Save Your Show - A Wishful Thinking Thread by Schism

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Save Your Show - A Wishful Thinking Thread

POSTED BY: SCHISM
UPDATED: Saturday, December 13, 2008 04:27
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Monday, December 8, 2008 1:17 PM

How much would you pay per episode, personally, if the only way to watch new episodes was on a pay-per-view basis?

I was having another one of my "If I had a few million dollars" moments, and I thought about how great it would be to create a website in which producers of cancelled tv shows can find funding for their shows and broadcast them online.

I'd call it "Save Your Show".

The producer would come to SYS and tell me how much they'd need to produce ONE episode. I would then market that to fans and drum up money to finance that one episode from fan support AND advertising. The episode would be produced, and aired, viewable online for a fee, available on DVD for a price.

From there a 'membership' to your show would be required, with a pre-determined amount required to view the next episode.

Sure, a bit more expensive than regular tv, but you get to see your show live again, and you get to show the tv networks that they can't control what we see!!

So...theoretically speaking....how much WOULD you be willing per pay per episode if it meant seeing new episodes?

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Monday, December 8, 2008 2:56 PM

SP3AKER

not viable in a business sense. You have to realise that through earlier successes, Joss Whedon has become a brand, Much like Levi Roots. No respectable writer would ever approach such an endeavour due to the effect that it would have hon his brand. The only way a scheme such as this would be viable, would be if you secured the backing/endorsement of a top writer on the start up. Even then. you would have to approach the writers, they wouldn't approach you as they have far more to lose.

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Monday, December 8, 2008 4:14 PM

SCHISM

Yeah, I know, the idea is unrealistic.
I guess I should have put less emphasis on the basis and more emphasis on the question....

"How much would you pay per episode, out of your own pocket, to watch new episodes of Firefly?"

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Monday, December 8, 2008 5:16 PM

SCHISM

Okay, i just happened to stumble upon this;
http://www.fireflyseason2.com/BrowncoatProfile.asp

Why is it NOW I find the idea a little....untrustworthy...?

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Monday, December 8, 2008 5:40 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Well, that idea is at least two years old by now, and there were others before him with similar schemes. The main problem with producing anything that has aspirations of being more than just a one off episode is the expense of sets, costumes and props, and a facility to store those things in between productions. The budget for anything Firefly would have to be scaled back enormously, with very little if any special effects (meaning no shots of our beloved boat flying), and where's the fun in that?

The only way online content will be a viable option is the writers and producers doing it on their own, such as how Joss did Dr. Horrible. It's one thing to be accountable to a few studio heads, he's not about to accept financing from thousands of people who will all feel they have a say in how the stories should be told.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Monday, December 8, 2008 6:43 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

I agree. But I do see the day in the future when the networks are gone and your purchase your "TV" on a per episode basis, or series basis, much like iTunes or Hulu.

In fact, I'd like to purchase my cable/satellite like that. For example, I don't need all the sports channels, but I'd like to buy a package of just my teams, etc.

Maybe it would cost less if you agreed to ads or more if you don't want ads.

Just a prediction for the future.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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Monday, December 8, 2008 10:19 PM

SHINYGOODGUY

Okay, feasability and other arguments aside, I would be willing to pay $5 or $6 per episode; $7 or $8 if it meant limited or no commercials.

Potentially a internetwork pulling this off could make anywhere between $1.6M to $2M per episode. If you get 13 episodes the potential could reach between $20M to $22M (I'm being conservative here).

With the digital TV revolution beginning in Feb. 2009 we could see that in the not-too-distant future. Logistics aside, it is an idea that is not far off. You could always find that pioneer writer/producer/director who would be willing to roll the dice and make "embarassingly large stacks of cash."

When I become rich I will defintely "roll the dice" in this venture. Who knows there might be someone already pitching this very idea. Before Hulu what did we have? And now? Netflix has something similar to Hulu in there network. The new TVs have hookups that allow you to view internet content on them. So who's to say what the next few years will bring. The times they are a'changing.

Tawabawho?

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Friday, December 12, 2008 5:58 PM

MAL92REYNOLDS

I would be willing to pay (for firefly only) as much as I could afford. Maybe 20$ per episode if i absolutely had to. I would pay ANYTHING. If I pay 30$ for the grapic novel, why not pay that for 1 episode!!

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Saturday, December 13, 2008 4:27 AM

SCHISM

I'd go as high as $100.
Provided it wasn't weekly.
:p
Quarterly, sure.

Of course that would depend on the time of year and my finances at the time.

I have a wife, two kids, and a mortgage, so my geekery takes fifth place...

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