Via the Photodude, some great news and a look at how movies and tv series might be made in the future:
Captain Mal and the crew of Serenity need your help to stay flying.
We are looking to push the envelope of episodic television by offering Season Two of Firefly in a groundbreaking new format. Each episode (or the entire season) would be made available for purchase in Standard or Hi-Definition.
It’s possible that subscribers may choose one of three playback options; monthly DVD deliveries, TV On-Demand using your cable or satellite provider, or computer viewing via Streaming Download.
It’s also possible that a box set of DVD’s would be available at the end of the season.
If you are a Firefly/Serenity fan, go fill out the profile so you can help them figure out how to bring us another season.
*** Update ***
Apparently this has nothing to do with Joss Whedon.
Gary Farber
As I said when I made the error of paying insufficient attention to Reid’s commenting policy: My observation: Mr. Whedon will be occupied with Wonder Woman for the next year. This makes said project a tad quixotic, or at best, long term.
To be honest, it strikes me as a huge waste of people’s time. If Whedon wants to make time to do a direct-to-DVD film when he’s done with WW — and as I point out here, if it’s a success, he’s liable to be handed other opportunities that may preclude that, sentiment aside—he either will or won’t, and I think it unlikely that what is essentially a petition project is going to greatly affect his decision one way or another.
Mind, I’ll stand second to few as a Firefly/Whedon fan. And if people want to spend time on the project, fine, good, more power to them. But I do suspect it’s basically superfluous.
You said this in e-mail to me, John (I’m assuming, I hope safely, that this wasn’t something I need to keep confidential): “Joss Whedon is really moving forward, it appears, in an attempt to bring a second season of Firefly via unconventional methods”
I only glanced at the link/website. Was there something there I missed that indicated in any way that Whedon was even remotely, faintly, involved? I’d certainly have no trouble believing so, given that I only glanced at it. But I gather you read some kind of statement or other from Joss Whedon indicating such?
Jim Allen
What’s the “Firefly” equivalent of a “Trekkie” called?
Marcus Wellby
Since at this moment in time there is only one, we just call him John Cole.
Jim Allen
Marcus, do you have any idea of the kind of pain involved in coffee being ejected forcibly through nasal passages?
Damn you, sir.
Marcus Wellby
Snark aside, I think this model only works for shows that have already aired on regular TV and garnered a following. It could work for Firefly, and would have certainly worked for Buffy or other shows with huge cult followings (X-files being another).
I think it would be harder to pull off with an unknown quantity, though who the hell knows where things are headed. With TiVO and HBO I had assumed commercial TV would die, but shows like Lost and Battlestar Galactica show there is still life in ol’ fashioned TV.
emily
Browncoat.
Grotesqueticle
Count me as a “Wheckiee”. (yes, that leaves me open to no end of bad puns, I realise)
Tim F.
I don’t like it – if SciFi won’t syndicate it then I’m curious to know why. Most likely, as Gary pointed out, Whedon won’t be involved. If they do it I really don’t want it to suck.
Mark
Apparently, Joss Whedon doesn’t know anything about this project. It seems a bit sketchy and far fetched. See:
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=34383
J. Michael Neal
I don’t like it – if SciFi won’t syndicate it then I’m curious to know why.
That’s an easy one; Fox still owns the TV rights. Any project that involves producing more TV format Firefly must be done either by Fox, or by someone who purchases those rights from Fox. Sci-Fi is a well known cheap skate, so they aren’t going to be buying the rights to make more. (Buying syndication rights for the episodes already made is a different matter.)
This is larger than any of the problems Gary mentions. The website, and I wish them all the luck in the world, glosses over this inconvenient little fact by simply saying that they plan to acquire the rights from Fox. Unless Warren Buffet is a closet Firefly fan, good luck with that.
Fred B
The other problem with syndication is the so-called “magic number.” Most networks will only sell into syndication shows that have at least 100 episodes. Without that big of a package to sell, there isn’t enough money to be made. This is why, for instance, Arrested Development was given as much of a chance as it was, despite poor ratings each season — FOX seemed to hope to get it to 100 episodes so they could make more money from it. And those of us who are hoping for more AD are crossing our fingers for Showtime to pick them up, and those of us who are hoping for more Firefly are most likely f’ed.
kl
Do you know how cool it is to brag about how easily amused you are?
Mike Russell
Detailed info on the man behind FireflySeason2 dot com:
“Investigating FireflySeason2 dot com”:
http://www.serenitymovie.org/browncoats/forums/viewtopic.php?p=50254
The man behind FFS2, Ace Underhill, responds and explains:
http://www.serenitymovie.org/browncoats/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1580
A Whedonesque thread surveying the brouhaha:
http://whedonesque.com/comments/9347
SciFi Wire interviews Underhill and Whedon’s spokesman:
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=34383
Whedonesque comments on the SciFi piece:
http://whedonesque.com/comments/9392
Gary Farber
“If you are a Firefly/Serenity fan, go fill out the profile so you can help them figure out how to bring us another season.”
Given the actual facts now known, John, possibly you might want to seriously reconsider making this recommendation to people, as well. Up to you, of course, but I can’t see how anyone would be helping anything by giving out their personal info and e-mail address to Mr. Underhill, save in helping Mr. Underhill, um, baffle people with bullsh*t.
Obviously up to you, of course, and nothing more than a suggestion.
Thanks for the good wrap-up, Mike Russell.
rachel
If Joss’s not involved at all, what’s to keep it from losing the qualities that make it interesting? I’d rather have no more Firefly than Firefly-lite.
DougJ
Fuck firefly. Watch this.
p.lukasiak
wow, you people are all so 20 minutes ago…
hucksblog.blogspot.com/2005/ 08/snakes-on-motherfucking-plane.html
now…that is what everyone will be talking about for the next 20…oops make that 18 minutes.
charliedontsurf10
A lonely fella.
JimAllen
Yeah, kl, I’m easily amused. It’s a lot healthier than being easily outraged.
Zifnab
Blasphemy!
Gary Farber
“wow, you people are all so 20 minutes ago…”
You think?
I’d say you’re about a year behind, myself.