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Joss,The crew &The Fans vs The hollywood system !

POSTED BY: STICKS
UPDATED: Wednesday, February 2, 2005 13:38
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Wednesday, February 2, 2005 1:34 AM

STICKS


With the recent debate about screenings of movies its now clear hollywood has got it in for decent movies.Universal said they pulled serenity from april due to marketing and where 100% behind the movie,now it seems with the tests screenings they might of changed there mind,the fans of firefly who have seen the screener have been more than happy with the film, but universal has shown the film to mixed groups who were unsure about what they had seen.
joss intended the film to be dark,violent,disturbing,funny and faithful to the hardcore fans as well as shine light on to the new viewers.
whats the betting that the film now has re shoots,the violence toned down and the reavers made less horrific,well it is hollywood after all.before the screenings the film had positive buzz, but now come sept/november, are we going to get the film joss made or the one hollywood changed?



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Wednesday, February 2, 2005 2:52 AM

SIMONWHO


I'd be very surprised if Joss doesn't have "final cut", i.e. a contractual right to decide exactly how the film will be. However, Universal can "punish" him if he defies their wishes by killing marketing support, trimming budgets elsewhere, etc, etc.

I suspect that they'll provide a list of comments and suggestions. I hope Joss will read through them, laugh himself stupid and burn them all except for the one sheet of paper that is filled with brilliant thoughts and suggestions from the test screening in London next week that I'm going to.

What?

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Wednesday, February 2, 2005 4:00 AM

BROWNCOAT1

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


Hey Sticks, long time no see.

I would not really too much about the suits @ 'Versal messing w/ Serenity. From what Joss and the cast have said, the execs @ 'Versal left them alone while they filmed the BDM. I am guessing that Joss will not allow them to force reshoots or anything of that nature to tone anything down. Joss himself said the execs like the film and you will always get mixed reactions at test screenings.

By their very nature you are getting a wide variety of movie goers at a test screening, all the better to sample audience reaction to your movie. As we have seen in the reviews of the 2nd round of test screenings, some of the people who attended were not sci fi fans. Others who were sci fi fans are into the flashy special effects, sound in space, epic space battle ala Star Wars that they have been fed by Hollywood for years.

Not everyone is going to love or even like Serenity. We knew that going in, as did Joss & 'Versal. The important thing is that the ever expanding fanbase and hopefully a good portion of openminded sci fi fans will love the film and make it successful. I have a really good feeling about the movie and trust in Joss and the cast to turn out a very high quality product we will all adore.

__________________________________________

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

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Meet Up:
http://firefly.meetup.com/9/boards/


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Wednesday, February 2, 2005 12:54 PM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES


Quote:

Originally posted by SimonWho:
I'd be very surprised if Joss doesn't have "final cut", i.e. a contractual right to decide exactly how the film will be. However, Universal can "punish" him if he defies their wishes by killing marketing support, trimming budgets elsewhere, etc, etc.



I have to say I'd be suprised - there are a limited number of directors that get final cut. Scorsese didn't get final cut on Gangs of New York.

That said, Matt Stone and Trey Parker insist on final cut or they won't make the film. That's the end line - do you want to make the film, and hope that it comes out as you hoped, or not unless it comes out as you want or not at all?

Bottom line - Serenity is priced so it doesn't need a cross-over audience to succeed, but it does need more than just Firefly fans. A crossover would be gangbusters for Universal. They have experience in the area - so far all the sounds coming out suggest that things are going reasonably well at this stage, and hopefully it will continue that way.

"I threw up on your bed"

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Wednesday, February 2, 2005 1:38 PM

SPOOKYJESUS


Quote:



Bottom line - Serenity is priced so it doesn't need a cross-over audience to succeed, but it does need more than just Firefly fans. A crossover would be gangbusters for Universal. They have experience in the area - so far all the sounds coming out suggest that things are going reasonably well at this stage, and hopefully it will continue that way.




I agree.

I think we're a little hung up on the fact that Joss made at least part of the movie "for the fans". He didn't. He didn't write Firefly "for the fans" - he made the show he wanted to make and the fans came running.

Same thing here - Joss will make his movie, not so much to satisfy us but to satisfly his original idea of a space western. He'll take the building blocks for the show we all know and love but he'll use them to make a movie.

Test screenings, even bad one's, do give an indication as to problems the audience have with the picture. Joss will get the reports, read the comments, get notes from the Execs and make a decision as writer and director.

An example I can think of would be the comment from the Aint it Cool guy's screening "why didn't they have lazers".

Say the Lazer thing proves to be a problem for audiences to get behind then maybe Joss would establish the run down nature of the world a little more and establish it's differences from other sci-fi stronger.
That is an EXAMPLE (an unlikely one I think) but it'll work something like that - if they see the audience isn't getting "it", Joss may retool so that they do.

Remember, if changes are made it will be Joss making them - slight adjustments, crafting his movie. (And if anyone thinks that Joss doesn't care about the appeal of a mass audience remember he's a long time TV man. TV is all about mass audience).

Also - I'm sure every one on the 'versel knows that the test screenings will go better when the FX are finished as, on a sci-fi pic, they really help create the illusion.

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