A concern about the movie: length by Momaw

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

A concern about the movie: length

POSTED BY: MOMAW
UPDATED: Monday, January 26, 2004 16:31
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Monday, January 26, 2004 9:59 AM

I'm all for a Firefly movie, naturally! But I'm a little worried too. My little worried tune goes something like this:

- Mr. Whedon and crew can't ensure that everybody who sees the film has seen Firefly as a series, or even all of Firefly as a series.

- Therefore, the movie must be written with lots of exposition for people who are scratching their head going "Who? What?"

- Therefore, the time available for new revelations will be lessened.

Given that Serenity was feature-length all by itself and merely scratched the surface, does anybody else have some nervous twitchy feelings that the film won't be enough to really explain too much? Unless it turns into a collosal thing of 4 or 5 hours, which of course costs money.

So... will it be really long? Or will it just not cover a lot of new ground from the perspective of people that've already seen the abortive Season 1.

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Monday, January 26, 2004 10:06 AM

FOFFILMS

I think we'll be lucky if a feature plays at about 2 hours.

While it may not seem like a long enopugh time to get "into" the story, Joss will most likely do "train job" style quickie explanations and revelations to catch non series watchers up to date while forwarding the story.

My prediction would be it will be heavier on action and effects (due to the nature) and selling points.

While we would all desire a longer movie, longer means less showings during each day which equals less revenue for the studios, who prefer no movie be over 2 hours. 90 minutes baby!!!!

Anyway, I want more story, more character development and sly remarks. I fear what we may get... If... IF we get it at all.

www.fof-films.com
Firefly Fan Film - Coming SOON

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Monday, January 26, 2004 10:06 AM

STATIC

This is purely an undeducated guess, but I'm figuring since Universal is the studio doing the movie (let FOX stand back and watch their project make someone else alot of money with it . . .maybe the execs who killed it will commit suicide), Before the movie is released, Universal will make a BIG deal out of running the series on UPN or somesuch. . .WHICH, by the way, would set things up nicely for a 'follow up' series based on the success of the film.

Does that make sense at all?

"Wash. . .we got some local color happening. A grand entrance would not go amiss."

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Monday, January 26, 2004 10:09 AM

EBONEZER

oh man, i've never thought about that...hopefully, joss will find a way to explain it to them (and they have to watch and understand if we ever get the show going again), and let some stuff out of the bag for us diehard fans too. cuz joss is brilliant like that.

In anycase, i don't care if it tells the same story over and over again. If it can generate enough people wanting the show back, the movie can be ten minutes long and about monkeys.

"Oh my god it's grotesqe! and here's a thing in a jar."

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Monday, January 26, 2004 10:43 AM

MRGREEN

Quote:
Originally posted by Static:
This is purely an undeducated guess, but I'm figuring since Universal is the studio doing the movie (let FOX stand back and watch their project make someone else alot of money with it . . .maybe the execs who killed it will commit suicide), Before the movie is released, Universal will make a BIG deal out of running the series on UPN or somesuch. . .WHICH, by the way, would set things up nicely for a 'follow up' series based on the success of the film.

Does that make sense at all?

"Wash. . .we got some local color happening. A grand entrance would not go amiss."

You're working on the asumption that Universal owns all the rights to the show. I'm going to guess that is not the case.

- Universal owns the MOVIE rights for sure.
- FOX owns the rights to the original episodes, in DVD distribution for sure.
- It is unclear who owns the rights to FUTURE TV episides.
- It seems unlikely FOX would sell the rights to the original episodes (why would they let someone broadcast what they are selling?)

All that in mind, I don't think that we will be seeing the original Firefly on TV again, barring something changing. We MAY see a new series after a movie, but I would bet that the movie will have Train Job style intros for most of the crew, with some additional intro or flashback to 'the war' to introduce Mal and Zoe, as well as a general picture of the world they live in.

Rob

If you can't run, you crawl, and if you can't crawl, well, if you can't do that, you find someone to carry you.

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Monday, January 26, 2004 10:48 AM

NOOCYTE

Good point, but I'm not too worried about that. you see, in The Train Job, Joss and Tim showed how adroitly they can squeeze snippets of exposition into a story, so there's your catch-up, without undue time-hogging.

Also, remember that, without commercials, Serenity only ran about 88 minutes, which is short even by Short-Attention-Span-Theater standards (BTW, one of my fave Dennis Miller lines is his comparison of the American attention span to that of a ferret on a double espresso). Even with that, and the fact that Joss paced the pilot at a relatively languid saunter, he still managed to set up NINE (okay, 10...) characters and their 'verse.

I have little doubt that the film will do just fine on the running time/exposition/story optimization balance. Put your faith in Joss, my droogies!

And, of course, Keep Flyin'!!

Department of Redundancy Department

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Monday, January 26, 2004 1:56 PM

RKLENSETH

I am actually hoping that they don't tell us much in the movie but just continue story leaving the option open for more Firefly movies and the possibility of the show's revival.

Oh, and play Cantr II at www.cantr.net.

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Monday, January 26, 2004 2:18 PM

MAJSON

well my guess is that the movie wont be too arc heavy regards the series, of course elements from the series will be in the show, but it'll be a more stand alone story with some continuity from the series

at least that's how i'd do it.

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Monday, January 26, 2004 3:02 PM

HERO

I think he'll make the movie 24 hours long. The studios will forego a theater release choosing instead to broadcast it in 24 parts over a similar number of weeks.

Can't wait for the sequel.

H

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Monday, January 26, 2004 3:23 PM

FAITHLESS

Heres my 2 cents:

Movie 2 hours with (as said before) train job intros/flackbacks. Brand new story that closes a few, and I mean 2 or 3 if that, arcs and turns the page on the blue glove guys and River (who I think they will focus on for the movie).

The sequel will then be 22 segments on the UPN channel that will broadcast as if its a Television show, which of course it isnt. Firefly is a feature film thats just cut up...Duh!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Even if you see them comin...You're never ready for the big moments.'

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Monday, January 26, 2004 3:44 PM

RANGER

Joss is a pretty smart guy from all indications. I would bet on the movie wrapping up one of the "mysteries" from the series (River from all indications) and open a new one up in the process (Blue Sun I'm betting). That gives the movie audiance the payoff they are looking for in a movie while still leaving more than enough for a sequel or a new series. All of that is doable in 2 hours (plus or minus a few minutes). And Train Job showed that he can do the exposition very well and not "get bogged down" in the process.

Just my thoughts...

Traveller, if you go to Sparta, tell them you have seen us lying here as the Law commands.

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Monday, January 26, 2004 4:31 PM

KINGOFKOINS

Well, I was at the SciFi con that Joss and the cast spoke at, where he stated that the script for the film was written. He said that is was the hardest writing project he had ever completed, and that it manages to introduce everyone while still giving things to the fans.

--------------------------------
It's sickening how comforting the privacy of the mind can be.
"Bible's broken; contradictions, false logistics. Doesn't make sense." - River
http://stripe.filetap.com

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