Chip from ADV Films has a question for YOU!"

[Kalliope]

"And now a question for you...
A week or two ago, someone asked how fans could help promote the Farscape and the Starburst Edition DVDs. May I ask all of you a similar question?

How do you think we – ADV Films - could best promote Farscape and the DVDs? It’s difficult because our marketing budget is based on sales, and, like it or not, Farscape was more of a cult hit on TV than a huge mainstream hit. That’s why you don’t see a massive TV and magazine ad push. We have to be creative!

Also, what extras would you say were highest on your wish list for the ultimate Farscape DVD? Any specific interviews? Unreleased footage? Alternate cuts? Commentaries? HD video?

If you know any scapers on other sites who might have suggestions or ideas, encourage them to stop in here and submit a post. They will be read!!

Thanks. I look forward to reading your ideas!!

Chip"

http://www.sescapers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=329&st=40&p=535&#entry535

[jerseygirl]

My favorite extras are episode commentaries and bloopers. I just love bloopers.

As far as ways to promote Farscape, how about putting trailers on other DVDs, like movies do?

[grot2]

1- Get Henson behind you, will they do anything with the farscape.com site? Take a look at the x-files site to see how they promote the dvds.
2-Release them faster, the show arent' getting any newer.
3-Display them more promintently on the ADV site
4-Put a golden ticket in one of the boxes for a Pilot bust or something cool.
5-Lower the prices on those boxes if you can.
6-Take care of your Quality Control issues with the Starbusts disks, I've had a few
faulty purchases.
7-I agree with the trailer comment above
8-Create an iPodcast or RSS feed with clips, trailers, and editorial.
9-Cross your fingers that the show builds an audience, it will likely be a cult show unless something dramatic happens (hit Farscape movie, spinoff series?).

Good luck.

[spocks2]

Are we supposed to post ideas here or in the blog?

[stlscape]

I'd post ideas on the blog. I don't know that Chip keeps a close check on FMD posts; he is responding to comments on the blog so I'm sure he's watching that thread.

[Jul]

I've emailed Chip to see where he'd like comments and feedback to go...

[so-much-4-sanity]

OK, I'm going to take this opportunity to ask what are the tangible differences between the Starburst editions and the previously released on DVD? I don't know how prepared I am to drop another $500.00 on DVD's if there isn't a tangible difference.

(I know it's a little off topic but I can't seem to get an answer to this question and I thought if anyone will know Scapers will!)

[blueaeryn]

Yes, Chip checks the blog at www.sescapers.com regularly. He has one more segment to his blog this month so keep an eye on that as well. I know through most of the week he checks there at least once a day. So, as Chip stated in the blog, leave all comments and questions there. He answers them regularly.

Thanks for visiting and giving Chip such great feedback. He is really enjoying doing the blog.

BA

[mycattoldme]

Can I make a suggestion - the where, when and how you promote the DVDs are all important but the other side of the coin is the message used when promoting the story.

The best use of any advertising and marketing dollars is made when the message, the audience and the marketing vehicle all work together.

So my simple suggestion to ADV is if they want to promote the DVDs to markets other than SciFi then they need to change the the cover art on the DVDs - as well as some of the story notes on the back - go to the more Love Story angle with the visuals - very very few scifi images. Then use images of the those new DVD covers on a new area of their web site - lets say a Romance section - and in any other marketing that they do to non-scifi audiences. :D

[Kalliope]

Are we supposed to post ideas here or in the blog?

In the blog, this way Chip will have a chance to comment on them :)

[Nicola]

Can I make a suggestion - the where, when and how you promote the DVDs are all important but the other side of the coin is the message used when promoting the story.

The best use of any advertising and marketing dollars is made when the message, the audience and the marketing vehicle all work together.

So my simple suggestion to ADV is if they want to promote the DVDs to markets other than SciFi then they need to change the the cover art on the DVDs - as well as some of the story notes on the back - go to the more Love Story angle with the visuals - very very few scifi images. Then use images of the those new DVD covers on a new area of their web site - lets say a Romance section - and in any other marketing that they do to non-scifi audiences. :D

Oh yeah. The romance was what got me.

And isn't there a whole section in Libraries now for cross-genre books? (or at least in my library) I have noticed that the genre's crossed most are romance and sci fi. The Outlander series by Dianna Gabaldon comes to mind.

Just a thought.

[waltersgirl]

In the blog, this way Chip will have a chance to comment on them :)


if anyone is more comfortable leaving their comments here - or maybe you'd like to see what kind of discussion/or new ideas your comments spark - we'll forward them on to Chip for you. don't worry that you have to post them at the blog or he won't get them, because you don't...unless of course you want to.;)


also, kalliope, your banner is blowing out the formatting, so i deleted it. would love to see it again resized.

[RedKarma]

Personally I have found the quality of ADV DVDs lacking. I have a season set from ADV and when I had a problem I contacted them and got NO response.

I think they should concentrate on Quality Control and Customer Service if they ever want to see me purchase anything of theirs again.

[waltersgirl]

that's odd, RedKarma, because they are usually very on the ball. they take their customer service very seriously. so, did you try to contact them again?

[Kalliope]

also, kalliope, your banner is blowing out the formatting, so i deleted it. would love to see it again resized.

Better now?

[StarsGoBlue]

Much, thank you.

[waltersgirl]

Better now?

thanks oodles. if you want to make it bigger, the other banner you have is a good size.

[vinity]

that's odd, RedKarma, because they are usually very on the ball. they take their customer service very seriously. so, did you try to contact them again? This is my experiance also. I emailed them twice to no avail on original releases.

[stlscape]

Have you phoned their customer service department? I had a little trouble the time I tried to just stay with e-mail, but when I dialled their toll-free number I got immediate solutions to what I needed assistance with. (I may have had to leave a voicemail message, but it was returned soon.) Try calling (800) 282-7202.

Keep in mind that Thanksgiving to New Year's is the holiday season, so some of their employees may be on vacation.

[RedKarma]

Thanks hon!

[stellar]

May be non-sequitor... I'd like a Starburst PKW. The transfer on the ADV release was pretty sub-par. I bought the Region 2 PKW from Amazon UK and there is a tremendous improvement on picture quality, but you've got to have a region-free DVD player.

Per the picture quality, I plan to buy the Season 4 Starburst if the PQ pans out. The S4 transfer could've been better.

For me, the ultimate Farscape DVD release would have a bloated bitrate and a DTS track. I don't know if Seasons 1-3 were filmed in widescreen, but if they were it would be nice to have them. PQ in the 1-3 seasons was great.

[Jul]

PKW wasn't an ADV release - it was a release from LionsGate.

[stellar]

I'll be darned. Then I guess a Starburst PKW may be unlikely.

I feel bad about cursing ADV after PKW was released on DVD. I retract all previous negative thoughts and substitute with imagry of flowers and butterflys.

LionsGate... for shame. If you have the oppurtunity to view the Contender transfer - I reccomend it.

[Nicola]

I'll be darned. Then I guess a Starburst PKW may be unlikely.

I feel bad about cursing ADV after PKW was released on DVD. I retract all previous negative thoughts and substitute with imagry of flowers and butterflys.

LionsGate... for shame. If you have the oppurtunity to view the Contender transfer - I reccomend it.

I bought both - the Lionsgate and the Contender version. I gotta admit, the Contender version was superior without a doubt.

[rylett]

i was thinking that a poster or sign for the retailers to hang near their dvd selections might help. customers will walk in and see the sign and have farscpe on their mind as they are shopping.
i have never seen a farscape poster in a dvd shop.