. And for the next 15 minutes, I was enraptured. That was it - from that night on, I was a Michael Jackson fan. His music and magic literally shaped my teens.

Several years later, while studying journalism in college, I was hired as editor in chief for Michael Jackson’s international fan club magazine…. and the idea for this film was borne. While covering Michael’s Hawaii concert, I quickly realized that some of us were not there to also enjoy the lush, beautiful locale. In fact, some may as well have been in Russia in dead winter. As I frolicked on the sand and gawked at the amazingly clear water, many of the fans from around the world stood fixated on Michael’s balcony, with their backs completely to the shore.

I started poking around and asking questions — one fan in her mid-forties had children and a husband. Her husband didn’t like how much time she was devoting to watching and listening to MJ, so he gave her an ultimatum…she left her husband; one fan in her 60s with all of her children grown and moved out, now had a room in her house she called Michael’s room; one simply kept track of how many times he had appeared on his balcony so far… It was during this time that I realized the depth of Michael’s impact on certain fans, all around the world. He was much more than a singer or entertainer in their lives — many say he’s an angel. He is a part of their lives, and they care deeply about him.

In a way, I could relate. Through my teen years, as I was figuring out who I was and what I would do with my life, Michael Jackson remained a huge influence on me. The magic of his world sparked my interest in entertainment. It intrigued me and had a lot to do with my career choice. I studied communications and journalism in college and, upon graduating, immediately moved to Los Angeles to work in the music industry. Now many years later, I have a production company and I’m producing movies.

After Hawaii, I continued to explore this project. So many people have been gracious enough to share their stories. I can’t even tell you how many people have told of being at the lowest of lows, even suicidal, and give Michael and his music credit for helping them get through. There are touching stories of people fighting medical conditions, and his music helps comfort them, and some even say it helped them heal. These are the stories that need to be told. It’s time to shed light on the flip side of the ugly rumors and tabloid stories. That is my goal, and I’m excited to do it!
Fandemonium is my baby. It’s the project I’ve been cooking up since I was 13. It’s an opportunity to give a voice to the millions upon millions of people around the world who see beyond an image and straight through to the heart of the man. It’s a beautiful story of love, hope, inspiration and dreams. I hope you like it, and I hope you help me tell it.