An idea to ensure a SEQUEL +
POSTED BY: macpro75
UPDATED: Wednesday, November 2, 2005 08:45
VIEWED: 7181
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No matter how much we may love the Firefly/Serenity 'verse and how much critical acclaim Serenity may receive, the bottom line for Universal is: will this be a money making venture?
While I think that most Browncoats are glad that we got our BDM, I think that many if not most would also like to see a continuation of the storyline. Given the cemetery that is the American box office, I think that we need to be pro-active, and as Anya said, “think outside the box.”
This is my idea about how we can convince Universal that they have a money-making FRANCHISE on their hands.
SERENITY The Official Visual Companion
Serenity Role Playing Game
Serenity novelization by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Serenity Soundtrack
Serenity comics (3 comic "bridge" between Firefly and Serenity, which is also coming out as a single
Graphic novel soon (February 2006?) -- you can pre-order it now)
The copyright on all of the above is held by Universal. That means that interest (and by that, I mean money) shown towards those items may just convince Universal that they have a potential FRANCHISE on their hands, similar to the Buffy and Angel franchises. (The Visual Companion and Role Playing Game books are each on their second printing.)
Additionally, Universal has licensed Serenity:
Serenity action figures (Diamond Select Toys) www.diamondselecttoys.com
Serenity The Official Movie Magazine (Titan Magazines) www.titanmagazines.com
Serenity trading cards (Inkworks) www.inkworks.com
I am not by any means suggesting that fans buy items that do not interest them. But, if an item interests you and you are planning to buy it, you can know that to some extent you are supporting Serenity's bottom line. But the point of this post is not to BUY things, but to let Universal know what items you want to buy!!!
My thinking behind this is that if there is a lot of money to be made (hopefully with a high profit margin) Universal will need LESS prompting by DVD sales and we can all relax a bit sooner. There are many franchises that are still going strong despite the end of their respective shows (eg Star Trek, Star Wars, Buffy, Angel, etc) or the demise of their stars (eg I Love Lucy, Jackie Gleason, Wizard of Oz, Tupac, Biggie, The Beatles, and how many poor dead celebrities are hawking stuff on commercials?).
I think that it's important for Universal to see what marketing avenues are open to them just within the Browncoats and other fans (who have disposable income they wish to use on Serenity items) NOW with only the movie and the series, without necessarily waiting for the DVD sales and pinning all our hopes on them.
It seems to be common knowledge that the movies are changing. Movie studios and theaters need to find new avenues to obtain revenue. If we can show Universal that they have a built in group of consumers, with a built in group of items that they wish to buy (most of which should be easy to produce, particularly by a large movie studio with the connections that Universal has) it may get Universal's marketing department and by extension Universal to think outside the box and see Serenity/Firefly in a LONG TERM perspective.
These are items that I've heard my fellow Browncoats say that they want. Universal knows they have a built in fan base--they saw that with the advanced screenings. But it did not translate to any major money. Now, if Universal's eyes were suddenly opened as to how to turn Browncoats into "cashy money" by providing us with items we actually want -- that would be a win-win situation.
I'm not suggesting that anyone write to Universal if there is nothing that they would actually like to purchase. But if there is something that you DO want to buy, I think that it's time we started thinking outside of the box and letting Universal know what those items are. Hopefully, it will make good financial sense and show Serenity and Serenity sequels to be a good, if risky, investment.
Furthermore, there are always i
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Went looking for a Serenity or Firefly calendar. Did not find one....
Need a Serenity 2006 calendar.
Need a Firefly 2006 calendar.
How about a separate calendar of each character?
Just saw a Harry Potter poster magazine. Need one of Serenity's crew. 8 1/2 x 11 inch pages of pictures with character stuff on the back of each character picture.
Need a Firefly model/toy with engine that lights up. I think I paid $100 or so for the Star Wars Queen Amidala (spelling?) toy ship. Never did see a model of the shuttle that Anakin and Amidala used.
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Thank you for your response. I will add your items to the list. Please email Universal with the items you would like to purchase (they are good ideas--I'd definitely buy them!)
Thanks,
macpro75
(SHOW THEM THE $$$$)
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You do realize that much of the merchandise that you want Uni to produce is currently done DIY by browncoats?
What you are suggesting would require Uni to clamp down on such DIY efforts which would be a big bummer IMO.
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"Butcher's Knife..."
www.browncoatpatches.com
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I just send the following email to [url] www.titanmagazines.com[/url]
I have your Serenity The Official Visual Companion, Serenity Official Movie Magazine (both covers)...loved them.
I just saw at a Harry Potter Poster Magazine. Didn't want it. But, I wanted a Serenity one.
The Harry Potter Poster Magazine had full-page (8 1/2 by 11) pictures of each main character (just the picture) and on the back of each picture was some Harry Potter character stuff I guess. I was looking at the pictures and thinking...Serenity.
Thank you.
I read a posting on the official website that makes me think we have to contact companies who make the stuff and then they get a contract/ permission from Universal.
I have to double check that Hasbro made the Star Wars ship I have.
Need to find a calendar company.
I'll want to send Universal an email tomorrow. I want to know how I can pay for a Serenity DVD to be sent to the troops.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Obiwan:
You do realize that much of the merchandise that you want Uni to produce is currently done DIY by browncoats?
What you are suggesting would require Uni to clamp down on such DIY efforts which would be a big bummer IMO.
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"Butcher's Knife..."
www.browncoatpatches.com
I was just thinking the same thing. There are wonderfully talented people here working on just such stuff. Jos has said he has a deadhead's outlook on fan merch, and I would hate to see Uni stomp all over that.
Shiny Trees! Yavanna made Shiny Trees!
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OBIWAN and LIMINALOSITY,
Please understand, it is in no way my intention to stop people who are independently marketing browncoat items.
These two ideas are not mutually exclusive.
There is a huge market of "official" Buffy and Angel merchandise. There is also a huge unofficial market of Buffy and Angel merchandise. So far as I know, there have been no cease and desist orders given to anyone.
By letting Universal know that there are items that Browncoats wish to purchase, you are merely telling Universal that there is an untapped market. My hope is that Universal will smell the money and expand the items they produce. I'm hoping that they start to think FRANCHISE--MERCHANDISING. UNTAPPED SOURCES OF REVENUE to have their marketing people research.
The list I created is a wish-list to get people thinking. I seriously doubt that Universal would entertain all of those items. Heck, they may not entertain any. The point is getting their attention. Essentially waving our money under their noses, because money is the only way to get an executive's attention as far as I can see. To do this, we need to respond in large numbers. Get their minds working.
Let's say that it actually works and they do some research and decide to start marketing some items. I seriously doubt that it would cut into a cottage industry a Browncoat has carved out for themselves.
The only way I can see Universal seriously going after a browncoat would be if their business is large enough (and therefore easy enough to find) that it could ostensibly cut into Universal's business. And then, it would start (as I understand it) with a cease and desist letter. (Check with your attorneys to be certain.)
As I'm sure you're aware Fox and Universal have every right to go after anyone who manufactures anything based on their copyrighted stuff. Sending an email to Universal "Hey I would like to buy a Jayne wool hat from The Message and copies of his T-shirts from Serenity and a Browncoat to wear" doesn't in anyway indicate that there is a "black market" of items. On the contrary, if anything, it indicates that there is no such thing! That there is no way to purchase such items.
Oddly enough, my postings on fan sites regarding this have led to people sharing information about where to get certain (fan-created) items. It is one of the reasons that I include the web addresses for the more obscure items that can be purchased.
I would never hurt a fellow Browncoat, or anyone, for that matter. My intention is to open Universal's mind to marketing possibilities. Do I honestly expect to see Jayne hats for sale anytime soon? No, not really. But I want us to individually let Universal know that we have money that we want to spend on Browncoat items.
I don't want the fate of Firefly/Serenity to rest solely on how many DVD's they can push. The original numbers given for a sequel were 50million domestic, 80million worldwide. We are in the vicinity of 35 million worldwide. Multiple international openings have been canceled.
Personally, I don't want to leave anything to chance. I want to get our two sequels, have the stupid FOX *spit* contract/clause run out (or be bought out) and see the series come back to TV, if Joss and the actors are amenable to that.
My family owned a small business. I know what it means and I respect it more than you can know. I would never want to harm anyone's income. I honestly do not believe that this would hurt anyone who has a small side business. If someone is working on a large scale, perhaps they could contact Universal with a proposal regarding their item? If it doesn't work--back underground.
Most of the suggestions are NOT things that a Browncoat could independently make anyway such as computer and board games, scale models, autographed official merchandise. I have plenty of fan made items and I will continue to buy them. Should there also be official items additionally as a result of this, I would buy those that interest me, and continue to buy from my fellow browncoats.
The primary purpose her
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LIMINALOSITY, I posted a response to both you and OBIWAN above. This post is just in case you get automatic notifications of replies.
macpro75
_________________________________________________
"I dislike violence, but I'm awfully good at it."
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Sent my e-mail off and requested showings for the troops! Keep it up, Browncoats!
Jayne, your mouth is talking. You might want to look to that.
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Ferrex ~ I really hope Universal comes through with copies of the film for the troops! And soon enough, we can buy the DVD and send copies over ourselves through http://anysoldier.com/WhereToSend/ or even http://www.whedonverse.org/ !!!
Browncoats are the best! Nice work!
_________________________________________________
"I dislike violence, but I'm awfully good at it."
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