FYI: Interview with Henson Prez Juliet Blake

[ratscape]

on the BBC Cult site (March 24):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/farscape/

She has some interesting things to say about the fans and future of Farscape.

[StarsGoBlue]

I just wish those "billionaires" and "large corporations" had said, "Hey, here's some money. Go film another season and *then* we'll worry about airing it (or releasing it directly)."


*sigh*

*****Stars :eh:

[GeekedOut]

Nice interview. Thanks for posting it ratscape. I love the part about SciFi being horrorifed about the fans reaction and the fact that Henson expected it and said the Farscape fans were like no others.

Henson is looking to continue the franchise...that's good.

[jadeshand]

oooohhh...more pins in my Michael Jackson doll, for sure!

Although I did get a laugh out of that "Jackson with Bonnie Hammer under him" line.

Billionaires, billionaires....honeys, you can help us!!! :D

[Dominar of Action]

Maybe Sir Richard did look into it after all ;)

[Chaym]

Thanks for the link ratscape.

WE WILL GET OUR SHOW BACK!

[dmantione]

Quite interresting read. In fact, as far as I see this campain is mostly targeted as Skiffy & Bonnie. Now what she tells is that Skiffy & Bonnie are *not* the problem, in fact if I literally read what she said the issue was even out of Skiffy's hands. Which I can't believe, but why would she lie?

And what I completely didn't get was that Michael Jackson is involved... http://www.vhl.tudelft.nl/confused.gif

Daniel

[Digger]

Not THAT Michael Jackson dmantione. Same name, different guy. The Michael jackson at skiffy is one of the head honchos at the network (check out the network contacts on the front page of this website).

Michael Jackson
Chairman, Universal Entertainment
The SciFi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas, F115
New York, NY 10020-1513

Oh, and welcome aboard!

[Vampgrrl]

Yo Corporations and billionaries...HELP...
If say I had 50 million in the bank..I would spend $20 mil. and bank roll the entire Season 5 myself period.

[B Sharp]

re this from Juliet's interview:

------------------------------------------
'I think that the show had not been as supported by the sort of new higher ups at Studios USA because it was a very complicated, dense show.

As a newcomer to it myself in Season three I felt that I’d inherited something that was pretty incredible and wonderful but a little bit impenetrable if you weren’t part of the whole Farscape phenomenon.

I think that when Michael Jackson, fellow Brit, came in and was overseeing the whole of the Sci Fi network with Bonnie Hammer underneath him, even though Bonnie and all her team were huge fans of the show, I think he wanted to broaden the show out to be something that you just couldn’t do that with it. In a sense we all felt, ‘Let’s keep it pure’ and that’s what we did. And by so doing probably saw the end of it on the Sci Fi network. '

-----------------------------------------

I like a lot about what she said, but it's disturbing to me that even Juliet feels that FS is 'a little bit impenetrable'. It's also pretty obvious in hindsight (given the new shows replacing FS on SciFi's lineup) that there was a plan to 'dumb down' content.

that's so sad!

[jadeshand]

I think we probably need to thank Mr. Jackson for the 'reality' show stuff too. He was hired to do the magic for Sci-Fi that he did for that network in the UK, and I believe he's approached it with the idea that, although it's named the Sci-Fi Channel, it doesn't have to be science fiction. Thus, his formula for success is to

a. produce low budget, inferior shows that will catch the interest of a fickle audience that only tunes in occasionally.

b. produce shows that are owned specifically by the Sci-Fi Channel so that all profit will go to that channel and no where else.

c. produce mini-series that will periodically increase the ratings to keep advertisers happy.

The truth will come out by the end of the year on whether or not his strategy will work.

I'm also very curious about this supposed new show that is to be unveiled at the end of this month - apparently the brainchild of Mark Stern and the one which Bonnie thinks will become Sci-Fi's new signature show. Whatever it is, they haven't let even the tiniest rumor escape about it which insinuates to me that they are banking big time on it being successful.

Like I said before, it could be the 'second coming' and I wouldn't watch it. :)

[saska]

Whatever it is, they haven't let even the tiniest rumor escape about it which insinuates to me that they are banking big time on it being successful.


Crossing Over with Stark.

(It just occurred to me today that the whole "Crossing over" thing was such an obvious dig at John Edward... )

Saska

[Xenajules2]

Well, Jackie... if it WAS "Crossing Over with Stark", I'd HAVE to watch it... as long as DK and Co produced it and it starred... oh, say, Ben Browder and Claudia Black... LOL!

Jules ;0)

[farscape1211]

For some reason I'm missing a DLL and can't download the real player.
Can someone be kind and post the whole article PRETTY PLEASE..

Thanks

[jadeshand]

Ben and Claudia are too expensive for Sci-Fi now, Jules, you know that....

[JA_Shipper]

I don't know why, but whenever I read interviews coming out of Henson is when I feel the *least* sure that we'll get a Season 5, even if UPN or one of those millionaires asking to help offered to bankroll it. I'm sure I'm reading her wrong, but I keep hearing "oh we loved Farscape but that was then and this is now and we've got this NEW show in the works and ... "

I suppose I shouldn't be griping if she at least is saying that we might get a movie.

Sigh.

Grr. Don't mind me. Feeling grouchy, I guess.

Suse

[uisceboo]

I think that the show had not been as supported by the sort of new higher ups at Studios USA because it was a very complicated, dense show.
They told us we couldn't have funds because they didn't understand what the hell we were doing.


when Michael Jackson, fellow Brit, came in and was overseeing the whole of the Sci Fi network with Bonnie Hammer underneath him,
Bonnie Hammer found the one chappie that sadly confirmed all the urban legends about Englishmen. The downfall of the network is revenge.


and did everything they could to keep the show on the air.
(Staggering how even she doesn't know what kinds of things we have in store!)


We get calls all the time from – I can’t go into any of the names – but from billionaires
(Send me a private email, then. Um, and I'm single.)


But you can’t kill a series just because the sets aren’t there. There are ways of doing it.
As Yoda so eloquently demonstrated in the last star Wars flick!


I think that sometimes things come to an end and there’s very little we can do about it.
Ms Blake, I'd like you to meet a freind of ours, Hope. You will be amazed at what Hope can achieve.


So. I will now remove my tongue from my cheek....

All in all, a nice lady, but spoken truly like a person who doesn't feel she has any control over the situation, AND does not know us the way DK does. She was not there in the beginning...and I am not sure Henson has a lot of say as to what happens until the rerun rights are free or skiffy goes under.

I am intrigued to hear what this interview would sound like if the same questions were put to Brian Henson.

I also think it's time for us to send positive, supportive SNAIL to Henson reminding them we really WANT the series back. We had a report about a month ago that they were getting quantities of angry email from people who mistakendly thought Henson cancelled the series; that could color how they feel about the series coming back, but that is something we are in a position to correct.

[uisceboo]

Damn, and one other thing, seriously...and this has been bugging me for a while...

Every once in a while I hear someone refer to "The actors have moved on to other projects."

Correct me if I am wrong, but the only cast member that has found anything that could remotely be called steady work -- like a series or a major feature film -- is Gigi Edgely. As of a few weeks ago, Ben was quoted as saying he had better find work soon or Fran would throw him out (joke I am sure, but)...and no news on Claudia either, and I hate to say this, but if actors are doing multiple cons, they are not doing it just to party. It's income.

I would ADORE for any of them to be working and reeive the acclaim they deserve, but all evidence points to Fate screwing them in the fine print too: they lost their jobs, and work has not been forthcoming. That does not equal moving on. That means thw world is moving on without them.

I want to get them their jobs back...at this point, it will take just as long as anything else.

[Sunderflame]

Thank you for the link. first of all.

I found her comment's very disheartning. She is always speaking about Farscape in the past tense; very troubling indeed. I agree that only Gigi has found steady work along with Anthoney Simcoe. I hav't heard anything about Claudia or Ben. It seems like every thing Claudia is in; she always get's killed off in the beginning or end of a film. i.e. Pitch Black and Queen of the Dammned.

Who are all those billionaires, why didn't they just jump in head first. One must wonder if they were asked to hold off. She seemed to infer that they were fans of the show.?????
Lord knows I don't want to see Farscape in anime. I want to see the real thing.
Listening to her talk about FARSCAPES demise,just gave me a really bad feeling.
She gives me the impression that she wants to move on. I'm going to have nightmares about this tonite. She may be a nice lady and all that, but she reminded me of the wicked witch in Wizard of Oz. I'm not calling her names, she just knocked the wind out of my sails. If I had the money I'd finance it myself. I agree with most everything that has been posted about this so far. I still can't believe nothing came from our outcries of utter dispair.:bawl:

[grapeshot]

Wot's all this about some NEW series being unveiled at SciFi???

I'm also very curious about this supposed new show that is to be unveiled at the end of this month - apparently the brainchild of Mark Stern and the one which Bonnie thinks will become Sci-Fi's new signature show. Whatever it is, they haven't let even the tiniest rumor escape about it which insinuates to me that they are banking big time on it being successful.


It's almost the end of the month NOW, and I haven't heard even a whisper. No gossip, no juicy tidbits, no murmurings. How ODD. Usually something gets leaked somewhere. Does anyone know what this might be all about? And if they're about to premier a new show, they would already be advertising it -- at the very least on their own network. (Horrors!! They can't possibly mean Tremors, can they?)

[Dominar of Action]

(((Sunderflame)))

I felt that way too, but am now feeling much better :) Look at it this way, Juliet Blake is the President of a company that is owned by EM.TV, which, in turn, is owned by its shareholders. As such, she must promote their newest projects, not continue to draw attention to a project that's off the table for the time being (damn skiffy :grr: ) Also, let's assume that Henson is interested in continuing the series in some form and is negotiating. It's a classic move to appear as if you couldn't care less if you continue the show or not.

So, in the end, consider this:

1) Rockne gave us the almost complete opposite message in his recent Starlog interview. Heck, even Ben sounded more optimistic than he usually does in the Dave Mason interview.

2) Neither DK nor Rockne has told us to pack it in.

3) The props have yet to be sold off.

4) Henson has already sunk a ton of $$$ into Farscape, and the only way it can recoup its losses is if the show becomes a franchise ... and the only way THAT's going to happen is if we get the end to the damn story! Remember what Ben said in his interview last week.

5) Both Henson and Skiffy are likely to be sold in the near future, which sales can change things on a dime.

So, let's just keep on keeping on, 'kay? :D

[grapeshot]

Hey, I'm with DoA on this. The fat lady ain't sung yet.

[Kerlin]

DoA, you rule. Thanks for that :D

[Wolli World]

Thanks DOA. I was feeling like Sunderflame after hearing that interview too. I sure wish we'd hear SOMETHING from DK - just something that gave us a hint (some Erps or something! :)). I am also not excited at all about anime. I want the real cast! Also, anime doesn't help all those poor people who are out of work now. :(

[Vampgrrl]

She gave alot of conflicting stuff in that interview...we can do it and have billionaries on the phone..but this and that...kinda weird. It does make me think that someone wants to bankroll Farscape but irregardless Skiffy's rerun rights may have to expire first.

It could also be that said billionaries and corporations are the people who are looking to buy Henson I dont know.
Just that interview seemed like left is right and up is down, it won't happen but it will. Weird.
Like someone else said I'll trust Rockne, Dk and Brian over this woman who doesn't sound like she is clued in (then again maybe she is)

[blue]

That interview was depressing. To me it sounded like she really wasn't a fan of the show, and that she really wanted something new that she could call her own to showcase Henson talent, rather than something she inherited three years into it and that she wasn't personally emotionally invested in.
Yeah, who are those billionaires and why don't they step up--give oh say twenty million to the viewer consortium for a tax deduction. Come on guys, hurry up, do it.
Hope you're right, DOA.

[blue]

Here's the text:
BBC Cult - Printer Friendly Version
Juliet Blake - The Jim Henson Company's US President of Television tells us about the cancellation, Farscape's future, and what the show meant to them.

How the Muppets met Moya
__Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your involvement with Farscape?

I’m the President of Jim Henson Television here in America, and I was also one of the many executive producers on Farscape. I’m head of TV here, but also had responsibility for Farscape for the whole of the Henson company.

Could you explain how Henson became involved with Farscape?

Actually, I sort of inherited Farscape. I have been with the company almost three years and when I arrived we were about to do the third season of Farscape. My predecessor Rod Perth, who was a huge Farscape fan, had started life as Head of Studios USA, the USA network, and had commissioned Farscape from Brian Henson when he was more involved with the company.

He then ended up coming to run Henson so he changed from being the executive that commissioned the show to then being the person responsible for it at Henson.
New worlds and new life
__Has Farscape opened up any opportunities for Henson that weren’t there before?

I think so. I think one of the great things about Farscape is that it really does showcase the work of our Creature Shop. So where before we’d been known mainly for The Muppets and children’s programming, what Farscape did was to show people the great quality of our work as a company. The fact that we did a show that was so out there was great for this company.
Thanks for sharing
__Could you explain how all the companies which have a hand in Farscape interact to finance and make it?

Farscape was a co-production between Hallmark, which obviously you know make many TV movies and mini-series, and the Henson Company. It was co-financed by the two companies with a substantial licence fee from the Sci Fi Channel and very useful - but a bit of a dribble - money from the BBC.

Overseas sales for the show were okay but not as good as they could have been, so when you added up all of those things with a show that every year got slightly more complicated, and more wonderful, the budget did increase, not astronomically, but enough for it to be of concern to everybody.

Were Henson quite hands-on over controlling the show?

We were very hands-on. We would read several drafts of every script. We were hands-on financially, controlling the purse strings, and we were hands-on creatively, very much so.

We have a Creature Shop here in Burbank in Los Angeles and another one in London, but when the show started we took some of our best Creature Shop technicians, builders, and designers, and started a shop in Australia, in Sydney, on one of the sound stages.

We had seven big sound stages to do the show in Australia. It was a huge undertaking and so we were very hands on.
Season of death
__Can you tell us a bit about how the cancellation of the show came about?

It was pretty devastating, because everybody really felt that we’d do another season, or even if not a whole season then half a season, and the economics just didn’t work.

I think that the show had not been as supported by the sort of new higher ups at Studios USA because it was a very complicated, dense show.

As a newcomer to it myself in Season three I felt that I’d inherited something that was pretty incredible and wonderful but a little bit impenetrable if you weren’t part of the whole Farscape phenomenon.

I think that when Michael Jackson, fellow Brit, came in and was overseeing the whole of the Sci Fi network with Bonnie Hammer underneath him, even though Bonnie and all her team were huge fans of the show, I think he wanted to broaden the show out to be something that you just couldn’t do that with it. In a sense we all felt, ‘Let’s keep it pure’ and that’s what we did. And by so doing probably saw the end of it on the Sci Fi network.
Fans and the future
__Had Henson’s expected the strength of fan reaction to the cancellation?

It was expected. Farscape fans are like no others, they are so loyal and did everything they could to keep the show on the air.

Yet I think, and I was always very honest about this, once the show had been cancelled it would be very difficult to bring it back. Once a network makes its mind up that it’s going to move forward in a different direction, it’s very hard to bring that show back to life because the actors have moved on, a lot of the writers have moved on. I think we as a company in some ways have moved on.

That’s not to say that Farscape is entirely dead, we’re planning to continue the franchise but in different ways. So what we’d like to do is a movie, either a TV movie [or a cinema release] at some point. We get calls all the time from – I can’t go into any of the names – but from billionaires and some large corporations who are saying ‘You can’t let it die, what are you doing? What can we do to help?’ which is great.

So it’s a bit like Doctor Who. I don’t feel Doctor Who has ever really died. I mean, it continues in different guises and I think that that will happen with Farscape too.

So a movie is planned?

I wouldn’t say it’s planned, but we are thinking about it and looking at how we could do it and what the economics would be, and thinking about whether we will do that.
What was lost
__I know the sets have been struck but do they still exist?

Some of them exist and some of them don’t. I think that’s less of a problem because I think that they could all be rebuilt.

Certainly a lot of the creatures are still there and are being shipped back to London at the moment. But you can’t kill a series just because the sets aren’t there. There are ways of doing it.
The ugly truth
__If it had been generally realised what the fan reaction would be, do you think Farscape would have been cancelled?

Probably yes, unfortunately, because I think the reality is that even though the Sci Fi Channel were horrified at the reaction of the fans, and people were picketing the building, and taking out full page ads in the trades here, I think that sometimes things come to an end and there’s very little we can do about it.

It’s a great shame. I’m not saying the fans were powerless because I think that they were very much heard by the network, certainly by the Henson Company and I just hope that they’ll be there when we do our next big sci fi show.
Revenging anime
__Is a future as an animated series a possibility for Farscape?

Anime [not animation]. That is a real possibility, but I can’t talk about that at the moment. It is something that we’re actively working on.

Would that not be a bit of a departure for Henson because you’re so associated with the live action animatronics?

Yes, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think that we as a company like to do anything that is really creative, and we don’t like to pigeon ourselves or put ourselves into a box. We are always meeting with interesting artists, designers, creators, animators, live action puppeteers, we like to keep our door very much open.
Twice brave
__Would Hensons' ever consider making another science fiction show like Farscape?

Absolutely. I would love us to do another sci fi show. We don’t, at the moment, have anything that showcases the work of our Creature Shop in the way that I would like, and we’re certainly always looking at material to find the next thing that would be good for us to do as a company.

One of the joys of Farscape was producing it in Australia. When you see the show, you can see that it’s well produced and that the money’s on the screen, but it’s not until I went a couple of years ago to Australia [that I] saw the sets and the extraordinary way the show was put together.

[With] the collaboration of the cast and the crew and Ben Browder crossing between lead actor to writing episodes to wanting to direct episodes, it was like a family living in Sydney making this show. There were hundreds of people involved in it and I think that [in] Sydney, [although] of course there are lots of features filming there, a lot of people are hurting because [Farscape’s] no longer in production. It was a huge huge piece of the Australian TV business.

So are Hensons' planning something else in the same line as Farscape then?

We’re in the process of acquiring some interesting books and we will be developing from those books. There are two or three writers that I’ve always been passionate about, not authors but screen writers, that we are talking to about developing new things with.
The last word
__Finally, what has Farscape meant for Hensons'?

Creativity, being on the map with a prime time show, wining huge numbers of awards, we’ve won Saturn awards galore, working with an incredibly talented group of writers, actors, performers and really doing a show that was just out there, was Farscape. It was different to anything else on television.

There are no other shows that look like it. I think a lot of sci fi on television reminds me of kid’s nativity costumes with fruit gums on them and I think that Farscape had this extraordinary look for a reasonably low budget TV show. So we’re very proud of it.

[LadyCrais]

BLOODSUCKERS! Oh Boy!!

This is from JMS (B5 creator) on the decision against Polaris, which as you'll see was one of three that were under consideration. I assume the one nobody has heard about is the intergallactic vampires. :headbang:

_______________________________________________
quoting JMS 1/6/03

On Polaris...we got down to one of three projects of which one or two would be
greenlighted for production. It went down to the wire, but finally SFC decided
that the premise of Polaris was a little too science fictiony, when they were
looking to go for ideas that had more immediate mainstream appeal. So even
though they felt that Polaris was the best written of the projects they had in
development, they went for a project about intergalactic (not interstellar,
intergalactic) vampires called "Bloodsuckers." It is, to be fair, one of those
concepts that, when you hear it, you get it, there isn't a lot of background
needed.

[BritAngie]

Originally posted by Dominar of Action
(((Sunderflame)))

I felt that way too, but am now feeling much better :) Look at it this way, Juliet Blake is the President of a company that is owned by EM.TV, which, in turn, is owned by its shareholders. As such, she must promote their newest projects, not continue to draw attention to a project that's off the table for the time being (damn skiffy :grr: ) Also, let's assume that Henson is interested in continuing the series in some form and is negotiating. It's a classic move to appear as if you couldn't care less if you continue the show or not.

So, in the end, consider this:

1) Rockne gave us the almost complete opposite message in his recent Starlog interview. Heck, even Ben sounded more optimistic than he usually does in the Dave Mason interview.

2) Neither DK nor Rockne has told us to pack it in.

3) The props have yet to be sold off.

4) Henson has already sunk a ton of $$$ into Farscape, and the only way it can recoup its losses is if the show becomes a franchise ... and the only way THAT's going to happen is if we get the end to the damn story! Remember what Ben said in his interview last week.

5) Both Henson and Skiffy are likely to be sold in the near future, which sales can change things on a dime.

So, let's just keep on keeping on, 'kay? :D

Please listen to DOA..she has the handle on what is going on.. This is the second interview I've read with Juliette Blake(first was in Cinescape) and in both she was very pesimistic. I think that she is maybe the anti Bonnie! <g> By that I mean Bonnie is all "we are great and the show is going to be fab and la la la... " Whereas Ms Blake sounds far more in the realms of realism and not BS. ;)

In her last interview she was incorrect about some stuff that was going on.. (though that may have been due to the lead in time for the printing of the interview.. ) but still I'd suggest she wouldn't be telling us everything.. I mean why would she have to?

Also the billionaire thing.. I've heard rumours about at least two corporations interested in the show.. Nice to hear my sources were correct... Guys she is making a *point* by mentioning how rich they are... :D It's not just about money... and that we have alot of influential and well off support..

Sci fi are the problem and those frelling rerun rights... :mad:

[Farsight]

It's nice to hear of people with big bankbooks being passionate about the show continuing - yet more evidence of how wide an audience it has appealed to.

Bloodsuckers - I'd almost forgotten about that little bit of craptacular entertainment... Is pathetisad a word? :)

[uisceboo]

DoA, you are the best. I agree. Completely.

And this woman has not been around since Day One, so she has not bonded with the show, and I don't think has much personally invested in it, if anything. she probably is impressed by our campaign actions, but does not seem to understand us the way rock, DK and Ben do.

One thing to remember: No matter who owns the majority of that company, Jim Henson's name is on it, and the Henson family still are extremely involved with the direction of the company. Brian Henson loves Farscape, and wants it back as much as we do.

As I said, Ms. Blake is a nice lady, but I am thinking she is one of the people who did not "get" Farscape either. She's taking the nice tack rather than the nasty (ahem, Bonnie...), but that's the feeling I get. I am just not going to expect everyone to get it, or feel the need to educate everyone anymore. And move on from there.

uisceboo
www.sanetv.com: drad T-shirts and dren (http://www.sanetv.com)

[Stargate2077]

However, guys, I can attest that you can start watching Farscape, starting from Season 3, and still be emotionally invested in the show. I saw quite a few Season 3 episodes before seeing the entire series from the beginning. I was 16, and I can say that Season 3 was not inpenetrable at all. In fact with the Season 3 primer, I was able to understand the show very quickly and learn about the underlying themes in the show.

[JA_Shipper]

Thanks guys, I feel much better about things now.

Sus

[SabaceanBabe]

Just a couple of points to make:

1) Ms. Blake did say that it was the end of Farscape on the Sci Fi network. This can imply moving on to a whole new network (you know, like Viacom/UPN). This gives me hope -- or at least feeds the hope I already have.

2) Farscape is indeed dense, as in there is so much going on you can get something new from it every time you watch it.

3) Bonnie is also dense, but in a very different way. I mean come on. That woman is so dense, light bends when she's in the room. ;)

Just keep on scaping and letting Henson know we're here and we want our show back and will go to extraordinary lengths to get it.

[jadeshand]

Lady Crais - I'll bet you're right. I forgot about 'bloodsuckers' too. Jeez, Mark Stern just fell another hundred points in my estimation, not that he was very high in the beginning.

I mean, jeez, it's mindboggling. Do you really suppose that Skiffy is going to bank on a show about VAMPIRES being their signature show? Bankruptcy....here we come....

[Has]

I could just imagine the pitch for the show 'it will be like Buffy in space', I'll think I am going to gag now.

[Dominar of Action]

Vampgrrl said:It does make me think that someone wants to bankroll Farscape but irregardless Skiffy's rerun rights may have to expire first.Hmmm, for some reason this talk of billionaire Scapers waiting to bankroll S5 has got me to thinking (duck!). Just blindly speculating here, but it just occurs to me that it wouldn't be at all out of the question that along with the rights to the reruns, Skiffy's got an exclusive broadcast license to the trademark "FARSCAPE" to prevent Henson from making an end run and diluting the value of its rerun rights. I'm have absolutely no idea if such a clause would be atypical for the television industry, but if true it would certainly explain why a S5 can't go ahead on another net, be it UPN or a new Viacom sci fi channel until Skiffy's rights expire. It could also explain the sudden interest in anime (i.e., the hypothetical license is tied only to live-action)? Like I said, just wild speculation.

blue said:Yeah, who are those billionaires and why don't they step up--give oh say twenty million to the viewer consortium for a tax deduction. Come on guys, hurry up, do it.Just a quibble, but donations to TVC are not tax-deductible. As for Ms. Blake, it's funny how my ultimate take on her was different from yours :) To me, she did sound like a fan, even though it wasn't her original baby. However, she's president of a company and must look at the big picture. Henson's got lots of irons in the fire and it's her job to focus their energies on those other projects at this time. Also, as kimrb has suggested in the past (BTW, where has he been? :( ): an executive's public statements are usually targeted to achieve a particular goal, be it to promote new projects, appease shareholders, or fire a salvo in negotiations. I can't believe Juliet Blake agreed to an interview with the BBC site just because she had some free time and thought, "what the hey?" or just because she felt sorry for Farscape fans. I'm sure she had a purpose for doing it. Bottom line: don't take everything those with the pursestrings say at face value -- follow the creative team's lead.

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[LadyCrais]

Originally posted by jadeshand
Lady Crais - I'll bet you're right. I forgot about 'bloodsuckers' too. Jeez, Mark Stern just fell another hundred points in my estimation, not that he was very high in the beginning.

I mean, jeez, it's mindboggling. Do you really suppose that Skiffy is going to bank on a show about VAMPIRES being their signature show? Bankruptcy....here we come....

Well given the phenomenon of a long running, highly rated series with a fanatical fanbase about "hunting" "vampires", it's not as thought they're totally off the mark here. Never having watched Buffy, I assume the title has some bearing on the subject matter. Vampires have been big hits in numerous media for quite a long time now. Hit movies, Best-selling books. Hit television shows. So they put one in outer space, and voila... instant hit.

[itsrog2u]

Been pretty quiet since I joined (guess I am a little shy : ) but decided to comment:
About Billionaires,
Here is something I have been tossing around for a few weeks. Don't know how many of you are sports fans, but a gentleman by the name of Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA Franchiese Dallas Mavericks, is someone I have been thinking of emailing for some time (or snail-mailing).
For those who don't know this guys track record, he is perhaps the most passionate owner in all of pro sports.
This is the guy who refuses to sit up in the box seats with the suits, but courtside with the fans, even though he pays thousands in fines every time he does it. He wants to be connected to those who spend the money to see his team.
This is the guy that bought his team a private jet, added VCRs, HD t.v.s and x-boxs in the players locker rooms so his players feel at home, are comfortable, etc etc.
This is the guy who made a comment about the refs in the pros (something along the lines of 'A refs job is not like Brain surgery. Anybody can manage a Dairy Queen. Its not that difficult!' And then, after being contacted by the company, went and served ice cream at DQ for an 4 hour shift.
He is passionate. He likes media attention. He is a little different (wearing sweat pants and t-shirts to black tie affairs).
I have been trying to think about how to approach this gentleman. The Dallas Mavericks web site offers his email address for fan contact.
I guess I am fearful that approaching him without the proper verbage would doom the attempt from the get go. Any suggestions? Bad idea? Best way to go about it? Am I nuts : )

Thanks,
Rodney
'Are you the female of your species?' ~John~ (Followed by Aeryn's secret smile)
'Never before a big game!' ~John~ (Followed by Chiana's smootch anyway)
'I am nobody's puppet!' ~Rygel~ (Followed by my falling off the couch from laughing)

[Chaym]

Originally posted by SabaceanBabe
Bonnie is also dense, but in a very different way. I mean come on. That woman is so dense, light bends when she's in the room. ;)

OMG!!! :rollin: :spew: :beer:

Please, post a warning before you say something like that. I choked on my tea to keep it from spewing all over the keyboard!

<runs off to email that one to the husband>

[Chaym]

It think it's a good idea itsrog2u. :hi: One of the "heads" would be better at giving you proper wording, though a place to start would be the "media press kit" link on this site.

Why not target billionaires? Target in a good way, I mean. With a well written, proffessional letter, stating the basics of the show, it's demographics (think returns from advertizers, merchandizing, etc,) facts of the campaign, etc. And target not just the guy you mentioned, but others like him.

I agree that in the end, the rights would have to run out for Skiffy before Farscape could be aired again, but with a solid financial backer (and why not a few billionaires?) it certainly couldn't hurt matters.

Just my 2 food cubes worth of thoughts.

[Wolli World]

Well given the phenomenon of a long running, highly rated series with a fanatical fanbase about "hunting" "vampires", it's not as thought they're totally off the mark here. Never having watched Buffy, I assume the title has some bearing on the subject matter. Vampires have been big hits in numerous media for quite a long time now. Hit movies, Best-selling books. Hit television shows. So they put one in outer space, and voila... instant hit.

Yep, I can see the new Friday Prime for Sciffy once Stargate is over...

Tremors
Bloodsuckers
Friday the 13th The Series (remember the last one was in outer space!) :rollin:

Woohoo! That's some quality Scifi right there!

I am stupid and disgusting. I am SciFi.

Now if they wanted to bring back The Kindred, that would be different, but I digress...Of course, Sciffy would just cancel it when it was just getting good anyway. :grr:

[StarsGoBlue]

*sigh*


The *SCI-FI* CHANNEL bails on a show...oh, excuse me, the BEST-WRITTEN of three potential shows, from a proven producer,



BECAUSE IT IS TOO "SCIENCE-FICTIONY."



*whimper*

I think I need to go back to bed.

*******Stars :headbang:

[blue]

"Just a quibble, but donations to TVC are not tax-deductible." Thanks for the clarification DOA. I wasn't sure, but I was thinking that because it was a 501C3 non-profit, that donations (as opposed to membership fees) would be tax deductible. It is a 501C3, isn't it? Or is it not yet? I remember something about it taking 6 months. Or is it something else?

[Wolli World]

I'm with you blue...I thought I read somewhere that they were a nonprofit organization too. I guess I just assumed that if you "donate" to a nonprofit it's tax deductible. Didn't know there were different types.

[Sunderflame]

After PM ing you, I had a chance to read over the interviews. I knew Skiffy had the rights to Farscape for the next 2 years, but the realization that Sci Fi actually has a "stranglehold" on Farscape rights is a sad commentary indead.
1) they choose not to show reruns
2) they actually make the descion not to advertise the show aggressively.
3) the station has made a blatent move for the show to be on long hiatis, with long dry spells, completely absent of any FARSCAPE.
This was a caculated move on skiffys part.
This seems more than unusual buisness practices.
I know this is a longshot, but if they are so opposed to air the show, maybe they are keeping a safety net. Reading Rockne O's interview, gave me new insight into what is really going on. Skiffy definetly pulled the rug out from under them. Sounds like a power move on their part. I have not watched Sci Fi since. I'm not up at those hours because I work at night. I smell something fishy here and it is probably Bonnie.( sorry couldn't resist):rollin:

[Dominar of Action]

Non-profit status under state law doesn't automatically qualify you for the tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code that most people associate with non-profits. AFAIK, TVC is not a "501(c)(3) organization," which describes only the most typical kind of organization that qualifies for tax-exempt status (e.g., religious, charitable, scientific, educational, cruelty prevention, etc.). I am no expert in the area, but I don't know that TVC could qualify under any of the other 26 categories of tax-exempt organizations. And by "tax-exempt" I mean only that their income is not subject to tax. The tax deductability of donations to a tax-exempt org are still determined under yet another set of rules.

[Sparky]

Sunderflame said
I knew Skiffy had the rights to Farscape for the next 2 years, but the realization that Sci Fi actually has a "stranglehold" on Farscape rights is a sad commentary indead.

But is that true? Do we have confirmation on the contractual rights Henson gave to Sci fi? I think not. I think they can only show an ep a certain number of times. Thomas Vitale, Sci Fi Programming Executive on the
showing of reruns in a "strip" after 4th or 5th season:

You also have to remember from a business point of view, we only have the contractual rights to run every episode a set number of times. So you can't keep it on constantly in strip. That's just a business reality. 3/27/2002
http://www.farscapeworld.com/interviews/int/scifitom.shtml

He said number of times, not fixed amount of time. I hope they strip the hezmada out of it, and run out. Even if Vitale is gone, the contract was written before S4 started.
Sci Fi's contract doesn't extend overseas to rerun rights there, though. Foreign nets could run them if they wanted to.

[cofax]

Do we have confirmation on the contractual rights Henson gave to Sci fi? I think not.

We do not. We have never gotten anyone to tell us exactly what the contractual rights and obligations were between the two parties. We know generally from public statements by DK and Rockne that SFC holds the rights to rerun in the US for a certain period, and it sounds like that period is for two years, but we don't have any other specifics.

[Sunderflame]

Stranglehold is the word RO said in his Starlog interview that DoA, provided me with. He just used those paticular words. Maybe you should read it again. He seem to know what he was talking about.The Starlog interview: http://www.watchfarscape.com/forums...=&threadid=7061
you will see what I mean. I'm just a peon so this is all I'm going on.:aok:

[B Sharp]

BritAngie, just to really start the rumors flying....whom were the billionaires/corporations that were rumored to be talking with Henson?

(btw, I'm sure there's a minimum of ten grammatical errors in that last sentence, but I'm too tired from my RL job to care right now)

but I'd just love a bit juicy gossip to liven up the week!

oh yeah- Sunderflame, your url on the Starlog interview doesn't go anywhere....

[Sunderflame]

Sorry, I copied it from a post DoA sent me. I have to run to work, I'm always frelling getting called in...........

[Anthony Boyd]

Sci fi are the problem and those frelling rerun rights...

I don't know. This woman seemed quite clear in the interview -- she's obviously eager to do anime, and not eager to do live-action. If I were an exec at Henson and I wanted to see Farscape continue, my opinion is that having her at the negotiating table would be a liability. She would be on "our side" but she'd be the first to capitulate and say, "gosh, won't work out, we're moving on." And we'd sit there thinking, "huh? We just started talking, what's your agenda?!?"

[Dominar of Action]

Anthony, without all the facts and being privy to all the conversations, we have absolutely no way of knowing what Ms. Blake really thinks. However, we DO know that Henson has put a lot of money into Farscape. We DO know that the only way they will get a return on that investment is by finishing the story. Comments in an interview do not matter at the negotiating table. Her actual position can (and probably is) very different from what it appears on the surface to be to us.

[blue]

DOA-This is on the front page of The Viewer Consortium:
"This corporation is organized for one or more of the purposes as specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and its activities shall be limited in accordance with the guidelines laid out for corporations with 501(c)(3) status."

That's why it looks like it is a 501c3 to me.

[Dante'-wants-blood!!]

Fate is in the hands of the shareholders now. With any reasonable luck, Skiffy will be sold to a more prominent network that can hold onto a vision, and finance it readily to see it through to it's true conclusion. This is what we can hope and pray for.

Included, we can also assume that once the transaction and transition of Skiffy is complete, Big Bad Bonnie "I really know how to F-up" Hammer and Mr. Michael "No the other Michael" Jackson will be looking for work on some other station like "The Iraqi Cooking Network" or something more fitting of their caliber.

The posting was a good read, but admittedly was dis-heartening. But that is nothing less than what was to be expected, at least at this stage of the game. For now it is over. Skiffy cancelled it and it played out last week. From this point everyone involved must move on. They have lives to live as we all do, that we must understand. But, from all accounts that I have read and followed, this group of people that interacted and performed together for four unbelievable seasons loved their show maybe even moreso than we do as a collective group (we've actually become more of a small society, but you know what I mean;) ).

I would dare to bet just about anything that if Farscape were to be allowed a resurrection, the cast and the writers would do just about anything to once again be a part of it. Sadly thusfar nobody that I have heard of is in any long term series commitments, are they? I have heard Gigy is doing well, but as we all know, IF Farscape comes back, it isn't going to be anytime in the near future (as sad as that is to openly admit). My point being is that I cannot imagine any of these actors, writers, directors, etc. turning down the opportunity to continue where they left off given the chance.

Time will tell one way or another. My hope is that everyone so devastated as of right now will be on the front lines come the day of resurrection cheering praise and embracing redemption.

[Anthony Boyd]

Anthony, without all the facts and being privy to all the conversations, we have absolutely no way of knowing what Ms. Blake really thinks.

Fine by me. But if we're not supposed to use our heads to make some judgements here, then it goes both ways -- we have no way to know what Bonnie thinks based on a few interviews.

[Dominar of Action]

Blue, got your PM but thought I'd answer here in case anyone else is curious. :)

I'm by no means an expert on tax-exempt organizations and I have not been following TVC's development closely so I don't know exactly how they've got it structured, but the statute defines 501(c)(3) organizations as:

"Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation, (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office."

Could be TVC is trying to qualify under the "literary" arm, but they will have to speak to that. In any event, they will still have to apply for and receive a determination letter from the IRS to officially qualify as a tax-exempt org and to determine how much, if any, of a contribution is tax-deductible.

[Dominar of Action]

Fine by me. But if we're not supposed to use our heads to make some judgements here, then it goes both ways -- we have no way to know what Bonnie thinks based on a few interviews.Of course we're supposed to use our heads and make some judgments, Anthony. All I'm trying to say is that part of the process is to consider the context of statements and the likely motives of the speaker, asking "what is this person really trying to accomplish here?" When an executive of any corporation gives an interview, it's for a specific purpose. I agree with you 100% that we have no way of knowing what BH's personal feelings towards Farscape are, but we do know enough to make some educated guesses as to what Sci Fi thinks and how that affects what she can/can't do. Her comments, therefore, are seen through this filter. We also have a much larger pool of comments to draw on, some of which were clearly unplanned (the LA winter critics' meeting) and therefore more likely to actually enlighten. :)

OTOH, we have heard very little from Henson other than a couple of short interviews with Ms. Blake. We have heard nothing from Brian or any of the other members of the creative team as to what might be going on with them. However, we can make some educated guesses as to what Henson might be thinking based simply on the economics of the situation. Henson and Sci Fi are in very different positions with respect to Farscape and therefore their executives' goals can be expected to be very different. Who stands to make money if Farscape is continued? Who will definitely lose money if it's not? Henson, that's who. And I'm sure Ms. Blake knows it.

You're absolutely right that all of this is just speculation, but I personally feel more comfortable speculating about Sci Fi than Henson because of the relative amount of information we do have to speculate about.

Just my opinion, of course. OMMV.

[Wolli World]

I agree with you 100% that we have no way of knowing what BH's personal feelings towards Farscape are, but we do know enough to make some educated guesses as to what Sci Fi thinks and how that affects what she can/can't do.

FYI...Blake said somewhere in that interview that BH really liked Farscape. I like to bash BH as much as anyone else especially when she makes those bonehead statements in the press, but I really think MJ is more to blame for all this than her. BH is just catching all the hell. I don't hear MJ sticking his neck out there saying anything to the press. Boy, I wish he would though, so we could bombard him with bras, or crackers or whatever to contradict what he said. Since he's such a reality freak, I wonder if there is something we could send him to show him how much we like Scare Tactics? :ewink:

[jadeshand]

Perhaps we could write Sci-Fi and suggest that MJ's friends get him on Scare Tactics! Now THAT would be an episode I'D watch!

[BritAngie]

Originally posted by B Sharp
BritAngie, just to really start the rumors flying....whom were the billionaires/corporations that were rumored to be talking with Henson?

(btw, I'm sure there's a minimum of ten grammatical errors in that last sentence, but I'm too tired from my RL job to care right now)

but I'd just love a bit juicy gossip to liven up the week!

oh yeah- Sunderflame, your url on the Starlog interview doesn't go anywhere....

This was back when the show was first cancelled.. I had heard of at least two corporations/companies interested in investing in the show... I have no names though as I wasn't given any.. The fact she mentions billionaires *aswell* implies there are more than two parties willing to help out financially.. But this is putting two and two together...
:D

[Digger]

So are you saying that this interview is 5 months old?

[Hmpf]

Now if only we could find a way to get those billionaires interested in the Viewer Consortium...

[Vampgrrl]

Well the billionaries/corporations may not want a non profit donation type deal, they may see Farscape as a for profit entity, which if promoted right it could be, hell if promoted right I could see a Trek style cultural "movement".

[BritAngie]

Originally posted by Digger
So are you saying that this interview is 5 months old?

Nope!! I'm saying the interest has been there by lots of people with money fo rover 5 months.. Ms blake just confirmed in writing what I was already aware of. :rollin: