That said, unlike Cougar Town (which has kept the actual cougars at bay), I think it's time that I introduce some sort of feature on the site involving, well, a little ranting. It's not going to be a Paul Muni, Last Angry Man style rant (at least usually-if you want some of those, check a couple of the Glee recaps), but it will pertain to some sort of news item or prevalent (or not so-I tend to wander) pop culture topic that is on my mind.
And so, I'm going to start with perhaps the biggest news in the film industry in the past 24 hours-that of Veronica Mars and the fan-funded movie. I, admittedly, am not one of the people that donated, nor am I really a fan of the show (I've seen one or two episodes, I think), but I'm entirely excited about the concept: Kickstarter may have given us a way that fans can interact with the movies they get to see in the way that people interact with celebrities on Twitter. I think it could be that a huge deal if handled correctly.
There's a lot to this entire concept. For starters, it gives the studios a way to gage the public support for a project in a very tangible way; there is no surer way to guarantee that someone is going to spend money to buy a ticket than the fact that they've already spent the money. While many of them will receive digital copies, I'm guessing that more still will venture out to the theaters, a sense of pride in knowing they made this happen.
Because that's something we all want-we spend years with these characters, grow to love them, and as I mentioned before, sometimes they're ripped away from us. This is our chance not only to have them back, but to give back ourselves. If the artists want it, and enough of the fans want it, the magic can happen. It's a realistic solution to cult shows that are critically-acclaimed, and remain beloved years later, and yet no studio is certain that they could spend the minimal amount of money (by Hollywood's terms) of $2-5 million to bring it back for a film or TV movie.
I'm aware there are issues with this, and it's not going to start a trend overnight. While there are some shows that this would be conducive for (including my beloved Pushing Daisies and Gilmore Girls), resurrecting a show like Firefly for the big screen (for the second time) would be far too expensive (if they were able to raise $50-60 million, they wouldn't have gone off the air to begin with) to fund. In addition, it's worth noting that Veronica Mars has a still bankable star (Kristen Bell) and distribution backing from Warner Brothers lined up before it tried the gambit. It also had legions of fans-while shows like Pushing Daisies and Gilmore Girls have that fanbase still, most shows don't have that kind of fervor, and of those that do, it may be hard to get a James Franco or Seth Rogen to return to Freaks and Geeks for cheap (it's worth noting that Melissa McCarthy would be a hard get from GG, but let a fellow dream and Melissa, you all of us for signing on to that terrible-looking Jason Bateman movie, love your devoted fan John).
But that shouldn't totally turn-off the idea, and from a profit-making standpoint, it's more than worthwhile for the studios. They have a bunch of backers who don't require a share of the grosses, and once they have made back their marketing investment, they're in the black. Plus, this is a great way to make even more money off of copyrighted properties that are resting on the books.
But what are your thoughts (it's not a rant unless someone responds)? Do you love the idea of Veronica Mars returning (and did you donate), or do you find it unseemly for Hollywood to ask the fans for an investment? Are you excited about the prospect of this happening to your favorite shows/movies? And if you're Amy Sherman-Palladino or Bryan Fuller, I am begging you to consider this option (and have a ready and open checkbook).
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