Crowdfunding Future seasons...

MST3K Central
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I certainly don’t disagree with your point that it involves negotiating with a corporate entity and as always, means the devil is in the details of that agreement.

That said, perhaps I’m being a bit naive but in my limited experience in production, wouldn’t say it is impossible.

It IS impossible to say that any agreement would be a permanent one.

Let’s be realistic, it only ran on CC for 7 years, Sci-Fi for 3 and Netflix for 2.

If an arrangement was worked out I’d be shocked if it lasted more then a few seasons, but that would always be the case.

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22

That would generate a lot more work for them to organize, manage, and set aside time for. Search through questions. Etc…

And I also think that’s a double-edged sword. More transparency, in my experience, seems to result in certain individuals getting way more nitpicky on every decision they don’t agree with and a sense of entitlement that they know how to better run things, while at the same time still accusing them of not being transparent.

Heck, make rewards not just be digital or physical but actual work that would be used for the show. Like a reward category of writing a riff that gets on the show! Or voicing a robot. Or helping choose a movie that is riffed.

Oh no! As passionate as I know some fans are, that’s a powderkeg! Imagine the optics (and possible legal ramifications) of asking people to PAY to work for the show! Which also means you’re handing off creative control to people not with the best ideas, but who hand out the most money.

What if someone writes a terrible riff? Do you tell them to keep rewriting it endlessly until you approve? Use it anyhow? Refund their money if they just can’t cut it?

There’s so many way that kind of reward can go poorly.

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23

And there are plenty of other MST3K-like opportunities to hear someone other than the MST3K crew riff. I don’t want to watch them.

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Yeah, I was trying to imply that they’d more likely all be on the same page. (Or reel.) Of course then if Shout were to change hands or be swallowed up by a competitor, who knows?

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Oh, c’mon! Just one okay riff to one killer KITTY! movie and one free sammitch with the cast and then I swear I’ll go back to Earth and not bother anyone!!

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26

Easy!

Take the existing classes that are rewards, and just add an astrix that the riffs, voiceover, etc that the students paid (and got) will be considered for possible use in an episode but it’s not guaranteed.

Just take the existing reward classes and have the possibility of one being chosen and used in the show.

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27

I really would not enjoy watching that, I’m sorry. A fan-written short come up with during a riffing class like they did in Season 13 is one thing. What you’re suggesting is going too far and would lower the quality of the show.

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28

Most likely. But I’d keep in mind that Mallon was never an “average” exec, whatever that would be. He was part of the early days of the show and a genuine contributor to its lore and “feeling.” Execs as a rule don’t have that kind of connection with or deep inner knowledge of whatever it is that they’re managing. [sigh]

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29

Sure, and that made The Movie a lot worse than it could have been. But you also have to remember that initially having executive oversight on The Comedy Channel was what made it go from the half-baked idea on KTMA to a real show.

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Oh, dear. Please don’t tell me it was our Jim who didn’t know who Bootsy Collins was. I’ll have to get back into bed and stay there for a week. :wink:

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No, that was Universal executives. They definitely did not understand the show.

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32

I don’t think that is something backers are entitled to know? We are giving them money to make some episodes of the show. We are not becoming a part of the business. They have already given a general breakdown of how the money will be split, but they don’t owe is anything to give us updates on the nitty-gritty of how the business is going.

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Also, I haven’t seen too many alternate proposals for how certain parts of the show might have gone. Aside from Bridget replacing Joel via “sex ray,” which would be firmly cast now in the moat of badly-aged decisions though I still think our Jones would rock it as host. <3 So I’m not confident about saying, “Well, we know that a practical-minded outsider can save the creatives from their own worst impulses” because I don’t know how things would look without them. There was no monster control group of episodes.

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34

Too far to have a single riff possibly be included if it’s good enough for the show? surprised Pikachu face

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Yes. Still too far if it is unfunny. And that can’t be stopped if they pay to have it in there.

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Did you read my comment?

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Right, but my point is if they pay to have it in there, do they refund their money if they don’t want to use their riff?

And there are plenty of amateur attempts at MST3K already.

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No they don’t pay to have a riff added to the show. They pay to have a riff making class, and those riffs made in the show are considered for the show.

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39

Well they basically did that last time- one of the shorts was entirely written by a riffing class. What they should have done this time is let people know that’s a possibility if they take the riffing class.

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40

In terms of funding, I think we’ll have to ride out this next big wave of media consolidation before I can give a best guess as to what could ever possibly be a good additional source of funds beyond the seasonal crowdfunding approach used now. I really don’t think any of us would be remotely concerned if this funding hadn’t started in during the strikes and was on KS? Now that the strike is over, I think we’re well on our way to at least 6 episodes if not 12. Let’s get beyond S14 crowdfunding and let Joel and the entire team do a good internal post mortem, and I’m sure that they’ll have some great ideas moving ahead.

But, if we’re throwing ideas on the wall to see if they stick…

I really don’t think another Netflix-type deal makes sense in the current media market. Giving up too much control and never going to get the kind of longevity or creative freedom they currently have. Expanding existing relationships, especially re: licensing/distributing S1-10/(11,12?) maybe?

Finding additional ad revenue, either through the Gizmoplex, or FAST services, would hopefully help. Again, with the big wave of mergers and acquisitions we’re about to see in the next year or so after the Disney/Hulu bomb goes off, who knows how many FAST services will still be standing, and what ad-buys they’ll be willing to pay. Not sure what rights they may have to the original S1-S10 episodes, but syndication on MeTV even? Paramount is combining the dev teams for PlutoTV and Paramount+ apps, which could indicate that they either plan to make both services in one app in the future, or, they’re trying to cut costs in advance of an acquisition… Now, depending on what any of that looks like, MST3K could get more funding though PlutoTV or less? And, that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

On-going merch sales/merch licensing could help, but I think everyone wants the MST3K team to focus on creating amazing episodes and another Live tour(?), not tying up time/resources reviewing merch someone wants to sell on Amazon… (A Mike G-String, really? A Crow thong that says “You know you want me baby! WHAT?”)

Now semi-annual crowdfunding, towards special live shows, where a percentage of funding went toward the next season, in addition to the live event? Maybe?

For now, especially when we get 6, 9, or even, God willing all 12 episodes of S14, I think the current approach will be the one to stick with, at least until the dust from the coming D+/Hulu merger bomb settles…

Regardless, I just can’t see Joel and the team going backwards and giving up the creative freedom they enjoy now. Especially after Netflix? And, I’d hate to see it happen. This amazing community and all the amazing MSTies worldwide have proven time and again that MST3K can always come back. Let’s relax.

If nothing else, I’m sure we could all put together a scavenger sale?

Shrug.

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