A Firefly Lecture - The reason I love being an arts student!

POSTED BY: VeraCobb
UPDATED: Monday, August 30, 2004 03:47
VIEWED: 7387
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VERACOBB

Thursday, August 26, 2004 4:50 AM

About five weeks ago I found out I had to prepare a mini-lecture for one of my uni classes. The topic I chose to do was 'Select a title that has had a difficult road to publication and tell the story.' I've just wasted five weeks thinking that I was going to talk about Jane Austen, or Dickens. Then all of a sudden, it hit me. Firefly. I know that's a loose interpretation of the word 'publication' but I am resolved. Besides, Joss's pains with Firefly are far more relevant to today's world than Austen's.

It also means I get to brainwash a class full of people who have likely never heard of the show, and make my point about how shiny it is. (The DVD sets have been released here in Australia but there's no sign of it airing on TV).

So anyway, at the risk of dredging up everyone's bitter resentment and hatred of those bastards we call FOX, I figured I'd check in with the people who know everything, to make sure I get the story right.

I'm based in Western Australia, so I'm a bit vague on the issues of networks and programming, but my basic understanding is as follows:

- Joss filmed Serenity.
- FOX didn't like it. Were going to renew Dark Angel instead.
- Joss wrote Train Job.
- FOX green lights production, canned DA.
- Aired Train Job first.
This is where I get fuzzy
- Eps were aired out of order, and were taken off for sporting events.
Was there warning that this was going to happen? IE - did they advertise that Firefly was going to be on and then show sport, or was the sport advertised?
Did the actual time slot ever change?
- Browncoats realise there are problems and launch campaigns.
- Ratings aren't pleasing the FOX execs so they axe the show.
- Serenity airs last. after the cancellation?
- Browncoats keep fighting. Joss keeps fighting to get Firefly on another station?
- DVD's released with phenomenal sales. (Does anyone know where I can get exact figures about the DVD sales?)
- Universal exec Mary Parent sees Firefly and agrees to the movie.
Was there a delay between Parent wanting the movie and it all the fiddley bits sorted? Any resistance from Universal in letting Joss do everything his way?
- Joss gets $50 million to make his movie with.
- Browncoats are happy again.

Any help, facts, directions to the information that you guys can offer would be eternally appreciated. I may even erect mud statues in your honour.

Also was toying with the idea of showing them a snippet of something. Anyone recommend 'the' scene that sold them on Firefly? Or the scene that best sums up the show?

And on that note I best be getting back to work. Preparing Firefly lectures may be fun, but working on four other projects at the same time can be taxing

Farewell all!

Can we start getting sexed already?

KELLAINA

Thursday, August 26, 2004 5:37 AM

VeraCobb wrote:

Quote:
So anyway, at the risk of dredging up everyone's bitter resentment and hatred of those bastards we call FOX, I figured I'd check in with the people who know everything, to make sure I get the story right.

Bitter? I'm not bit... well maybe just a tad. And while I don't pretend to know everything I'll give your questions a shot.

Quote:

- Joss filmed Serenity.
- FOX didn't like it. Were going to renew Dark Angel instead.
- Joss wrote Train Job.
- FOX green lights production, canned DA.
- Aired Train Job first.

In a nutshell I think this is about right.

Quote:
This is where I get fuzzy
- Eps were aired out of order, and were taken off for sporting events.
Was there warning that this was going to happen? IE - did they advertise that Firefly was going to be on and then show sport, or was the sport advertised?

I'm also fuzzy here since with the exception of Serenity I didn't watch Firefly on Fox, although from what I understand there was very little in the way of advertisements for it at all. I know that in Canada there was very little in the way of ads (as in almost none).

Quote:
Did the actual time slot ever change?

Unfortunately, no.

Quote:

- Browncoats realise there are problems and launch campaigns.
- Ratings aren't pleasing the FOX execs so they axe the show.
- Serenity airs last. after the cancellation?

If I remember correctly, Fox didn't formally announce that Firefly was cancelled. The phrase was 'indefinite hiatus.' And yes, Serenity aired last as a 'special-here's-how-it-all-started' episode. Even then, I don't think the net was calling it a finale (although we all knew that's what it was.)

Quote:
- Browncoats keep fighting. Joss keeps fighting to get Firefly on another station?

Yup. Fox agreed to not stand in the way while Joss tried to shop it to the other nets. Unfortunantly, cancelled series are a hard sell.

Quote:
- DVD's released with phenomenal sales. (Does anyone know where I can get exact figures about the DVD sales?)

Estimates are in the 200 000 range. I don't know if there have been any official statements. I've tried looking for a number but anything I find on the net tends to be restricted to those in the industry.

Quote:

- Universal exec Mary Parent sees Firefly and agrees to the movie.
Was there a delay between Parent wanting the movie and it all the fiddley bits sorted? Any resistance from Universal in letting Joss do everything his way?
- Joss gets $50 million to make his movie with.
- Browncoats are happy again.

I think any delays were the typical kind when it comes to filmaking. The script had to be written, contracts negotiated etc. I'm not sure what the timeline is on the Universal deal.

Sorry I can't be of more help, as I was going through the questions I realized how much had gotten fuzzy as time passed

.

But isn't using Firefly for school great? Two terms ago I wrote an essay on Jaynestown for a TV criticism and theory class. It was the most fun I have ever had working on an essay

.

Quote:
Also was toying with the idea of showing them a snippet of something. Anyone recommend 'the' scene that sold them on Firefly? Or the scene that best sums up the show?

Hmmm... an an intro to the show I'd have to say the first scene of The Train Job because it sets the tone (humour, violence, western, future technology etc). Or the last scene of Serenity ('cause they're still flyin') But Out of Gas is what sold me on Firefly, though I can't recommend any one scene.

Although if you're going with the rough road to publication theme, Mal's "why can't anything go smooth" line in Ariel is quite fitting

.

Anyway, I hope I've been of some help.

Good luck on your lecture!!!

If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do. -"Angel"

SGTGUMP

Thursday, August 26, 2004 5:41 AM

One time, in the seventh grade, I did a book report on the CD sleeve of my Jimi Hendrix CD. The teacher thought that I was just being lazy and didn't want to give me any credit, but I defended it as well as I could. He decided that if I felt that strongly about it that he would give me credit. So I guess the moral is good things can happen to good people or defend your work or something, either way good luck.

SOUPCATCHER

Thursday, August 26, 2004 6:00 AM

Cool idea! Not sure how much time you have for research. That said, here are some links that might be helpful:

This site was around before and during the whole F*x run. There are a number of links that may be relevent in the Firefly: Immediate Assistance section:
http://www.fireflyfans.net/threadlist.asp?b=3&a=1

There are also posts of information about the show before the release in the News Headline Discussions section:
http://www.fireflyfans.net/threadlist.asp?b=7&a=1

The Featured Article section of this site might have some good information:
http://www.fireflyfans.net/featureslist.asp

Jeremy started his site right after the DVD release in the US and has the best timeline of the movie development process that I've found:
http://www.fireflymovie.com/news_old.html
http://www.fireflymovie.com/news.html

I'm not too familiar with fireflyers.net but there is a section of the forum titled "Saving the Show" that has posts going back to the time of the broadcast:
http://www.fireflyers.net/bbs/viewforum.php?f=36

Looks like the Firefly:Immediate Assistance site is not with us any longer ( www.fireflysupport.com) but the internet archive has versions of the site in their database:
http://web.archive.org/web/*/www.fireflysupport.com

Sorry for the data dump , I've always been more of a shotgun person myself...

I shaved off my beard for you, devil woman!

CARDIE

Thursday, August 26, 2004 10:42 AM

Just something on the "pre-emptions for sport" front. FOX has the rights to broadcast the Major League baseball playoffs and World Series games. These start in October. If any show's premiere is in the typical late September weeks, it will be pre-empted in any week that a game is played during its timeslot. Firefly was not singled out for this treatment. It happened to the entire FOX primetime lineup.

Last year FOX finally got a clue and decided to delay the premieres of any new series until after baseball was over, but it was too late to help Firefly and other shows that got off to a shaky start. The shows were advertised heavily during the baseball games, but FOX's Firefly advertising was targeted to those looking for action and explosions, not intense character drama.

Cardie

WITLESSCHUM

Thursday, August 26, 2004 1:56 PM

"- Joss filmed Serenity.
- FOX didn't like it. Were going to renew Dark Angel instead.
- Joss wrote Train Job.
- FOX green lights production, canned DA.
- Aired Train Job first. "

Based on the DVD commentary and documentaries, as I remember it.
Whedon is under contract at Fox's TV production studio (for whom he made Buffy and Angel, which were sold to other nets)
So they wanted a Joss Whedon series.
Joss says, I've got this sci-fi idea. He gets money and makes the pilot. They suggest reshoots, he does them.

Fox isn't sure, tells Whedon and Tim Minear to write the episode in one weekend. They write "The Train Job," which gets right into the action and introduces a larger-than-life villain or two, per Fox requests. Fox goes ahead with the show. At this point, Joss and Tim still think "Serenity" gets aired first.
Fox decides to air "The Train Job" first.

KIQUOA

Thursday, August 26, 2004 2:57 PM

Great idea. Oftentimes the old gaurd teachers only consider classical material to be fair game. I once wrote a paper for a mythology class describing classes from role playing games to one's own personal pantheon. Got an "A", mostly because my paper broke up the monotony of the other 100 or so papers the teach had to read.

If you only have a few minutes to show a clip you probably do not want to get too deep into a character development scene. I too would recommend the train job - the job itself starting with "time for some thrilling heroics"...

Post a copy of your lecture notes once written, I'm sure we'd all love to see what you come up with!

ZNACHKI

Thursday, August 26, 2004 4:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by VeraCobb:

Eps were aired out of order, and were taken off for sporting events.

Here is a link to Whedonwiki that you might find helpful for some of your questions about the airing of eps and such.

[url] http://whedonwiki.com/index.php/Main/FireFly[/url]

There is a lot of information there and the site also has links to other sites.

Quote:
Serenity airs last.

F*X was calling it an "origins" episode

Quote:
DVD's released with phenomenal sales. (Does anyone know where I can get exact figures about the DVD sales?)

I believe it might be possible, but difficult. Here's the problem. Billboard Magazine (and they do have an online version) more than likely has the sales figures. However, the access to that information is part of their fee based service.

I have access to Billboard through a University account. However, we don't subscribe to that portion of the service. So, it is possible, but not easy. I'd suggest speaking to the Business Reference Librarian (if you have one) or other Reference Librarian to see what they might be able to find out. Do that sooner rather than later, as it might take them some time.

Quote:
I may even erect mud statues in your honour.

I'd rather have a song composed in my honor, thanks.

Quote:
Also was toying with the idea of showing them a snippet of something. Anyone recommend 'the' scene that sold them on Firefly? Or the scene that best sums up the show?

Hmmm... that's hard. The thing is, you can go the actionish route, but does that show the depth on other levels, which as we all know, is what the real Firefly is all about. Perhaps one of the things you could show is the deleted scene where Simon goes to the encyclopedia to find out about the Battle of Serenity Valley.

Best of luck - and I second the notion of you posting your notes and such.

Znachki

NEDWARD

Thursday, August 26, 2004 4:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by VeraCobb:
Anyone recommend 'the' scene that sold them on Firefly? Or the scene that best sums up the show?

For me, the interrogations in Bushwhacked. I was pretty sure I liked the show, and that scene confirmed it for me - utter hilarity in the middle of one of the darkest episodes. (Pure Joss, really.)

But this illustrates why I think it's difficult to pick a single scene to show people. This one worked for me because I wasn't expecting Jayne's total silence and Wash's "Her legs!", I was expecting some kind of whiny surliness. One reason why Joss's writing's so great is the pay-offs - light moments in the middle of dark, unexpected twists (e.g. Saffron) and lines (Mal's "Well, I'm alright" in Shindig).

Which is why I don't suggest Out of Gas as the "must-see" ep - all the flashbacks are great if you already know the characters, but I don't think they're the best way to get to know them...

RHYMEPHILE

Thursday, August 26, 2004 7:37 PM

It's too bad you couldn't edit together a few scenes for the presentation. You could pick out great lines, great scenes and the like. I can think of three particular scenes that, to me, shows that this is a Joss show and the chances he takes:

The scene in "Serenity" when Lawrence the Alliance dude is holding a gun to River, and Mal walks up the ramp of Serenity and shoots him right in the head.

The scene in "The Train Job" (I think) when Niska's henchman Crow threatens Mal that Niska will hunt him down, across the 'verse...and Mal shoves him into the engine turbine. Classic.

The scene in "Objects in Space" when Early comes upon Kaylee and asks her "Have you ever been raped?" That scene is chilling.

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All of me is beautiful and valuable, even the ugly, stupid, and disgusting parts.

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