Just Thought I'd Share

POSTED BY: rangrbob
UPDATED: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 22:35
VIEWED: 3012
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RANGRBOB

Monday, April 12, 2004 5:13 AM

Last christmas after my roomate bought me Firefly and I finally realized how wonderful it was. See, I had a hard time following it when it was being run on fox. I decided to buy my mother a copy because I knew how much she liked good TV. I thought it was funny when I talked to her today and she told me she had to go out and buy another copy for herself. She had lent out her original copy to some friends and now she can't get them back. Apparently they are making their way around the town of Dehlonega GA. from one person to another. Kind of like a virus converting everyone who sees them. Just thought I'd share

ZOID

Monday, April 12, 2004 6:37 AM

Very cool! Just make sure they know about "Serenity", the movie version due for theatrical release in 2005. I also tell my converts that the movie has been written as a lead-in for return to series TV, according to Firefly's creator, Joss Whedon.

That way, when we're all standing outside the theatre on opening day, outnumbering Star Wars fans, when the news teams ask we can say, "Yeah, it's coming back to TV." Makes a powerful image for networks to consider, y'know?

Let's face it: we've got to get it back on TV so we can get 13 hours of FF a year, instead of 1.5 - 2 hours every 3rd year.

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"River didn't fix faith. Faith fixed River."

- Senator Richard 'Book' Wilkins, Independent Congress
author of A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence

RANGRBOB

Monday, April 12, 2004 9:55 AM

Done and Done

CAPTAINCERENTZ

Monday, April 12, 2004 11:08 AM

You should add that extra 'viral' infection of strongly suggesting that everyone that borrows the show head out and buy their own copy...

With the increase in DVD sales, someone is bound to take notice...

BROWNCOAT1

Monday, April 12, 2004 3:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rangrbob:
Last christmas after my roomate bought me Firefly and I finally realized how wonderful it was. See, I had a hard time following it when it was being run on fox. I decided to buy my mother a copy because I knew how much she liked good TV. I thought it was funny when I talked to her today and she told me she had to go out and buy another copy for herself. She had lent out her original copy to some friends and now she can't get them back. Apparently they are making their way around the town of Dehlonega GA. from one person to another. Kind of like a virus converting everyone who sees them. Just thought I'd share

Good news indeed RangrBob.

Better news is, as Zoid pointed out, the movie "Serenity" coming to theatres in 2005. We need to spread the word to as many as we can to increase awareness and interest.

Loaning the DVD set is a great idea to make some new fans, but I tell everyone I loan it to that once they have seen it, they should buy a copy for themselves as they will not be able to watch the episodes just once.

Keep converting those new fans, and thank your mom for sharing the show w/ others.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

ZOID

Monday, April 12, 2004 4:43 PM

Browncoat1:

I'm an even better 'dealer' than that: I give 'em enough of a taste to get 'em hooked, then I cut 'em off. If they want more -- and they always do -- they've got to buy their next fix, same as everybody else...

I usually show them "Serenity", followed by "Out of Gas". This way the unsuspecting and uninitiated get the back story on all the crew and continuing passengers, without really screwing with the timelines. If they're ready for more -- which again, they always are -- I then show them "Our Mrs. Reynolds" if they're guys, or "The Message" if they're girls. I think these episodes are pretty much standalone, without too much 'big arc' content as far as Season 1 is concerned, so they don't screw up the story, particularly.

Then I say, "Whew! Four hours! Where has the time gone?", pack up my box set and split, leaving them gasping for more. (Mine is an evil laugh)

Bingo! Converts! Paying converts...

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"River didn't fix faith. Faith fixed River."

- Senator Richard 'Book' Wilkins, Independent Congress
author of A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence

SAMURAIX47

Monday, April 12, 2004 6:51 PM

I lend out the first disc... then when i get it back I lend them the second disc... after that they have to buy their own to see the rest...

Jaymes

BROWNCOAT1

Tuesday, April 13, 2004 2:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
Browncoat1:

I'm an even better 'dealer' than that: I give 'em enough of a taste to get 'em hooked, then I cut 'em off. If they want more -- and they always do -- they've got to buy their next fix, same as everybody else...

I usually show them "Serenity", followed by "Out of Gas". This way the unsuspecting and uninitiated get the back story on all the crew and continuing passengers, without really screwing with the timelines. If they're ready for more -- which again, they always are -- I then show them "Our Mrs. Reynolds" if they're guys, or "The Message" if they're girls. I think these episodes are pretty much standalone, without too much 'big arc' content as far as Season 1 is concerned, so they don't screw up the story, particularly.

Then I say, "Whew! Four hours! Where has the time gone?", pack up my box set and split, leaving them gasping for more. (Mine is an evil laugh)

Bingo! Converts! Paying converts...

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"River didn't fix faith. Faith fixed River."

- Senator Richard 'Book' Wilkins, Independent Congress
author of A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence

(LOL @ Zoid.)

Not a bad idea Zoid. Hook them, get them the back story, then leave them begging for more.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

ZOID

Tuesday, April 13, 2004 3:54 PM

Browncoat1 wrote:

Quote:
Not a bad idea Zoid. Hook them, get them the back story, then leave them begging for more

If I can get 'em to watch all the way through "Serenity" -- which I have only failed to do once in over 20 tries -- then they become paying fans. Simple as that.

Most common comment heard after watching the pilot: "This was on television!?"

Most common comment heard after 3- or 4-hour 'initiation' session: "Fox cancelled this!?"

"Serenity" the pilot could have been released in the theatre with only a few production upgrades. I hope SciFi-US airs the pilot and perhaps some of the other series episodes prior to the BDM's theatrical release, as has been suggested elsewhere on FFFn. I agree it would boost interest in the movie. Like I said: a 100% success rate on converts, using my proven-though-not-patented method. Try it, it works. And do make them pay for their own copies, if they're well-heeled enough to do so. Worthy art deserves to be supported with funding.

One caveat though: If you're anything like me, repeated viewings are hard to take, emotionally. Although I'm a 45-year old male, married with children, and considered somewhere between 'cantankerous' and 'curmudgeonly', I have a difficult time at the ends of episodes, in particular.

Having to explain that you're crying softly, not so much because of anything sad happening in the episode, but rather because the filmmaker -- Joss Whedon -- touched something true and human in his work, is kind of tough on the 'hard-bitten' rep. Explaining to stunned friends that true art always makes you cry, because you're suddenly so proud to be a human, is a humbling experience.

So usually I don't mop at my eyes -- since that generally only makes it worse -- and trust that the low lighting will hide any welling up or actual tear tracks, until I can get to kitchen/bathroom and straighten myself out. I also try real hard to avoid talking during these attacks, since I'm liable to choke up and sound funny, or else start outright blubbering.

I mean, these little sessions are intended to be about introducing my thinking friends to the best piece of adult programming ever aired on TV; not an expose of my unsuspected soft side. Have I mentioned that Fox TV's headquarters are located directly atop the San Andreas Fault in my dreams?

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"River? I thought she was a sweet girl. Of course, we were all sure she was crazy, too."

- Inara Reynolds, Secretary of Ecumenical Affairs
from A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence Wilkins, Richard

BROWNCOAT1

Tuesday, April 13, 2004 4:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
Browncoat1 wrote:

Quote:
Not a bad idea Zoid. Hook them, get them the back story, then leave them begging for more

If I can get 'em to watch all the way through "Serenity" -- which I have only failed to do once in over 20 tries -- then they become paying fans. Simple as that.

True indeed. All but one of the people of the seven I have converted have gone out and bought the DVD set for themselves. The last is a procrastinator, but will buy it before long, I have no doubt.

Quote:
Most common comment heard after watching the pilot: "This was on television!?"

Most common comment heard after 3- or 4-hour 'initiation' session: "Fox cancelled this!?"

Those are the two I hear most. The other is "Damn you for showing me this show and getting me hooked". Of course I figure it is better to share the joy of the show, even if we never get another minute on TV or a movie.

Quote:
"Serenity" the pilot could have been released in the theatre with only a few production upgrades. I hope SciFi-US airs the pilot and perhaps some of the other series episodes prior to the BDM's theatrical release, as has been suggested elsewhere on FFFn. I agree it would boost interest in the movie. Like I said: a 100% success rate on converts, using my proven-though-not-patented method. Try it, it works. And do make them pay for their own copies, if they're well-heeled enough to do so. Worthy art deserves to be supported with funding.

I had never thought of "Serenity" the pilot as a potential for the box office. It did well on TV, but would it be flashy enough for the theatre? I think Joss hopes for something more epic in the BDM.

I had proposed the idea of Sci Fi airing the series in order prior to the release of the BDM in another thread, and I remain convinced it would go a long way toward inspiring interest in the movie as well as work to sell more DVD sets.

Quote:
One caveat though: If you're anything like me, repeated viewings are hard to take, emotionally. Although I'm a 45-year old male, married with children, and considered somewhere between 'cantankerous' and 'curmudgeonly', I have a difficult time at the ends of episodes, in particular.

Having to explain that you're crying softly, not so much because of anything sad happening in the episode, but rather because the filmmaker -- Joss Whedon -- touched something true and human in his work, is kind of tough on the 'hard-bitten' rep. Explaining to stunned friends that true art always makes you cry, because you're suddenly so proud to be a human, is a humbling experience.

So usually I don't mop at my eyes -- since that generally only makes it worse -- and trust that the low lighting will hide any welling up or actual tear tracks, until I can get to kitchen/bathroom and straighten myself out. I also try real hard to avoid talking during these attacks, since I'm liable to choke up and sound funny, or else start outright blubbering.

I mean, these little sessions are intended to be about introducing my thinking friends to the best piece of adult programming ever aired on TV; not an expose of my unsuspected soft side. Have I mentioned that Fox TV's headquarters are located directly atop the San Andreas Fault in my dreams?

Too true. I get emotional just hearing the Ballad of Serenity. Then everytime the credits roll, I can't help but think the best sci fi show I have ever been fortunate enough to see is off the air.

It does lead to some potentially embarassing moments when the wife walks in or my less initiated friends watch an episode w/ me.

Quote:
"River? I thought she was a sweet girl. Of course, we were all sure she was crazy, too."

- Inara Reynolds, Secretary of Ecumenical Affairs
from A Child Shall Lead Them: A History of the Second War of Independence Wilkins, Richard

I love these little quotes you have been doing Zoid. Are these just for fun, or a fan fic

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