What I never understood by Brent0022

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

What I never understood

POSTED BY: BRENT0022
UPDATED: Monday, April 16, 2007 03:28
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Sunday, April 15, 2007 8:14 PM

Hello,

Please don't take this post out of context as I am new to the community in the sense that I have not posted before. But here is what I don't understand for whatever it is worth (which is little).

Actually let me start with what I do understand. There was a great TV show that was missed by the masses (myself included) and when Fox gave it no support it was cancelled. Then due to the wonderful support of the fans there was a movie made. This movie (also under marketed in my opinion) was released to little fanfare and did not gain much box office support. Eventually the film hit the pay cable channels which is where I first saw it. It was such a great movie, to me, that I searched on the internet for more information about it. (This all occurred a number of months ago). I learned of it's roots in a TV show and went out and purchased it on DVD. After watching the show I enjoyed it even more. I quickly searched the internet for more information about what was being done to bring this show back and saw the same issues that all of you have seen. Fox still controls the TV rights, the project by the Underwood fellow is a joke, and the contracts for the BDH in the sequel end soon. Basically, the main hope for getting anything additional done rests on the hopes that TV and/or movie executives see how much we as fans care.

Wake up!

I see countless threads on many boards extolling the virtue of supporting our cause through such things as purchasing DVD's, attending conventions, screenings, voting and any number of other events. Well, I cry foul.

Now the first instinct is to say I'm not a Browncoat that I haven't done my time, not toiled through the same efforts that many of you have to get things to where they are now. Well, you're right. I didn't know of Firefly or Serenity when perhaps it would have made a difference and I came to this shindig late. If that is how you feel so be it and I can't control that. What I can tell you is I am a fan of this show and movie and want to see it continue.

In fact I went so far as to research what it would take to create a new production company and get it off the ground. I looked into what needed to be done in order to get it listed on the pink sheets (an OTC stock trading exchange), all with the idea that their were those that wanted to see the Serenity fly again. I wrote a business plan for a company that was setup so that all funds would go toward developing A.) a sequel to Serenity or B.) a continuation of the TV show or C.) would create new shows or movies to promote those who appeared or helped create what we held dear. When I was done with my research though I was stopped. Not by some real life spoilsport but by my thoughts of what the Firefly/Serenity/Browncoat community would think. I wasn't up to the slings and arrows that would be thrown my way. Because of my fear I cannot carry through on what I would intend. My only course of action left is to outline what I had hoped to accomplish.

All things are for sale and that includes the Firefly rights. They may or may not be expensive but they are for sale. The main conflict that many of us may have is the idea that someone unscrupulous is going to profit from our desire to see these characters born again and in the process not give us what we want. My proposal is simple, a company that is traded OTC (over the counter) where we as fans can invest in forwarding our goals. The trick is that for it to be a true fan based company then the people involved must receive no pay other than from the stock they purchase on their own. A company that is truly owned only by the stockholders, where all money spent is theirs and all profits (if any) are equally divided amongst the shareholders. The goals of which are first and foremost to get more Firefly on TV or create a new Serenity movie. Secondly if necessary, to create new media involving those who were involved in order to raise enough money to further goal number one. Be it a film staring Alan or a CD of Jewel singing. Ideally the first step is buying the rights from Fox so that the fan community controls what can or cannot be done in the future.

It's not impossible

If it was just a matter of DVD sales or movie tickets I wouldn't believe that this could be done but as I've read these boards I've seen the length and expense that people will go to buy DVD's, go to conventions, and other activities all in the idea that we might be able to convince a large multinational corporation to do what we want. Well I say it is time we stop relying on what they considers acceptable. Here is some very simple math for you. The budget to make Serenity was in the mid $40 million dollar range. If we can find 50,000 Browncoats willing to spend $1,000 in a years time we would have $50 million. Now there are those that would say there aren't 50,000 Browncoats and that may be correct, but it is my belief there are many more people than that who would like to be involved in the TV/film industry who would buy into it a bit. As I mentioned earlier though, it is necessary that it be a wholly owned fan idea. The people who run things MUST make no money from doing it. They must be willing to do it only because of their desire to see future shows/movies created. Ideally part of the profits (if any) would go back into the company to continue producing media. The remainder would be given back to the investors through dividends. The chance of loss is great but at least it would be lost producing something we wanted to see and the fact that the people in charge weren't making any money would provide us the knowledge that if there were losses it was only due to lack of people interested in seeing it.

At the end of the day, what I hope I can pull across, if you put together what all of the Browncoats out there have spent on memorabilia, travel, conventions, DVD's, books, etc we could have already made another season of the TV show, or another movie. Instead Fox, Universal, and the people that put together conventions have made that money, and none of them want to finance a continuation of what we love.

My view may be flamed, praised, reviled, or anything else but they are my views and if there is ever an opportunity for me to spend my money on the chance to be a part of recreating that, count me in. What I won't spend my money on is making already rich people richer in the hopes that they will throw me a bone.

Brent

"It may have been the losing side" Mal

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Sunday, April 15, 2007 10:32 PM

CERES

Don’t feel that your opinion is worth less because you’re a new Browncoat. If shows didn’t attract new fans then Shakespeare’s plays would have died out in the 17th century.

I think it would be difficult to find 50,000 Browncoats who could afford $1,000. Some fans have mentioned that finding money to buy a second copy of the dvd was a struggle. Others have seen the merchandise at the Prop Store but can’t afford it. I love the enthusiasm you’ve got and it would be a great project but probably more difficult than it sounds.
Of course you can always prove me wrong.

..................................

You can question the meaning of life on a floaty
island of your own for a while.

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Sunday, April 15, 2007 11:37 PM

CLJOHNSTON108

What an amazing post!

Bravo, Brent!

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Sunday, April 15, 2007 11:46 PM

MOOSE

Quote:
Originally posted by Brent0022:
What I can tell you is I am a fan of this show and movie and want to see it continue.

Sounds like you're a Browncoat to me!

Welcome!

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Monday, April 16, 2007 2:42 AM

LEADB

Ok. You've caught my attention.

The trick is to develop the creditablity. One approach, is to see if someone like Joss would be willing to hold funds, or monitor the holding of funds, in escrow, or something similar, until such time as a critical mass is met.

Clearly, you don't want someone walking off with a million or two before the thing comes together and crashing the project. Thoughts?

My one concern is you are asking for the central folks who do this to take -nothing- more their share of the profits from stock purchases they make; the problem with that is this person is likely to take a huge personal loss in time available for "making the rent". Not sure how you balance not turning this into a "free ride" for someone vs the obvious time commitment it would take.

====
Please vote for Firefly:
http://richlabonte.net/tvvote/index.html
Gina's Birthday April 25th - break 3000! Vote like crazy that day!

Consider $5/year to support FFF: http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/pay/T39WWCGS4JYCV4

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Monday, April 16, 2007 3:28 AM

DRACONUS

Neat idea! I'd love to see it work, and I hate to say it, but I have to agree with CERES. I don't think you'd have enough browncoats with enough money to fund your goals. Yes, there are alot of us, and yes, a few of us have money, but from experience, most of us have to go out of their way just to afford another copy of the DVDs. Good luck though.

May you have enough.

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