Posted by Duke_of_Fluke at 194.129.43.14 on February 21, 2000 at 21:48:54:
In Reply to: because your head is wedged up your bloody arse? posted by little worm on February 21, 2000 at 21:12:39:
Southpark had a cult following on the net long before it aired on Comedy Central. ...the fact remains that there IS a fan base, and a noticeable one at that, which the suits realize. But as Kev explained, there was a mixup with the test screening...and he got fucked.
...so therefore the show's a failure already? Cos that's what's being said. Defeatist attitude, man.
: The POINT about the air date was that traditionally, a lower amount of the public is watching the timeslot. Most shows are in re-runs, hence fewer people are watching the airwaves. ...that can be detrimental to a show's success. Therefore, a larger amount of the public may not be there to push this puppy into success.
"traditionally... can be detrimental... may not be there.." Like I say - conventional wisdom is not accepted fact, and it doesn't mean shit. TV execs are wrong every time a TV show is a hit. Every time you hear about a movie that does well, you can bet there's one exec who turned it down along the way because he followed the conventional wisdon route. It's not over till it's over.
: The loyal fanbase may not be big enough at this point to carry a show. Yes we'd like to think so, but it just may not be the case. Kevin isn't concerned with Europe, etc. at this point...the show has to be a success HERE before it ventures outward.
Look, TV is free, movies you have to get off your ass to go see and renting takes effort too. The movies already have fans who will watch the show, so the figures don't start at zero, and they'll only go up, unless the show's no good. I use Europe as an example of how far the buzz is buzzing.
: How much buzz can there be for a show that hasn't aired yet, and not to many people have seen?
Exactly. How much buzz can there be for a show that hasn't aired yet? Check out Empire Online, the UK movie website, and you'll see Clerks Cartoon mentioned on the headlines page - it's already been printed in the magazine last month. I'd say that was at least some buzz. The advert was aired during superbowl - also buzz.
: Dogma could have done a LOT better. After its opening day, I did not see ONE ad for it on tv afterwards. ...if disney didn't back down, their marketing firepower could have brought the flick to greater heights.
It could have done better... right, so the fact that it didn't rake in billions means that Kevin got fucked by Disney? Horseshit. Profit is profit, the opposite of no profit, and that's the only thing that matters to the cash boys. "If Disney didn't back down..." yeah and if, if, if... Dogma didn't need Disney, it made the money. And you never see ads for stuff after they've opened unless they're dying and need to make more money. That's the point of the ads.
: Its a pain in the ass to put a lot of effort into something only to have its great potential sabotaged. Can you not see why he's upset?
Nothing has been sabotaged, it's a minor setback. Are you saying that people don't watch TV during the summer? That all summer-released shows fail? No, it's all based on TV exec figures and projections which are pointless until the results come in. I say wait until people start turning off before complaining. And while the timeslot is not ideal and that it may well be upsetting, I sincerely doubt that it's as over as you all think it is.
: But at least there would be people watching it to make that decision. As it stands, he's going to have minimal viewers.
It was never gonna be the new "Friends" in the first place. People will still watch. At least it's still gonna be aired. How many shows die without even that?
: It all depends on how aggressively ABC markets it. If people don't know its out there, it ain't gonna get watched.
People already know it's out there, and we're not as dumb as studios think we are.
:...and that Magnolia thing got blown out of proportion. He said he didn't like the flick, nuff said....
...which is why it got blown out of proportion. Easier to avoid when there's nothing there to get blown.