This was the question many Stargate fans were asking themselves yesterday after news broke of the astounding success of the Veronica Mars kickstarter campaign.
For those of you who haven’t heard, series creator Rob Thomas approached Warner Bros. about making a Veronica Mars movie. According to Thomas: “Their reaction was, if you can show there’s enough fan interest to warrant a movie, we’re on board.” Well, the fans stepped up and demonstrated their interest, pledging $1 million dollars (in a record 4 hours and 24 minutes) to the project’s kickstarter campaign [http://money.cnn.com/2013/03/13/technology/veronica-mars-kickstarter/index.html]. And, last time I checked, over 47000 backers had pledged close to 3 million dollars, about a million dollars over their goal – and this is only day #2 of their month-long drive! [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/559914737/the-veronica-mars-movie-project].
It’s awesome news for Veronica Mars fans that has also energized fandom in general. Already, loyal viewers are asking about their own favorite shows [‘Veronica Mars’ Movie Funded…Could a ‘Chuck’ Movie be Next?! (Poll)]. Could a similar strategy work for us? Well, I suppose it depends.
Over at Forbes.com, Paul Tassi asks: “How did a show that’s been off the air for eight years raise two million dollars in barely half a day?”, and then proceeds to break down exactly how they pulled it off [http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2013/03/14/how-exactly-did-veronica-mars-fund-a-movie-in-ten-hours/]. It offers great insight – and food for thought.
So how successful could a Stargate movie campaign prove if it attempted to follow the successful five-step strategy he outlines? Well, according to Paul, “There are a number of factors at work here, and they’re worth exploring in order to understand if this kind of thing can or will happen again…”
1. The fanbase must be religiously devoted
Check. There’s no doubt the Stargate fanbase is still strong and more than willing to support the franchise as evidenced by their continued involvement on fansites like Save Stargate Universe | Facebook, GateWorld | Your Complete Guide to Stargate!, and Stargate Solutions.
2. Get everyone on board ahead of time
Okay, proper planning is key but, in this case, it requires MUCH consideration. In the case of Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell approached the studio and cast first, and THEN started their campaign. Which is, of course, what would be required here. So, how interested would MGM be in a Stargate movie? That’s the biggest question. And the answer all comes down to economics. Would it be worth their while (aka – not only financially feasible but lucrative)? Will the potential rewards outweigh the risks? Five years ago, the answer would have been a resounding “Yes!” given the fact that Ark of Truth and Continuum surpassed expectations. But, of course, that was before the bottom fell out of the DVD market. Could alternate viewing platforms make up the shortfall? Streaming? Broadcasters? Maybe the big screen treatment?
Which brings us to another question – “What does MGM have planned for Stargate? – because, let’s face it, as one of their most successful franchises, it’s not going to lie fallow for long. Do they already have something in the works?
But, for the sake of argument, let’s say, it’s a best case scenario for fans of SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe. The studio proves amenable to the idea. Next up is ensuring we have a cast in place. So, which cast? SG-1? Atlantis? Universe? Or would it be a selective amalgamation of all three (which was Brad Wright’s original idea for an SGU movie)?
3. Offer rewards people want
Now this one is much easier to deliver on. I, for one, would be more than happy to send you a signed script, arrange a set visit, or deck you out in prosthetics before blasting you out an airlock if it would ensure your support.
4. Leverage social media
Are you kidding? Stargate fans are the kings (and queens) of social media. We’ll get word to them and they’ll get word to EVERYONE.
And finally 5. Understand that not everyone will be able to do this
Why not? Well, some former cast members may well be too busy to participate (Robert Carlyle now stars on Once Upon A Time while Jason Momoa has been burning up Hollywood post-SGA) while others may have simply moved on. Still, provided we manage to cross this particular bridge as well, there’s the question of money. To put it bluntly, we would need A LOT more money to produce a Stargate movie. A LOT more to pay for the construction of new sets (alas, the Destiny, Atlantis, and Stargate Command are no more and would have to be rebuilt from scratch) and visual effects (I haven’t read the script, but it’s unlikely the Veronica Mars movie will feature much in the way of space battles), not to mention other related costs like cast, crew, and the onset aerobics instructor for my pug, Bubba.
So, conservatively, three out of five aint bad – unless you’re looking to make a Stargate movie in which case it aint good either. Even if you could convince MGM to get onboard – and that’s a mighty big IF – there’s still the matter of the amount of money that would be required to produce a scifi movie. How much? Well, ballpark, I’d say significantly more than the 3 million dollars the Veronica Mars campaign has raised to date, but somewhat less than the $39 million dollars the Forbes article claims Serenity cost.
Certainly not impossible but, damn, them’s long odds!
As a huge Veronica Mars fan (second only to my love of all things Stargate), I’ll admit that the success of the project has raised my hopes, just a bit, for more Stargate. Fingers crossed. I really hope MGM is watching and taking notes!
Like you say Joe, it really depends on how much MGM is into the idea – are they already thinking about something like that and such a campaign would be all they need to convince them to get the ball rolling? Or have they given little thought to it, want it to lay fallow longer, and no amount of support would matter. Their inclination is clearly a pivotal point, and nothing will happen without their involvement. I tend to agree that they wouldn’t leave one of their more stable, long standing properties sit around for long.
I’ll take those odds, and I’ll even get blasted out of a (faux) airlock if it will help!
I’m in! Let me know where to sign up. 🙂
It would be really cool!! But I do think you have valid points too. Hope that MGM is watching as well.
That new Stargate game for iPhone was just released which has the voice talents of the original SG-1 team so I think that shows there is still interest in the franchise. Perhaps this is the time to approach MGM and see what they have planned for the franchise long term and whether they would be willing to consider a movie (or even a comic book).
I came here to give you a hint about that project… BANG you already created a blog about it. I think i sent like 2-3 tweet since the last 3-4 months to MGM about trying that road. #crossfinger
I think the low cost of the Veronica Mars movie is what really makes it viable compared to sci-fi related projects.
Plus their campaign also has that first mover advantage. The internet is pretty fickle so who knows if this is even repeatable at the same scale.
It also doesn’t hurt that some core cast and exec producers have invested a substantial amount of their time in getting this together. For example, that kickstarter video must have been taped a while ago because this is what Kristen Bell looks like now: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2291668/Pregnant-Kristen-Bell-bloom-steps-flowing-summer-dress.html
Offer rewards people want?
Okay, how about a dinner date with Heyerdahl and Lafazanos in full Wraith make-up? I would sell my house for that! 😀
das
I would donate. I miss Stargate and would love to see it back 😀
Sign me up! I’d tell all my SG friends about it, too!
Joe,
Do you think in the not-so-distant future shows in general might go this campaign/fundraising route? With online content growing more and more, could someone like yourself pitch something like Dark Matter to the masses with the promise that if the budget goal is met, the show gets made (at least the first season), which then gets provided to the backers who paid the right amount (or maybe just a set value for everyone to contribute up front), and then halfway through the season, another campaign is launched for a second season, which gets made if the goal is reached, and so on? Non-backers would then be able to purchase it after-the-fact, raising more funds (or perhaps contributing to that second season fund)?
MGM and other property owners need to learn, they make money off the properties, but they don’t own them.. They belong to the fans.
I’d contribute a few bucks for more SGU!
amanda tapping, damian kindler, and martin wood started ‘sanctuary’ off online with virtual sets. they used the ‘red camera’, and literally all the surrounding sets weren’t really sets at all.
i bring this up, b/c stargate could use this, to save on building sets and $.
#excited
I’m in! Heck. I paid $4.99 just so I could hear RDA, AT, MS and CJ voice their virtual images on Stargate SG-1 Unleashed today. All you need to do is tell me where to send the money!
200,000 fans @ $25 a piece is a cool 5 million…
Not that hard to get there really. 😉
And, I’m sure some people would pay a lot more….and we could get more than 200,000 fans to contribute.
well, I would certainly throw in a few bucks. And who is Veronica Mars anyways? nobody compared to the Stargate franchise….you are an evil man to tease us like this, but I will take a hint and start putting aside a little extra cash each week, just in case…
I would love to see this get off the ground. The fanbase is huge for anything Stargate. Thanks daith82! Downloading the game for iphone and ipad!
Can I shoot the bridge in HDR?? lol
A lot of it will come down to whatever deal can be struck with MGM. For example, what if MGM agreed to match whatever funds were raised via Kickstarter?
I also think that the best SG franchises to pull it off would be either SG-1 or Atlantis (my personal favorite) simply because of how much longer they were on the air than SGU… an advantage when it comes to the size of their potential fanbase.
According to Wikipedia, SG-1 had a range of 2.0-3.2 million viewers (under Broadcast and Release section). That’s just SG1 viewers… not counting other merchandise or fans who didn’t come on board until SGA or SGU. (Now with DVRs, the number of viewers would probably be even higher but I digress).
Sticking to just the SG-1 numbers, here’s a simple math projection:
Let’s say SG-1 had an average of 2.5 million weekly viewers… if just 10% of them pledged on a Stargate Kickstarter, that’s 250,000 backers. If the average pledge was “only” $20, then it would raise $5 million.
Keep in mind that $20 average is pretty low… according to Kicktraq.com the Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign right now is averaging $66 per pledge. I’ve been tracking the video niche on Kickstarter for about 15 months now and the top-funded games there are averaging around $55 per backer.
A similar pledge range ($60-66) for a SG movie puts you in the $15-16.5 million range. Given that type of budget range, I’m confident the SG-1/SGA creative team (and I’m including you Joseph in that) could pull off a 90 minute movie. Any kind of match from MGM, even if it’s just for marketing and promotion would seal the deal.
As I type this the Veronica Mars campaign is over $3.2 million and still climbing… Kicktraq.com is loosely projecting it will hit just over $49 million if it maintains this pace for the entire campaign. For $49 million, they could probably do an entire new season of Veronica Mars instead of a single movie.
The fans getting involved to save/resurrect a show they loved isn’t new, just rare. We see it when it comes time to see which tv shows are axed and which aren’t, and the studios are suddenly inundated with bottles of tabasco sauce or lemons. We saw it when Serenity took flight again. And now, we’re getting another season of “Arrested Development” and a “Veronica Mars” movie. The fans have power. I have faith in my Stargate-loving heart that the cast would be there given the opportunity. The biggest question in my mind is whether MGM is willing to do something!
And just as a side note, when the fans brought Farscape back from the dead, they did it with a 4-hour miniseries, complete with an epic story, space battles and astonishing special effects — all to the tune of about $20 million dollars. I may be an optimist, but I think that’s doable.
The biggest problem I see is the possible infighting between fans of each SG show. There seem to be very loyal to the point of cutting down the other shows fans from each StarGate incarnation.They are not called ‘fans’ (fanatics) for nothing.
As well, despite your efforts to include SG-1 as much as possible in SGU, the SG-1 team (that was always awesome together), felt so odd to to me when any of them appeared in SGU. Yet, it would equally seem odd to have an SG-1 movie without including some of the gang from Atlantis or SGU. It would likely have to be a completely new animal like the new Star Trek movie franchise. Except, bringing in new cast would not be a good idea either. Most of us still want all of our old favourites back. So, don’t you dare replace Ba’al! (kidding…uh, no I’m not).
Yeah, there’s a ton of talk on the Firefly boards about kickstarting more episodes or another movie.
I would love to see it, but… Nathan has Castle now… Joss is super busy… I just don’t think it would ever happen.
Joe, if there ever was a kickstarter for SG-x, you can count on my support. (In fact, if you wanted to kickstart any of your projects, I’d donate.)
While I’m not a fan of VM, I’m glad they got their funding. I think it opens doors to many other projects that I would like to see.
I remember hearing a few years back that mgm wanted to continue roland emmerich’s original stargate trilogy one thing for sure is they want to keep the sg-1 fan base going thats why they started the games stargate command and stargate unleashed I think an old fashioned mail campaign would work very well to grease the wheels over at mgm maybe just a sheet of paper with a gate address on it.
I’ll be honest, I’d pay substantially more than the $66 average to get this made, but only if my favorite actor would be guaranteed to appear in it. I have no problem with actors and storylines from all three series appearing but I do want my guy to have a major part in it. I’m sure there are others out there who are, for lack of a better term, selective Stargate fans. I feel kind of bad about being one of them, but I am. I hope this gets off the ground some day, but not holding my breath.
Can someone please send MGM an email? 🙂 I think for those stars who were unavailable, then they could “appear” in the shows, but not appear in the shows… it’s been done before.
I have my 100.00 waiting .. where do I sign up?
Why spend so much money rebuilding the sets? The new Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome DVD was filmed almost exclusively against green screen (and even featured Stargate vets Mike Dopud and Ben Cotton!). And don’t forget that Amanda Tapping has years of experience working with green screen sets on Sanctuary. I think a Stargate movie could be frugally filmed with a minimum of physical sets.
A Fan is not a fan without the show! We need David and Elyse back on screen! I’m in! By the way, what happened to that Lou guy, that joker?
I agree with Bill Clay. A lot can be done with green screen sets these days instead of needing to build a physical set.
I’m in to try to repair the airlock with Sergeant Siler (unfortunately some comrades die) and siler and I rolled into flames (do not worry, we use nomex underwear)….
Seriously now I put $ 1000 just for a signed photo of bubba ;D
How much would it change the calculus for production if you took the CGI-heavy Blood & Chrome approach? Have the DVD sales for that webseries beaten the averages? Would RDA actually be able to do anything in a scene without a practical prop to play with?
I gues over the many successful years Stargate had, we experienced many different campaigns. Some of which were a great success. However, I, as a very dedicated fan, am now reluctant to support any of these many attempts. To many things have happened behind the scenes so far and there are divisions that everybody would have to overcome first before WE decide to move on. For that, it does not need 10 different fan initiatives with fair success, but a major player to stand up for it in an extraordinary manner. In a heartbeat thousands of fans, including me, will jump up and fight again. And are you kidding? We’d stomp Veronica Mars’ success to the ground!
What we need is not hope, that we have plenty. We need one of the former producers, writers, actors, other TPTB staff that manages to direct all our lights into a fracking laser beam to lighten up that MGM sign a little!
We’re laying low, but there’s no doubt we’ll be back with a big KAWOOSH!
I may be in the minority here, but I’m not holding my breath for a continuation of any of *our* Stargate shows. If anything, MGM will do a full reboot IMHO.
Would I love to see, and would I contribute to a potentially successful Kickstarter program? Sure. But I just don’t see it coming to fruition.
In other news, I had an idea this morning for our new Vampire/Lawyer/Vigilante show. The voice over intro *must* start with the words: “In a world where…” And I’ll let you figure out the rest. What? Well you ARE the professional writer.
Happy Friday peeps.
Hi Joseph,
I’m EOverM from Reddit – you told me to remind you on your blog about deck plans for Prometheus, so here I am. This was the only way I could work out how to actually send you anything, so at least the post is Stargate related!
Thanks a lot in advance, even if you don’t have anything. I really appreciate it. ^_^
I’ll take those odds in a heartbeat!!! I would be more than happy to donate to the cause 🙂
Incentives? Well, I wouldn’t need an incentive to donate, doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love to see Beckett featuring in a major storyline. (Where he isn’t killed.)
Amalgamating all three series? NO! Sorry! But you did ask! Each show has its own distinctive personality – thanks to wonderful casting and great series ideas.
I don’t mean to be picky (honestly) I just wouldn’t want to see much loved characters ignored/omitted/wallpapered in order to accommodate an amalgamated storyline.
All three deserve their own movie and yeah, I realise I’m wish listing … but I would definitely want to see Atlantis receive the movie treatment, followed by SGU and SG-1, since SG-1 did have two previous movies.
Ask any fan what they want and you’ll receive countless different requests. I’m not any different! Nevertheless, it would be lovely, in whatever form, to see Stargate back where it belongs, even if it was an amalgamation, simply because it could lead to individual movies in the long-term.
Maybe it won’t ever happen; it doesn’t matter, I prefer to remain optimistic and today’s blog definitely helped to put a smile on my face. Stargate is NOT dead! A movie(s) is never off the table! 🙂
I’d follow the gate to the ends of the earth if I had to. Sign me up and S.ave O.ur S.targate!!!
@Majorsal @Bill Clay – spot on with the virtual sets. Bootstrap the first movie & mini-web-series ‘preludes’, funds will help realise the physical needs. Post-production can sample the many set images and elements from series & movies, create 3-D ‘objects’ and virtual space. MGM kicked down the physical sets; someone there knows this would be possible.
Make a new SG team – unknown actors – enter into an SG1/SGA/SGU ‘world’ of blend, with a few walk-ons. Need kick-ass mega action script. SG’O’ – ie SG Omniverse.
All these cut costs.
But look at the IP owners’ side, now…they’ve seen a surprise from Veronica Mars. What’s the equity/profit split in what goes down in future. IP owners watching this play would be hungry for much greenback versus less risk, seeing the fanbase; Careful…
As per Joe’s analysis, it must be noted that weighted calculations are always made on IP owner’s side, and in their interest…
Yet new possibilities could emerge here, too…
Kickstarter production companies could emerge, bringing cash & base audience/market to the table, or withhold/negotiate, in talks to resurrect/exploit anew an IP owners dormant product. Then they’d have clout, and a equity slice in cashflow down the line (& risk too). Fans can become shareholders. Such ProCos could specialise in specific-IP only or in sub-genres…held by others…
…then also come to buy/generate their own…
Interesting days, Joe. You’ve SG interest and a growing portfolio. What say you?
P
Echoing what has already been posted, but do you think green screen could work for an SG movie/whatever? I would think it would reduce cost, but I’ll also admit I have no idea what sets and/or CG cost, just going from what I remember reading from when Sanctuary was starting up (before Syfy picked it up). At any rate, if it ever gets the green-light I’d support it.
I’d like to recommend this article also on some of the issues involving a movie Kickstarter of this sort:
http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/so-the-veronica-mars-kickstarter-succeeded-now-what
I know I’d contribute to anything Stargate related.
So I just bought the game. I don’t really have much time for games anymore but hey, it’s a vote for more SG. And more SG is goooood.
And I’d pay a lot more than what the game cost for a movie.
I’d contribute to any Stargate related movie. I’d contribute at least $100 if it was a Stargate Atlantis movie. SG-A is also the only sci-fi show I ever got my wife to repeatedly watch with me and she’s not a sci-fi fan… she just really dug all of the SG-A main characters, especially Teyla.
There’s never been a SG-A movie before and I’d LOVE to see it. In terms of tying in SG-1, it’s been done numerous times during the SG-A series with Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Christopher Judge all appearing at different times during the 5 season SGA run.
In terms of whether Jason Mamoa could fit SG-A into his currently busy Hollywood schedule, only Jason could say for sure.
But here’s an idea that I came up with…
One storyline option is to have Ronin Dex get kidnapped and the SG-A team has to rush cross-galaxy (with a few ‘nope, he’s not being held on this planet any longer adventures’) to rescue him before the villains execute Ronin for “war crimes”. It could cut down the number of scenes Jason would need to film for a SG-A movie and make it easier to work into his schedule.
See what you did?
I’d settle for a miniseries….
I was going to come here and give you the same proposal after I heard about the Veronica Mars project yesterday. If this is “do-able”, I’ll be more than happy to make a financial contribution. I would love to see another Stargate movie. I am principally an SG-1 fan, but if this kind of thing can only succeed once, a combined SG-1/SGA/SGU movie would be great, too.
Crush those dreams Joe, crush them good.
Well, if we can’t kick start Stargate [blank], perhaps everyone would like to kick in to have Summer Glau spend a month or two or three in my living room re enacting her scenes from her collected works? Three or four million should do it. Who’s willing to kick in? Alright, if we can’t raise that much, perhaps we can get Xenia Seeberg from Lexx for two hundred thousand dollars and sandwiches? Just kidding. Xenia seems to be as successful, if not more so then Summer.
I’ve been wondering about MGM and the Stargate franchise. It seems to have been left fallow for a while now. I suppose part of it would be how much whoever is in charge liked the actual series. I wonder if they are putting time between it’s shutdown and a possible restart so they can start again with a new, cheaper cast. As Joe says, many of the stars are doing well in other shows. Or more likely, they simply don’t want to do the show at all.
Veronica Mars got around the same number of viewers for a show that cost significantly less money. A LOT less money. I’ve noticed most of the networks and production companies have moved away from shows that require huge sets and special effects and hand made wardrobes. That is why there are so many so called ‘reality’ shows. Cheap to make and people lap them up, like starving dogs eating garbage.
Look at it from their point of view. They have a choice between two shows. They both get the same number of viewers. One costs, say, 1 million dollars an episode. The other costs 3 million. Which are they going to make? The one that makes them two million less dollars more an episode! These studios have shareholders, and the shareholders want their money back, with interest. I don’t blame them.
I don’t see Stargate happening unless the people who have their money invested in the company want to see the company make really great television (or movies). Some do, obviously. Battlestar Galactica was great. MGM hasn’t even released SGU’s final season on blu ray. I don’t see them making a movie let alone kickstarting a new series.
I wish I could say otherwise. I also wonder if they are going to make less on a show that is tied to other owners, who have to be paid, as compared to a brand new show? I assume the original maker of the Stargate movie gets a cut? Plus the makers of the original TV series? How many people have their finger in the pie on the old Stargate series, how many would have a stake in a new Stargate series?
We fans are more than the kings and queens of media. Have you ever thought of asking the fans to donate their abilities in effects making, set building, make-up and prosthetics, etc. for just the simple exchange of putting their names in the credits at the end. I don’t know a single fan that wouldn’t be estatic to see their name or see their work on the official film. Look at all of them that showed up for free for the Lord of the Rings films. I doubt that Peter Jackson would have as many or as much to work with if not for them. he even got them to fill up a rugby stadium and make sounds to be the Uruk’hai army at Helm’s Deep. We are religiously devoted which means DON’T HESITATE TO TAP INTO THE FANBASE. We will rock it out because we love Stargate. So I’m game for a movie, who’s with me?
See, Joe, that’s bound to save alot of cash!
I don’t them green lighting a movie but maybe a new series might be good. That way you wouldn’t have to worry about getting all the actors.
It’s a beautiful day here in Memphis/Mississippi. We were going to the Memphis Zoo but the line of cars wrapped for several blocks. So we went downtown Memphis instead. Fresh corn bread sticks and fried catfish. Good stuff. How is your day going?
Regarding SGU, with the way it ended, you could easily do another movie and simply say that some of the characters died in their stasis pods, of those not available to do said movie.
YES! I’m in. Let’s do it!
Would a CG/Green screen set be more affordable now?
If any of the SGU cast are unwilling/unavailable, the story could be rewritten without them probably pretty easily. If Rush died in stasis, that would put even more pressure on Eli and the crew. Could be interesting to see if Eli survived for 3 years researching the background radiation!
One anime movie to look out for in the future Joe, called Saint Young Men, it’s about Jesus Christ and Buddha sharing an apartment in Tokyo(As roommates) whilst on vacation.
It’s a comedy and personally I haven’t heard of anything coming close to this premise, I mean, Jesus Christ and Buddha as roomys? lol
Well, keep in mind that there are a LOT of us fans who have purchased costumes, set dec pieces, weaponry, and just about everything else from every single episode and movie from the SG franchise. ALL of them came with a great degree of provenance as to what and where they’re from and I don’t think ANY one of us who have these pieces, wouldn’t want the chance for their keepsake to see a little more air time. Meaning: I’m sure we’d be more than happy to loan out our SG stuff if it helps offset the cost of movie-making. We know where the SG1 travel gate went, where the partial SGA gate is, and because of the “official-ness” of the auctions, both live and on eBay, we can most likely track down just about anything you’d possibly need. I’ve got stuff from all three series and I’d be more than happy to send it all up north!
While I know costume-wise, the cost is negligible for materials, but it’d be a HUGE time-saver in not having to make them all over again. That’s for sure.
Just another aspect to consider….
-Mike A.
I’m in. Where do I sign up??
I don’t believe that a Brad Wright Stargate movie is gonna happen. At least, not the Stargate we know and love. The actors have moved on. I seriously doubt that MGM would interested in something that’s not profitable. And…if they do come out with a Stargate movie, it will probably be a reboot (i.e. Star Tek).
This would be amazing and you could count on me.
Of course I’m in for this idea. But we need someone in the ranks approach MGM about this. Apparently they don’t really listen to the fans.
I think the hope isn’t that far fetched. MGM just did a SG1 mobile game which shows that:
1. SG in general is not dead to them
2. They did not reboot it yet and it would be strange to do so just after continuing the SG1 branch
3. The actors are still interested, Shanks and others still did audio dramas, only RDA could be a problem, but I think he’d say yes when it’s kickstarted by the fans
Another point is the amount of money. Kickstarter is not always about collecting ALL the money needed. In the case of something SG it would be to show MGM that people are still interested in SG so they can invest in something in that area (It’s not like all the other SG shows didn’t cost anything, they paid them all by themselves, so kickstarter would definitely be a plus point).
Some here think that the Veronica Mars thing could be a one-hit-wonder which can not be repeated. If you’d folow the gaming side of kickstarter you’d know that basically since over a year one projects tops another in that area.
People love the kickstarter concept.
And I don’t want to sound arrogant or entitled, but I really hope you guys at least try it and get in contact with MGM. Ultimately it’s their decision, but if you pass on this chance without at least trying you’ll make a huge amount of people sad.
Dear Joseph,
As far as SGU is concerned, your brilliantly open ending of season 2 makes it possible to return with any subset of the original actors, or none at all. I love each and every one of the characters, but Destiny and her mission are what truly define Stargate Universe. Bring back whoever you can, and that will be fine.
According to his own statements, David Hewlett bought the entire Destiny shuttle set and some of the other set components. It seems likely he’d be open to lending them back for more SGU (especially if he was written into the storyline). High resolution photographs of most of the other Destiny sets (except the bridge) exist, having been created for the Photosynth ship tour on the MGM website, and the leader of the team that made them has told me he’s willing to share. Those photos would be suitable for chroma key compositing to reduce the amount of required set construction. (Indeed, the astounding BSG Blood & Chrome pilot was made on a mere $2 million budget that way.) I also suspect that Stagecraft Film Services would be willing to work their CNC (Computer Numerical Control) manufacturing magic again for you to rebuild Destiny at very reasonable prices, since they are among the few original makers of SGU who have dared to praise fan efforts to get the series revived. Finally, I agree with stargateatlantisseasonsix’s comment above: Give us room to work, and we fans would joyously rebuild Destiny for free. There’s even precedent for it: Fan assistance (albeit just one set component) was recruited for the construction of the TOS bridge seen in the wonderful “In a Mirror, Darkly” two-part episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.
And the money? Fans of epic space science fiction will not disappoint you. The Kickstarter campaign for Star Citizen, a game in the same genre as SGU, has surpassed $8.4 million so far, achieving every stretch goal that was set, and then some. That’s more than the entire budget of either of the SG-1 films. Surely MGM wouldn’t turn down an offer that posed no risk to them whatsoever!
So to me it looks like we’re at 5 out of 5. We just need a leader, and that leader is YOU! If you do go for it, the one thing I personally ask is that you include SGU series revival as a stretch goal, even if that goal’s dollar amount is set staggeringly high. No harm in trying, and you might just find that SGU’s fans are fanatical enough to achieve it. I’m certain most of us would much rather have another season (or three) instead of a movie.
In parting, I’ll give you an interesting statistic:: I respect your stance on fan productions, so I won’t identify it or mention its plot, but there exists a work of SGU fan fiction that has received a whopping 300,000 downloads. It’s part of the proof of what I’ve been saying all along: SGU is immensely popular–just not among people who still watch traditional television.
Sincerely,
Blake Linton Wilfong
I just really see huge possibilities here. If you could somehow wrap up the Atlantis and Stargate Universe plots and throw in some SG 1 fan service in perhaps a mini series I think you could satisfy all the fans and get it done using mostly cash from a Kickstarter campaign. obviously you wouldn’t be able to get 100 percent of the actors back but I think you could get at least Joe Flanigan and some of the other crew from Atlantis back andit looks like most of the SG 1 cast are not busy right now either. As for the cast of universe, I saw Louis Ferreria on Breaking Bad but its a very minor role. With Carlyle you MIGHT be able to simply do it without him.
I’m just imagining a 4 or 5 episode mini series available for download on services like Amazon iTunes and Google play in addition to it airing on Syfy. I think a Kickstarter campaign for this could easily generate 8 to 10 million dollars. Using that as just a starting point MGM could see a lot of profit from this once you factor in actual sales once its released.
This could be 1 of the most epic fan funded projects ever and all we need is someone to spearhead it like you Joseph. Be our hero!
Count me in!!!! I’d help in any way… no strings 🙂
Cheers, Chev
So Joseph, Want to team up on a Kickstarter to send off Stargate Right? Get Brad, RDA, Gateworld, yourself and my Save SGU page together. Great things can happen.
I’ve been looking forward to MGM kick starting Stargate franchise for 8 years now. I’ve been hoping and praying that some day some studio exec would finally figure out that if Doctor Who could be revived with astonishing success after 20 years, then why not Stargate (which actually surpassed Doc Who). At the end of the day if there is a good idea then i’m sure the studio execs will reconsider shelving this franchise for eternity.
Plus no one seems to be directly looking at the beauty of science fiction. Anything is possible in this realm as long as you set a course and march forward with conviction. I understand money is a huge barrier ($39 mil ?? o.O) but that din stop George Lucas when we came back for Star Wars with the 3 prequels to the original movies.
I understand reuniting the cast is a huge problem, but then do you have to ? Sure there are a lot of Fans who wish RDA and Joe and everyone else would come back and kick ass, but the fact is, when its time to move on you pull up your socks and get a move on. Talent is so much in TV these days that even if you launch a whole new series in the SG franchise i suspect SG fans will most certainly maintain their loyalty towards the brand simply because little bit of stargate is better than no stargate at all. As a matter of fact i suspect the fan base might even surpass the original series SG-1. The newly launced SG-1 app sales will be a proof to what i’m talking about once its unexpected success is publicized. I hate playing games, but when i heard SG-1 was releasing for andriod as well as iOS i, i was one of the first to buy the game just to see what its about.
Sets were destroyed ? Cast has moved on ? budget too much ? too risky to re-launch the whole series with another take on SG franchise like SGU ? doubtful if bringing back SGA cast and series might pay off ? – I just wanted to point out that when MGM was first making Stargate a reality they did not worry about any of this. Ofcourse ! situation has changed ! one might argue, but has it really ?
Michinima came out with Battle Star Galactica – William Adama’s adventures in small webisodes. That was a HUGE hit. Why not adopt those upcoming methods ? Make 4 small 15 minute webisodes (Using green screens) of one single pilot episode with a new idea, possibly new cast with guest appearances from the veterans. Tease the audience and take those webisode results to MGM as a market study proof and push for reviving the franchise.
Stargate represents a whole realm of unimaginable possibilities. And right now, what ever said and done, imagination seems to be the problem at hand. There is a solution to that. Give this job of imagining new things to new, hungry and motivated minds. Then sit back and wait for your miracle worker to reveal himself/herself along with his/her idea.
Until then i’ll keep hoping and praying for Stargate. Maybe even do some writing to wet my appetite for action, adventure, comedy and heroism.
I’d donate in a heartbeat for a movie with SG-1 (the original team, not just the season 9-10 team). Get Mr Anderson and Ms Tapping onscreen together and I’ll be a happy camper! (A ship resolution would be nice too!)
I know it’s 15 days old but I was very excited to see this blog entry. YES YES use the fan base for spreading the word – I know that we will all contribute as long as we know where to go, what to do etc. Go for it… the internet is a powerful tool and if money talks, I’m sure the fan base will raise it. Good luck and I’ll happily contribute 🙂
All in for anything SG; as long as at least MOST of the crew from SGA come back….like Joe Flanigan ; David Hewlett; Jason Mamoa <<he'll come back 😉
Fans have been holding on to this hope of a new movie for Stargate forever! …..call it *Stargate–Atlantis Awakes*. Hehe!
Why not make a movie with new characters? Many fans, with few technical resources, making their own fanfilms. With good or bad scripts, yes, but they are doing things. If MGM gave support to these fans and monitor (to hold to the canon of stargate), fans could create these fanfilms, with more quality, better scripts, and better resources.
Here in Spain, we have a fan who has built a real size Stargate to shoot their own short film in five weekends. With few resources and little budget (not to say “no budget”), asking for favors to friends, family, and others. Shooting in offices and even at the hairdresser from a friend. Now having problems with VFX. Not find anyone who can help.
Stargate Legacy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sm-rbr70FGw
There are a lot of side stories to SG-1, Atlantis or Universe that could be told without showing the main actors (much more expensive to hire) … Anyway … I need some Stargate …
What would it cost to build a new sets of Stargate? Could you tell us an approximate cost?
Hello guys and to all good pple who are responsible for SG shows 🙂
1. I really do support kikstarter idea just look at the chris roberts new game money is basicly raining out so that wont be a problem.
2. I would make sga movie first left off when they end it and continue into 6 season.
3. Yeah im for that idea of crowd funding too just stop talking and make happening and take all the time that you need to do it properly.
Hope you see that we fans want stargate shows BACK!!!!!!!
take care:)
I very much would certainly donate to get a Stargate Atlantis movie, or preferably get the series started again with season six. I would donate 25-50 euros to get my favourite TV series back on air, and to get a proper ending to the series. I am sure that we wouldn’t even have to cover the full costs. Just enough so that MGM would view it as a low risk high gain project. Now if we could just get the MGM to wake up and see the potential in Stargate again, and have the series started again. It sucks that Stargate has been buried many years now. 🙁
Please please let’s get this series back to the ranks of the living again.
We are the Stargate Atlantis fans.
We can resurrect it if we make ourselves heard by making good points and getting the topic of restarting SGA constantly to be discussed.
We can resurrect this series!
Resurrect Stargate Atlantis!