Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
The CW finds it's Beast
Actually he appeared in Terra Nova so not quite a US debut.
The CW finds it's Beast
Actually he appeared in Terra Nova so not quite a US debut.
sf/f TV development news - 2013
- Thread starter Temis the Vorta
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Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
Julia Stiles cast as Midnight Sun lead.
Andrea's sister from TWD is also on the show.
Julia Stiles cast as Midnight Sun lead.
Andrea's sister from TWD is also on the show.
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
The big news about Terra Nova's cancellation (likely followed by Alcatraz and Fringe, and maybe Touch depending on how it fares when it returns - I got a bad feeling that the ratings won't hold up for that one either) has implications for pilot season.
So far, FOX has greenlit very few pilots compared with what it's going to need next fall, and none in the sf/f category. What are they going to put in the Friday night deathslots, aka the new home for sf/f? My hunch is that a few more orders will come in now, with some sf/f in the mix.
FOX pilots so far.
We've got the standard genres in the list: spy, lawyer, doctor, spy, cop. Here's what it has in the sf/f category that have not been picked up:
Maybe they can revive it?
The big news about Terra Nova's cancellation (likely followed by Alcatraz and Fringe, and maybe Touch depending on how it fares when it returns - I got a bad feeling that the ratings won't hold up for that one either) has implications for pilot season.
So far, FOX has greenlit very few pilots compared with what it's going to need next fall, and none in the sf/f category. What are they going to put in the Friday night deathslots, aka the new home for sf/f? My hunch is that a few more orders will come in now, with some sf/f in the mix.
FOX pilots so far.
We've got the standard genres in the list: spy, lawyer, doctor, spy, cop. Here's what it has in the sf/f category that have not been picked up:
Ewgh, I don't blame them for snubbing that group...only The Magicians sounds somewhat interesting, and I've heard that it's definitely dead...
Maybe they can revive it?
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
Anthony Edwards cast as lead of Zero Hour.
I never watched ER, so I have no idea what kind of actor he is. But this topic seems to call for a quirky, colorful David Duchovney type...anyone think Edwards fits?
And now Amazon wants to produce shows.
Netflix, Hulu and YouTube have already announced plans to do that. So has Yahoo, but considering the sad shape they're in, they might be rethinking any ambitious plans.
Anyway, what are the odds that any of these people realize there's a huge opportunity to serve a very underserved market for space opera, and the nerds who like that genre are 100% reachable via the same internet that the companies already live on? How much more obvious and easy can you get, talk about low-hanging fruit!
Anthony Edwards cast as lead of Zero Hour.
I never watched ER, so I have no idea what kind of actor he is. But this topic seems to call for a quirky, colorful David Duchovney type...anyone think Edwards fits?
And now Amazon wants to produce shows.
Netflix, Hulu and YouTube have already announced plans to do that. So has Yahoo, but considering the sad shape they're in, they might be rethinking any ambitious plans.
Anyway, what are the odds that any of these people realize there's a huge opportunity to serve a very underserved market for space opera, and the nerds who like that genre are 100% reachable via the same internet that the companies already live on? How much more obvious and easy can you get, talk about low-hanging fruit!
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Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
That could be fantastic, as long as they stick to a micro-budget and are satisfied with making hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars instead of multi-billions.
That could be fantastic, as long as they stick to a micro-budget and are satisfied with making hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars instead of multi-billions.
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
They'd have to go shoot in the desert and have the story happen mainly on just that planet or maybe a few nearby planets that all look pretty much like each other...
The bonus to being the first to stick out your neck with made-for-streaming TV is that you'd also be the first to figure out how to make the money work.
Right now they're stuck. Advertisers blanch at associating their products with online content (that's why YouTube is making "professional content" now) and consumers won't cought up bucks for subscriptions because they're used to getting everything free. TrekBBS could tell you all about the difficulty of "monetizing" online content.
The micro-budget approach is self-defeating for space opera or any scripted content (talk shows, gossip shows and comedy are a different thing). There are dozens (hundreds?) of fan films and low budget attempts out there doing that, but who's making money? They need to at least come up to the level of professional TV series in order to compete.
But if someone figures out the holy grail of either creating an abundant stream of inexpensive yet advertiser-friendly content or creating content that consumers will actually pay for - or both - will have the advantage.
Until their competitors copy them, of course. So to lock in your lead, it needs to be something uncopyable. And from what I can tell, all content on the internet is copyable, particularly by the well-heeled megacorporations who will quickly horn in on any promising new business opportunity. But you can't copy a community.
They should start with the audience - that's the product and their unique advantage. Create the community first, then build the content around the community. Your competitors can try to copy your content and steal your advertisers but as long as you keep your community happy, and out there recruiting new community members, you'll be safe, well as safe as anyone ever is.
They'd have to go shoot in the desert and have the story happen mainly on just that planet or maybe a few nearby planets that all look pretty much like each other...
The bonus to being the first to stick out your neck with made-for-streaming TV is that you'd also be the first to figure out how to make the money work.
Right now they're stuck. Advertisers blanch at associating their products with online content (that's why YouTube is making "professional content" now) and consumers won't cought up bucks for subscriptions because they're used to getting everything free. TrekBBS could tell you all about the difficulty of "monetizing" online content.
The micro-budget approach is self-defeating for space opera or any scripted content (talk shows, gossip shows and comedy are a different thing). There are dozens (hundreds?) of fan films and low budget attempts out there doing that, but who's making money? They need to at least come up to the level of professional TV series in order to compete.
But if someone figures out the holy grail of either creating an abundant stream of inexpensive yet advertiser-friendly content or creating content that consumers will actually pay for - or both - will have the advantage.
Until their competitors copy them, of course. So to lock in your lead, it needs to be something uncopyable. And from what I can tell, all content on the internet is copyable, particularly by the well-heeled megacorporations who will quickly horn in on any promising new business opportunity. But you can't copy a community.
They should start with the audience - that's the product and their unique advantage. Create the community first, then build the content around the community. Your competitors can try to copy your content and steal your advertisers but as long as you keep your community happy, and out there recruiting new community members, you'll be safe, well as safe as anyone ever is.
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
Colin Salmon has joined the CW drama pilot Arrow as a recurring.
Colin Salmon has joined the CW drama pilot Arrow as a recurring.
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
The Selection - more casting
And more casting for The Selection
666 Park Ave. and Zero Hour casting
The Selection - more casting
And more casting for The Selection
666 Park Ave. and Zero Hour casting
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Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
People do pay for original content on the web. They buy music, TV shows and books from iTunes and other places; they already buy ebooks from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (I have money in my pocket because of this, so it works). The trick is to make it both appealing to your niche audience and affordable-- then people will click and buy. And the trick to making it affordable is a low budget. No quarter billion dollar budgets for big video game movies. You need green screen like Sanctuary or simple (but aesthetic) sets like Exeter. It is possible.
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
Here's the description of the novel 666 Park Avenue on Amazon:
Here's the description of the novel 666 Park Avenue on Amazon:
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
Hmm, that's kind of a tall order, given how many layers of figurativeness are stacked on the term "cold-blooded." Is the witch literally endothermic? Does she have too little energy to function in winter weather or at night? Then again, endotherms are not literally cold-blooded except in a cold environment. So for that description to be entirely literal, her blood would have to actually be substantially below room temperature at all times, which raises all sorts of issues of its own.
Maybe the description should've avoided the many possible layers of "literally" abuse by just saying "...turned out to be an evil witch, literally."
Hmm, that's kind of a tall order, given how many layers of figurativeness are stacked on the term "cold-blooded." Is the witch literally endothermic? Does she have too little energy to function in winter weather or at night? Then again, endotherms are not literally cold-blooded except in a cold environment. So for that description to be entirely literal, her blood would have to actually be substantially below room temperature at all times, which raises all sorts of issues of its own.
Maybe the description should've avoided the many possible layers of "literally" abuse by just saying "...turned out to be an evil witch, literally."
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
But are they being made for the web? Or are they released on CD, in book format, and on broadcast/cable first and then released on the web as another distribution medium?
But are they being made for the web? Or are they released on CD, in book format, and on broadcast/cable first and then released on the web as another distribution medium?
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
Big Finish does Audio Plays (I know from Doctor Who, but, they do many other series as well), which are exclusive to CDs, and only available to purchase over the Web.
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
Re: Zero Hour, it's disappointing to see them cast an FBI character who "may have her own agenda." That's starting to sound like yet another show built on a flimsy fabric of cliches.
Re: Zero Hour, it's disappointing to see them cast an FBI character who "may have her own agenda." That's starting to sound like yet another show built on a flimsy fabric of cliches.
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
Both. Direct distribution is growing for both music and ebooks, so there's no reason it can't work for video-- as long as it's as affordable as the music and books.
Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012
Well that's the problem, any reasonable looking video of scripted drama is going to cost a fair bit more than the production cost of a musical piece or certainly a book.
A book involves a writer and an editor. Music involves a composer and performers. TV shows involve writers, other writers who essentially serve as editors, music composers and performers, plus a whole lot of other necessary people - actors, costume designers, set designers, SFX people, makeup, hair, lighting, etc.
Just the number of people alone tells you why the costs get driven up. Everyone needs to be paid, and if they're good at their jobs, they need to be paid well. If they're not good at their jobs, why should I bother with their stuff? If one element is not up to par, everything suffers.
Well that's the problem, any reasonable looking video of scripted drama is going to cost a fair bit more than the production cost of a musical piece or certainly a book.
A book involves a writer and an editor. Music involves a composer and performers. TV shows involve writers, other writers who essentially serve as editors, music composers and performers, plus a whole lot of other necessary people - actors, costume designers, set designers, SFX people, makeup, hair, lighting, etc.
Just the number of people alone tells you why the costs get driven up. Everyone needs to be paid, and if they're good at their jobs, they need to be paid well. If they're not good at their jobs, why should I bother with their stuff? If one element is not up to par, everything suffers.
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