Firefly by subscription?

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UPDATED: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 21:08
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LOSTANGEL

Friday, January 10, 2003 5:46 PM

Subscriptions or Pay-Per-View would keep the interest alive. I read one thread where people were sick and tired of waiting and were about to *gasp* go on with their lives (ie: forget about FF. If it came on great, if not, oh well).

If they did a subscript. thing, they could take the sales data and show the TV stations that there is a following. "If people are willing to pay for something they haven't seen yet, then why not take a chance and make the show?"

Don't forget, ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING!

Lost Angel

Zoe: See Honey, he's putting the hair away
River: But it still be there...waiting.

MRGREEN

Friday, January 10, 2003 10:43 PM

Theres a big thread on the 'official' Fox Firefly board about this. There's someone who claims he is in a posistion with some type of media company to offer Firefly via DVD for a per/ed subscription fee. I'm not sure at all how real this guy is, but at least there's some hope someone can do something to help firefly if sci-fi doesnt come through.

Here's some more info from this guy:

Quote:

Our company is in the process of drafting a "thinking outside the box" proposal to Mutant Enemy and Fox to help keep Serenity in the air (and maybe even change the way TV is produced).
However, it hinges on the true demand for quality TV on DVD. So I need your input:

How much would you be willing to pay per episode for high quality Firefly DVD's? ($2, $3, $4? - be honest!)

Would you be willing to subscribe for the entire season if at the end of the season you recieved a bonus disc with all sorts of extras and an interactive episode guide?

Would you be able to maintain your excitment about the show if it never actually appeared on the air?

If it suddenly started showing up in some markets as a syndicated show, and thus was available for "Free" on the air (with commercials of course), would you stop buying the DVDs?

If each episode had a couple of sponsors at the beginning of the disc (they would NOT interrupt the show but you couldn't skip them) would that discourage you from buying future episodes on DVD?

Jeremy
---------------------------
Now that UPN has (sadly) decided to pass on Firefly, it's time to get serious about other options, like this subscription idea. So I am bumping this back to the top. If we can get 100,000 subscribers (less than 2% of Firefly's average viewers), then we can make this a viable option. Remember this is a long shot, so don't let it discourage you from writing Sci-Fi channel (maybe the two ideas could work together).
Again if you are interested in subscribing drop me a note at: jeremyn@mac.com include some demographics.

Thanks,

Jeremy

I say drop him a line and let him know what you think... it cant hurt!

Rob

REYVNDARKNIGHT

Friday, January 10, 2003 11:16 PM

As broadband becomes more prevalent, this is an excellent idea.

However, the technology is yet to put into place. Not until fiber optics becomes available will people have such programming choices.

And as I would like to produce a cgi sci-fi series, I am definitly following the development of video streaming over the Internet.

One day, I think we will finally have the option to access foreign programming without the dilution of national networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, et al. It would be kinda of kewl to view an anime when it is produced rather than five years down the road.

LEGALBEGAL

Monday, January 13, 2003 3:05 PM

Whilw reading the UPN passed thread I saw three little letters that sparked and idea I had never thought of and since we are talking about paying for FF why not air it on PBS a network that will do and try anying and keep just about anything on as long as people actually want to see it and they can make a profit off of it. They also know how situatons simular to this work they picked up American Family, a drama about a spanish family when ABC dropped it before even showing the first episode and a couple of the PBS shows have come back from the grave after pledge week.

I think we should begin to target PBS and its local affiliates in our areas. PLus they give away free stuff during pledge week I'd gladlly pay 40 or so dollars for 13 new eps and a plastic model of serenity.

LOSTANGEL

Monday, January 13, 2003 3:28 PM

Hey MrGreen:
I dropped him a line with my info, but is this a guy that you know well, or someone that you met in passing?

I'm curious about this guy, and if he's for real, would like to help in any way I could, especially if any merch. gets put on the market.

(edited) never mind. I read your post over again and answered my own question.

______________________
Lost Angel

WASH: Psychic, though? That sounds like something out of science fiction.
ZOE: We live in a space ship, dear.
WASH: So?

BROWNCOAT1

Monday, January 13, 2003 4:19 PM

I dropped him an email w/ the info he asked for (demographics and such). I hope this will help in some way.

Perhaps if a network won't pick up FF, we can at least get some sort of subscription viewing thing going.

MRGREEN

Tuesday, January 14, 2003 1:26 AM

Just to clarify, I do not know or have anything at all to do with the individual I mentioned in my above post.

I have been reading his posts on the official Firefly website ( www.fox.com/firefly) and he claims that his company is getting close to making an offer to ME.

We'll see. Personally, I hope he succeeds. I think this idea is just what we need right now. Something to consider, however, is if something like this happens, be prepared to pay. While a season of Buffy on DVD might cost you 50-60$, that is a show which has been already paid for through advertising. NEW episodes of firefly on DVD, in my opinion, are going to cost _at least_ $10/ep, or $200-250/season, to be able to be profitable, unless serious corporate support can be found (unskippable ads in the intro of the dvd sort of thing).

So keep sending your postcards to Sci-Fi and to the sponsers :)

Rob

LEGALBEGAL

Tuesday, January 14, 2003 3:14 PM

Thank you for the information MrGreen. I went a head and dropped the man of mystery a line with my dems and stuff. I hope that you are wrong about the price.

I was thinking 20 dollars per disk with each disk containing three episodes. 1 disk every other month and we have 18 episodes a year. They could even go with two eps a year at 12 episodes taped during the summer hiatus or something like that so that the actors can have time to do other things as well.

I think that a shorter seasons is going to be what occurs if something like this is to work and be profitable. Also with a shorter season if its not profitable your not throwing away as much money. This subscription medium will allow for other new products so be prepared to get a catalog featuring reviews of orderable DVDs.

We should also expect more fresh faces and new names in roles of these types. I dont know to many industry pros who would be willing to risk it but a lot of younger kids out there would. Which is a good thing because you dont have to pay them as much per episode and they will work as hard if not harder if they believe that a subscription show could lead to their discovery or big break.

If this works and people start buying the shows that they want to see advirtisers will notice as will other people and our cost will go down.

Ok I think I have ranted enough im gonna run.

fox deserves to be

SIGNYM

Tuesday, January 14, 2003 4:18 PM

Someone with experience has to sit down and do a business plan. I forsee a possible problem with the DVD appraoch. Assuming there is enough market for DVDs of previously aired eps to fund another episode for each DVD released, how are you increasing exposure? People who don't know FF won't plunk down $15-20 market to try something new, the DVD rental market seems like a very slow way to increase exposure. So basically FF DVDs would be a small and stagnant market.

I suggest exposing the already aired episodes to the widest possible audience, and that means over the i-net. I think that would mean establishing an official download site, with eps in a format that can be burned to DVD. It may mean some losses due to "piracy" but I hope it would mean a rapidly increasing market. No doubt it's a gamble, but you try to get maximum $$$ out of aired eps you will only strangle the infant.

MRGREEN

Tuesday, January 14, 2003 4:36 PM

You both have really good points...
LegalBegal - I think your idea of a short season, filmed during the the summer off time is a good idea. They could always expand the season if it was a hit.

SignyM - I had the same thought about getting a market. You would need a good advertising blitz (not neccisarily expensive, just effectively plan).
Step 1) Re-Air the original 15 eps, if possible. Include a commercial for the subscription service several times during each. Offer a risk free 2 ep trial, at an intro rate. Half off or something.

2) Get the original 15 onto a DVD set. Cheap. Like $25 for them all. Include ads for the series in there. Stuff a coupon into it as well.

3) Create a kick ass website. Make up some clips from new episodes and realease them. Not confusing commercials, but a whole scene.

4) Get ads onto all the shows that a Firefly fan may watch. Farscape (reruns i spose now ), all the ST series, etc.

5) Pray like hell, if thats your thing.

It would be neat to see this work, but, like you said, and I, on another forum somewhere, if they try Firefly as the pioneering business model for this, it will probably fail. Others may follow and be successful, though.

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