uh-oh....this doesn't sound good.

[A_M_Swallow]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

CE a work question for you.

If a tv news program reported a story about the fans writing in how long a clip from the program would they use? 10 seconds, 20s, 30s, 1 minute or 2 minutes?
I accept that there may be more than one answer?

One of the next steps is to get the clips prepared. Although we may need more proof, like copies of the character descriptions, before the major networks would cover the story.

Since a similar story went round about Friends I am suspicious that we are taking part in a guerrilla campaign – worldwide news reports are the equivalent of several million dollars of advertising. True or false it is still time to put up some picture of Che Guevara.

 

[colonyearth]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

Hyp...thanks for the complement on the site.

BTW, there is now an Elstree Studios address on my site!

www.sppictures.com click on News.

Mail to both for now.

Hyp sent me a nice letter that she wanted to send out to WB, and I touched it up for her. If anyone would like me to put it up on the site or would like to send me a sample form letter to put up, I will do so.

But remember, keep it unique and personal.

Andrew...I'm not sure about major news organizations type stuff as yet. Jan and I are discussing next step options and will let everyone know once we've figured out how best to proceed.

For now, we need everyone to get out on the web...everywhere you can think of and even places you can't think of and spread the word.

Put out the site addresses that have the mailing addresses on them. Get the buzz going at film sites everywhere and keep it going. This can't just appear to be a flash-in-the-pan complaint from fans...it's got to have staying power!

And mail, mail, and mail again to the addresses at WB and Elstree! Snail mail is slower but get's more attention!

I'm down for the rest of the day...have to be somewhere, but I'll be back tomorrow.

Til then, fight the good fight everyone! Keep making sure that the Voice of the Resistence is being heard!

Marshal, thank you for the support fellow B5'er! I know you have your doubts, but trust me...it's not just from my source but from multiple sources now...some Jan and Amy's friends and contacts. These are all independent sources confirming.

Gotta run for now! Carry the word into all the dark places and we will win the day for our beloved cast and JMS!

CE

 

[A_M_Swallow]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

Andrew...I'm not sure about major news organizations type stuff as yet. Jan and I are discussing next step options and will let everyone know once we've figured out how best to proceed.

I accept that. It is just that access to editing equipment will be needed to prepare the clips. When something is not actually in production getting access can take a few days.

 

[Recoil]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

Just curious, what other Sci-Fi sites are we getting word of this out to? There are only a handful here, but I am sure on various other Sci-Fi sites, even Trek, Farscape, there are folks who are also B5 fans that have never stumbled our little corner of cyberspace.

If this is going to work, it is going to need a LOT of voices...just like Farscape got. They had so many people speaking about it, it actually made the news.

 

[babylon1122]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

I have been covering spacecast.com here in Canada.

I must admit I am concerned since this is all happening so close to Christmas. People might just say they don't have time to help get the word out because they are too busy. I guess I was expecting more actuion from the fans.Don't get me wrong there are so many out there who are working so hard to get the word out and doing a good job too.
I am most disappointed with the B5 moderated group over at google. Very little is happening there.
All I can say is write those letters and don't forget to mail them.

 

[A_M_Swallow]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

The reason not much is being posted on the newsgroups is that there is nothing to say. The studios do not read the newsgroups so lots of postings will not affect them. A message, independent conformation and some proof are all the fans needed. (Keep it secret but the machine-gunning of tv adverts is a waste of money - two viewings a week is more than adequate.)

The effectiveness of the campaign will be known on Wednesday when the letters arrive at Warner Brothers.

 

[Alluveal]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

WB has lost its freakin' mind and (IMHO) has NO ground to stand on. They need to take a long, hard look at all the sales they have made over the years with the DVD collections. They risk alienating the MAJORITY of those folks, which is likely the reason they have even CONSIDERED a movie like this in the first place.

They didn't recast the Star Trek movies and those did obscenely well at the box office. While Star Trek is a bigger name, it still goes to show that a LOYAL fan base can equal HUGE profit, as long as you don't screw them over.

I've already written letters to WB and Elstree Film Studios as well as at least a dozen letters to folks in my profession: I write for the most popular MMORPG game and the second most popular gaming publishing company. My list is long of folks I can pester to awaken about this. I would suggest anyone who has an ear start getting the word out. This is disgusting at best.

 

[rangerPHIL]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

My only major concern is that we appear to be hearing a lot of information regarding this but absolutely NOTHING has come from JMS himself.

 

[A_M_Swallow]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

My only major concern is that we appear to be hearing a lot of information regarding this but absolutely NOTHING has come from JMS himself.

When JMS makes the offical report we have lost.

 

[kingfish]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

WB has lost its freakin' mind and (IMHO) has NO ground to stand on. They need to take a long, hard look at all the sales they have made over the years with the DVD collections. They risk alienating the MAJORITY of those folks, which is likely the reason they have even CONSIDERED a movie like this in the first place.

They didn't recast the Star Trek movies and those did obscenely well at the box office. While Star Trek is a bigger name, it still goes to show that a LOYAL fan base can equal HUGE profit, as long as you don't screw them over.

I've already written letters to WB and Elstree Film Studios as well as at least a dozen letters to folks in my profession: I write for the most popular MMORPG game and the second most popular gaming publishing company. My list is long of folks I can pester to awaken about this. I would suggest anyone who has an ear start getting the word out. This is disgusting at best.

The studio can do what it wants. The WB managed to shoot two pilots, one for Lost In Space and the other a new Dark Shadows which were both shelved for Jack and Bobby and The Mountain. Studios could care less about the fans of a show.

 

[hypatia]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

My only major concern is that we appear to be hearing a lot of information regarding this but absolutely NOTHING has come from JMS himself.

When JMS makes the offical report we have lost.

That's what i figure, as well. JMS is pretty obviously under some strict rules about what information he can't give out. If the rumor were blatantly false, I would tend to think he'd make a quick post to say so, flatly.

My letter goes out on Monday. What have I lost but an envelope, a stamp, a piece of paper and a bit of printer ink? If the rumor does turn out to be false, where is the harm? And if they really do feel this decision could impact their profits, then perhaps we can make the rumor "false".

Here's hoping.

 

[colonyearth]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

Exactly...the very fact that JMS is speaking in the groups and not responding to this by denying any such problem is very telling, indeed.

If this were false, he would shoot it down dead. But, if as we've found out, it is true...he risks all by saying one word.

As my source told me...that's the way this was orchestrated by TPTB that allowed this to leak...to keep JMS quiet so he cannot defend what needed defending if he were to win this fight. If he doesn't speak, it looks like a rumor and no one complains and they have their proof that the fans don't care about the cast.

It's nasty Hollywood politics...luckily, we B5 fans know a little about how this game is played, thanks in no small part to JMS, himself...and we have a few with insider tracks that let us in on what was happening.

Just write those letters and, yes, spread the word to the four corners of cyberspace...everywhere you can think that it can help.

I have posted a copy of my letter to WB on my site, under the News section...just scroll down.

It's a bit lengthy, and I don't really recommend too many long letters, but feel free to borrow any of my arguing points. I was trying to speak a bit more to the industry side in my letter...saying at least part of what they like to hear to win them over.

Remember though, folks...stay positive...use examples of other successes like ST and SW that used no major names...X-Files...etc...do not use examples of failures. Keep it positive and voice your concerns for the cast, for JMS, and for the future of B5 if this cast is replaced.

My letter stays positive and sites numbers and examples.

That's the way to go.

Keep up the Voice of the Resistence!

CE

 

[Flounder]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

I think we can agree that this sounds like one of the lamest uses of "viral marketing" ever. Put out a rumor and see if you get a reaction to prove that the fans don't care? Or maybe, if the fans complain this much about a rumor, they'll never see the movie, so let's drop it?
I'd say a serious company would never act this way, but behold the Crusade commentary fiasco, and it suddenly becomes more probable that this is true.

I thought we now were in pre-production and that the film was a done deal. Oh, well.

I've posted these two stories on a few sites.

 

[The_One]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

If JMS came out to deny anything, he would immediately be admitting to the existence of the movie - something, which he has not yet directly done (except in code).

He'll probably get into trouble if he says anything, bad or good, about the movie. As no formal announcement has yet been made, he still can't say anything.

He may want to dispell the rumours, but at the moment his hands are tied.

 

[colonyearth]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

If JMS came out to deny anything, he would immediately be admitting to the existence of the movie - something, which he has not yet directly done (except in code).

He'll probably get into trouble if he says anything, bad or good, about the movie. As no formal announcement has yet been made, he still can't say anything.

He may want to dispell the rumours, but at the moment his hands are tied.

This is exactly the corner this puts him into. But he is not denying it at all, which he would do if it were some crazy rumor. Besides the fact that several sources have now confirmed this is happening.

By leaking it this way, they really believed we would see it as a rumor and not say anything...and JMS, knowing it was real and not being able to say anything, would be like someone who has to sit there helpless, screaming inside, as his vision is ripped apart before his eyes.

But we got insiders who told us the truth and confirmed it, and given our knowledge that JMS has given us (not to mention a few filmmakers around) we saw through the trick, and now must make sure it backfires on TPTB and we do complain.

If we push, they'll back down...but we have to stand our ground here, folks. JMS and B5 taught us that some things are worth fighting for...and our cast is one of those things!

CE

Now...let's get to writing those letters people!

 

[GeoKuutio]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

I do not want to be mr. Negative here. But somehow this doesn't surprise me at all. And now, even the faith won't manage. Anyway, I put my two cents for this and sent them mail from Finland. Don't know will that do any good though.

 

[hypatia]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

I have read a couple of posts elsewhere which indicate some people at leasat think we should just shush up and let new JMS stories come through as we can get them.

There is bound to be some fear that by yelling before even an official announcement has been made, WB might decide to call the whole thing off.

Since when did supporting excellence in entertainment become so difficult?

 

[Dave Thomer]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

If JMS came out to deny anything, he would immediately be admitting to the existence of the movie

Not necessarily. He made a comment about the role of Franklin not being recast after Richard Biggs' death without confirming the existence of a movie. He could do the same in a post now without referring to TMoS, just by saying, "There's been no talk of recasting the roles in any kind of project."

Also, even though he hasn't confirmed what TMoS is, he has confirmed that it exists, so saying something about the cast would not confirm anything that hadn't been confirmed before.

Presumably, he could also make a general post asking folks to make their feelings known about seeing the old cast again, without making specific reference to anything.

This sort of thing is why I generally leave the reading of tea leaves to others.

 

[hypatia]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

IT sounds more like leaving people to read their office memos, actually.

 

[Marshal]

Re: uh-oh....this doesn\'t sound good.

JMS shoots straight and he is as loyal as they come and will defend the old cast members with everything he has. That being said he has a low ground in this fight. WB has the money and the copyrights and most likely the rights to script. So if JMS could speak about this he would and maybe he is under another name but he can’t speak openly. So, until something is official I don't see any harm is supporting Babylon 5 who knows if the cry is load enough we might even be able to help in ways we don't know about yet or save some fights down the road.