Other fandom content, as well as ruthless, pointless, frequently inflamatory content-if'n the impulse siezes, of course. Also...
This ain't no kidsblog Expect adult content, language, and...stuff!
Monday, September 30, 2002
Save farscape - monday's to-do-list
Here tis, along with a recap of the strategy to get a handle on why we're doing what we're doing when we're doin' it.
On a personal note; got another email from BBQJr, who is still pelting Michael Jackson with letters of discontent, surprised me with a new pet name for Mr. Jackson, referring to him as Jacko, took the BBQ a full two minutes to get it; and another 10 to clean up the mess. Thanks love!
A friend and favored author makes a good argument for hangin' around the Dominion Bulletin Board (at least for now). Kind of glad I did. Popped in to see what's what and RydraWong posts an amusing guide to converting potential fans. Follow these guidelines and we're bound to have more new viewers than we can handle. Now. Where can I find smart and quirky where I work? Meanwhile, if I find fic there, I'll post a link.
Hm. Well, went back a few days and found a couple more fics, all in progress. I'll give 'em a shot when they're done and let you know.
It seems KernilCrash is reposting Voices of Reason on both ScapeRoute and Dom, ahem, however, if you want to read this excellent fic you can read it in full, right... 'chere, along with all sorts of really great stories in Ally's Archive, including the award winning story, Spaced Out, also by Crash.
smallville
And for those I've managed to corrupt:
No Particular Night or Morning, by The Spike::NC17::
I believe I've made it clear that I prefer the sweetly romantic stuff in this fandom, but the darkfic tantalizes as well, especially when it's this well done. A short and bitter tale where the melancholy is tangible enough to be served for dessert.
More of that romantic fluff, all told from Lex's POV. A year in the life. Tiny vignettes strung together like pearls. And, oh dear, this one is gonna make you want to watch the eps you've missed. Sorry.
And rats, score another for the AU/future/darkfic, damn it.
This one's perfect Smallville, complete with mutant-o-the-week. Quirky and funny with just a smidge of romance, plus that perfect moment you hope is coming where the proverbial truth comes out. Oy, this one reminds me of the one with the giant chicken. Gotta find that one and recc it here. Loved it.
Exploration study of life aboard Elack prior to Sikozu's explosive arrival, sort of a prequel to 4:01.
Still semi-avoiding work's in progress, although I do not that there are at least a couple multiparters in progress at ScapeRoute.
'scape chat
Farscape's David Franklin (Lt./Captain Braca) will be chatting on Saturday the 28th at 8PM CT, 9PM EST, and 6PM PT. You can view/participate in the chat on the SciFi server (irc.scifi.com) or the CHORN server (irc.chorn.com), port 6667. Room on SciFi is #farscape, and on CHORN it's #farscape-scifi.com which is the farscape relay room from the SciFi server.
Thirty minutes wasn't enough! This week, David Kemper will take your calls for a full hour on a broadcast of "Interstellar Transmissions", this Friday night (9/27) at 7pm (US Eastern Time). Phone number to call is 561-998-5470. Email your questions until Thursday night at 11.59 pm (US Eastern Time) at scifiradioguy@aol.com.
Also, thanks to Robyn for providing a link to a transcript of the Interstellar Transmissions interview with David Kemper of September 20th, kindly hosted by Save Farscape.
the plan, the plot, the strategem, the, uh...
Well, you get the idea. Check out the Plan of Action, over at Save Farscape. I'm gettin' wicked chills! [insert evil laugh].
Fanfic
I've not had much time to read fanfic recently, but I've downloaded a few things that look promising. I'm very happy about all the activity going on in the fan fic section of ScapeRoute. This may become my board of choice for fanfic if this keeps up.
Sweetly tender romantic interlude with just a squidge of angst. Lovely fic.
Aeryn years
Word from reader Donna to all the authors of the Aeryn Years project:
"I could not get to the Feed the Authors site, and I wanted to praise the writers. The whole series was wonderful. All of the stories flowed together, almost like they were written by one person. Please pass on my thanks and admiration to all of the writers. The whole story was so great. I too would like to see the time while John was there, but it is a little yucky. Thanks again for a great story."Donna
Thanks, Donna. Writers live and breathe feedback and this was a nice one.
Interstellar Transmissions interview with David Kemper
Interstellar Transmissions spoke to David Kemper live from Australia on September 20th. You can hear the interview by downloading a mp3 file from the website. Referrer indicates the interview is much more 'upbeat' than the chat was.
"if we give up now, we've already lost"
As determined and focused as I am when it comes to saving Farscape, to get at least that fifth season, even I need a pep talk every once in a while, and Hmpf gives great pep, in addition to speaking excellent DKese.
farscape fic
Still pretty slim pickin's, which is understandable. Authors collapsing, getting some much needed rest after the big push last week to get SciFi to see reason earlier rather than later.
Today the vibe I'm getting is an actual Stories Unfolding silence. You know, where you hear that tap-tap-tapping in the back of your brain along with a few colorful expletives? Mm.
I'm still not checking the scifi board and seriously contemplating removing the link because, you know, lingering pissy attitude from the BBQ. Bitter, I tell you. Bitter! If there's fic there I should die to see, please fling us a heads-up via email or just by comments box. Til then, here's this…
This is a work in progress. I hear it's intended to devolve (or evolve) to smut fic. Doesn't seem especially smutty right now, but the dialogue is crackling smart. Anticipating the finished fic with much interest.
Johnny on the Spot, by feldman (WIP) - excerpts in two parts on ::Rubberneck::. First part here. Second part just above that.
Smallville
Season 2 of Smallville premieres on Tuesday, September 24, 2002 on the WB Network. I don't think it's syndicated, so if you don't get the WB, you probably can't see it. And that would suck. Episode 2:01 promises to be... well, pretty good. Co-Star Michael Rosenbaum is, frankly, too good for words, a feast for the eyes and in possession of one killer voice. Added bonus, the fanfic is out-frelling-standing. Actually, the fanfic is what got me hooked on the show and the approach of S2 kicked loose a few nice ones.
A favorite of mine, zahra puts together a nice character play and z's Lex always seems more tightly wound than would be good for the average human. That brain, never letting up. Post 'Tempest', the S1 finale.
Chloe fic. The only secondary character with even vague promise IMHO. This fic reversing the premise of SWID, not allowing for the happy endings I so prefer in this fandom, but Lex is delicious.
Off-hand I can't think why this one needs an R rating, I liked it because it's another story that shows how lives change in a moment. I think that the style used in Sarah T.'s, There Will Be Time (recc'd way back on August 30th) works much better, but in this one you also get a nice recap of all the other defining moments for the character up to that point. Nice way to get caught up if you can see S2 but didn't see S1.
Oh, cool. I love cruising blogs 'cause you can usually turn up something tasty. A bit of SV fic in progress by Shrift, Clark/Lex goofy futurefic… I'd give this part about a G for boyish goofyness. It's workin'! I can't link to the archive for the entry so just scroll down the page a bit to September 18, 2002.
Cripes, I just realized it's been two weeks! No wonder I'm so tired.
So, I have the transcript of the chat with David Kemper and Richard Manning that was held on the SciFi server, thanks mostly to the greater capabilities of the CHORN server tonight. Chat being a misnomer as DK merely made a statement which you are free to take as you will. As for myself, I'm applying my Farscape viewing rules: "Unless I see a headless smoking corpse. It he/she/it ain't dead."
As most of you probably know, the chat at irc.scifi.com #farscape has been rescheduled for tomorrow night.
Absence of information doesn't mean absence of action, however. We may not have precise news, but as far as we've been able to gather we are still where we were two days ago, and the Save Farscape campaign is still on track.
One request we'd like to put out -- we're trying to sell the show to UPN and Showtime by showing massive viewer support, but it might not be in our best interest to tie up their phones and fax machines right now. Although we've been told that the Showtime request to use their website interface is just a dodge to keep us out of their hair, we do think it's probably best to let them get on with business. Snail and email only to those places would probably serve us better than all-out attack. There's no reason to stop using the Showtime interface, however, just in case they really are counting that. Go to: http://sho.com/util/custhelp.cfm. Select Technical, and use Farscape as the subject. Works for international IPs as well.
As for the To-Do list, we know you're all dying to deluge Michael Jackson. So here it is: Free the Farscape 88. Posters once again available at: Divine Collective
Have at 'em.
Michael Jackson
The Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Phone: 212-413-5000
Extensions = the first letters/numbers of the last name
Fax # 212-413-6531, 212-413-6522, 1-212-413-6503
Programming Phone: (212) 413-5821
Comment Line: (212) 413-5577
New Comment Line: 212-413-5679
email: mjackson@usanetworks.com
"You don't mind if we fight for you, do you?" — Crichton Kicks
Due to technical difficulties beyond our control *heh*, the chat on the SciFi server (irc.scifi.com) in #farscape, was rescheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, September 19, 2002 at 8PM EST (that's 5PM PST for west coasties like the BBQ). See you all there and hopefully the chat will come off.
While waiting for advance on Friday's homework assignment from Save Farscape, I thought I'd share my incredibly boring letter to Showtime. This, ladies and gents, is what happens when you do business writing for a living. *yawn*
September 17, 2002
Gary Levine
Vice-President, Original Programming
Showtime Networks
10880 Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 1600
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Mr. Levine:
I am writing to you in the express hope that you are giving serious consideration to the opportunity provided to you by the ill conceived decision by the SciFi network to cancel Farscape. By this action SciFi has lost a massive number of viewers, and their advertisers have lost out as well. Of course, the greater loss is the show itself, lauded by many as the best science fiction programming on television.
While I am enormously disappointed by this decision, it is reasonable to expect that another network would see this decision as a once in a lifetime opportunity, pick up this successful series, and make it an even greater success than it was for the SciFi Channel.
Farscape has not only been praised and deeply loved by the viewers, but also by such media outlets as CNN, CCN Headline News, TV Guide, Variety, Cinescape, USA Today, NY Post, New York Times, Media Week, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, E!, LA Times, Forbes, Dark Horizons, Broadcasting & Cable, NewsDay, The Boston Herald, Daily Telegraph, Digital Bits, Ain't It Cool News, and BBC Online. The viewers and these media outlets alike have expressed their surprise and dismay at the SciFi Networks decision in this matter.
However, as with all decisions, this one provides an inescapable and extremely valuable opportunity to your network. As I’m sure you are aware Farscape comes built in with a very large and loyal viewer ship, one that can only increase with the greater exposure provided by a larger network.
This is an incredibly high quality show, unlike anything that has been offered in the past, or likely to be offered in the future. If you choose to give Farscape life, you will have earned a vast number of loyal viewers. If ‘unique’, ‘powerful’, ‘exciting’, and ‘complex’ are words you’d like to use to describe a show airing on your network. If you need a series that has a cast and crew that is so talented it should be criminal, then this is a show that needs to be considered by your network.
Please consider picking up Farscape for your programming schedule.
Respectfully,
My name
Street Address
City, State Zip
With my demographic information included in the footnotes because I got tired of trying to gracefully fit that intel into the body of the letter. *sigh*
Feel free to snurch in whole or in part. I pretty much just sent the same letter to everyone on the homework assignment list for Wednesday with the very lovely poster of John printed on the back side [A shameless exercising of valued time management skills]. Yes, every creative impulse is just sucked right out of me for eight hours every day. *shudder* [Oh, and I did *steal* a little from Maayan's press release. It's probably the most interesting part of the letter *g*]. Kick me! Kick me, now! hehe - Too much caffiene?
Check out the Emergency To-Do List for Wednesday. Regular Wednesday To-Do List has been pushed back to Friday to refocus combined efforts in light of the CNN HLN broadcast today. Check Save Farscape for transcript of the interview if you missed the broadcast.
While we wait for the interview with Ben Browder tonight on CNN Headline News at 8:15PM EST, we can prepare for Wednesday's Homework assignment by popping over to the Farscape Enumerator(if you haven't already done so) and inputting your vital statistics. We'll need the intel for the assignment.
Check out this inspirational Save Farscape Music Video, by Da-Met. Highly recommended.
Meantime, I'm hoping that everyone in the world is just holding out on us because CNN has been a very very good friend to us in the past week and nobody wants to spoil their story.
For two days starting today, Monday, September 16th, we are asking all 'Scapers to take part in "I Am Farscape" - an international action in conjunction with the rally in New York. CNN-HN is also rumoured to be doing an update segment on Tuesday, and we'd like to give them and other media some good visuals to pick up.
What is "I Am Farscape"? Well, just that. It's a campaign to make the audience demographics tangible to the folks at SCI FI using their own "I am SCI FI" campaign, and to pave the way for a later push involving the show's advertisers.
We know this is very short notice, but if you live in a major city, please try to get a group of friends together to do this. We've made posters available at: Divine Collective (and many thanks to Maayan and Arne for the fabulous design). Print out as many as you think you can use. Fill in your demographic information with a big black marker (check the list of advertisers at the end of this announcement and mention as many as you can.) Then go to high-trafficked areas in your city and plaster walls, street signs, lampposts and the like. We want a big visual spectacle, folks, so think in wallpaper terms. Ellie has also designed a fabulous flyer that you can hand out to people if they ask what on earth you're doing < g > Find it over at BritAngie's.
One word of warning: many cities have places where it is illegal to post flyers. Do be careful not to post at any of those. We're not encouraging anyone to get arrested.
In addition to this (and especially for those of us abroad) we're asking everyone to print a poster, fill it in, tape or glue a photo of yourself in the top right-hand corner and mail it to:
Bonnie Hammer, President
The Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
If you can afford overnight mail, so much the better, but send it regular even if you can't. And if you're on lists for other fandoms, please help by asking them to print a poster and send one too. There will be a condensed version of this announcement coming through shortly that you can just forward around. Let's see if we can deluge them with our faces, make ourselves real, not some faceless 'audience'.
Press releases, for those that want to try to alert the media in their area, will be available shortly and another announcement will be made with the URL. Please, do not send releases to the media on anyone else's behalf -- leave that to the discretion of the people doing the action. The major news media will be contacted by the media team. Email them at sfmedia@wdsection.com if you have any further questions. And please, let us know what happens at SaveFarscapeAnnouncements@yahoogroups.com when you're done!
Farscape advertisers:
A-1 * Ace Hardware * American Express * Best Buy * Cingular Wireless * Dell Computers * Ford * Honda * KFC * Kia * Mazda * Nautilus Sleep Systems * Orkin * Taco Bell * Visa * Volkswagen * Wrangler
west coast rally
For which there is information just a day or two down the page. Got an update from Musicalgal that just made my heart pound!
You'll be happy to know that over 50 people have responded so far. We've got people coming from as far away as New York, Phoenix and San Diego. Plus Simon and Schuster (who make the Farscape Game) have made a contribution to the cause.
Musicalgal
Heh, to say the least. Best wishes to everyone who can make the West Coast Rally coming up in LA on September 21st!
atlanta rally
News on the Atlanta Rally is available over on the Save Farscape Blog. Impressive turnout demonstrating a groundswell building to a full blown tsunami.
news from all over
Maayan has some things over at Divine Collective that will give your heart a boost, and orchid found something fun as well. Thanks for that one, Jen.
Keep checking back at DC, orchids and at the other blogs I've got listed to the left as well as the Save Farscape website, check regularly. I'm really just here to search for fic, write and send correspondence, make calls, spread the word and whatever else I can manage. Doin' my part, like you guys. *g*
goofball stuff
Okay, so awhile back I mentioned that I'd gone for California Environmental Plates this year, the monies going to the California Coastal Commission, for the preservation of our coastlines and oceans. Consequently I get a nice plate with a big blue whale's tail on it and letters of my choice, if they aren't already taken. Unsurprisingly, the letters I wanted were available. This gives me a trippy little giggle every time I see it:
And since I'll be driving the BATmobile down to Burbank for the convention, thought I'd post this as well:
since seeing it 'in person' is kind of a cheap thrill. This is one big ass truck, you can probably find it pretty easy, even in that humongous lot.
Okay, so aside from the cheap grin this gives me every time I see it, I do wonder what it says about me. *g*
Oh, and, okay. The photo of the plates, that went with my John Poster to Bonnie Hammer via Priority Mail late this afternoon, eh, along with a pic of me that I don't want to talk about. *g* There were many cameras in the room. That's all I'll say.
fic pics
My thanks to Teach for pointing out this first one:
I know Shrift is a busy, busy girl, but man I wish she'd write more often. Not that I give a damn about prolificness, honestly care more about the quality and Shrift gives me that by the gallon. I laughed myself sick at this one. Damn, this is one sweet story. Any quotes I could give would just give it away. OooOOO, and almost made me weepy. Nice touch. Read. Enjoy.
I really do need more of that feral plot bunny that refuses to die. You know, Shrift, that goofy Clark/Lex future fic that's probably going to devolve into smut. Personally, I love it as it is, but, dang it, really yearning for that de-evolution into smut. *g*
about the transcripts
Every once in a while, someone emails me and asks if they could do a S1 transcript for the transcripts webpage. After I think, 'they just don't know what they're in for' and add a mental evil cackle, I always email back and say, "Yes, gawd, absolutely!" and I'm also ecstatically happy to credit the person providing the transcript.
That being said, I also reserve the right to verify dialogue, add BBQish stuff and do a bit of editing to have the tranny fit the style of the page, otherwise I just end up contemplating doing my own and replacing the one kindly provided by the volunteer trannier, who, for some reason, enjoys doing transcripts, and that just makes me feel like an ass.
Yes, the BBQ is a persnickity creature in search of perfection when it comes to transcripts—or anything else. So, if you've a driving need to do a tranny not currently existing on the transcripts page, hey, I'm happy to take a look, fiddle, and put them up. Just send them as a .txt file to johnskeedvabbbq@thevortex.com.
I don't blame SciFi for not coming to the fans and saying, "So, how'd you guys feel if we opted out on our option for the fifth season?" I mean, what Network does that? It's just not normal business practice. Normal business practice is all about finagling to get more bucks and more bang for those bucks. As the Godfather would say, "It's not personal, it's just business."
It's possible that if SciFi had a chance to see this reaction before the fact things would have been different. Maybe. So. My round of correspondence for today is all about how much I loved SciFi. Because I did love them. When others complained or cursed SciFi for not airing repeats and making the mid-season breaks so damn long, I liked to recall that without SciFi I'd probably never have a chance to have seen this show.
DK and others were fond of telling stories about how long they'd shopped the series around before they found a home, and what a good home SciFi was for them, how much freedom they had to make the show they wanted to make. So, I can't be anything but grateful for that.
SciFi brought me the best show it had ever been my pleasure to watch, and sadly, I never ever thought to write them and thank them for that. So, that's what I did today. Sat down and wrote thank you letters. That I also indicated that I still love the show and that I'll be going wherever the show goes is incidental to the thanks. Probably.
Monday, monday...
Yeah, can't trust that day, and it's not even Monday yet. So, time to make sure Monday is all about Farscape. Sunday is a good day for a good solid letter faxing push as well as a good time to fill those voicemail boxes again. With the suits coming together to 'talk', it's a good day for a healthy Save Farscape reminder. Heavy push. Step by step instructions for leaving a voicemail for your friend and mine, Mr. Michael Jackson, right at the top of the page, over at Orchid's. Addresses, fax numbers and email addy's are provided by Save Farscape, also with info on how to send a free fax online, and links to sending telegrams which cost just about 15 bucks US.
A focused effort is critical, so that rather than a few dozen letters hitting the desk of a few dozen people over a span of days, a few hundred letters hit the desk of just a few people in that same time. It's most important to focus on Michael Jackson for now, so don't forget to let him feel our love and support for the show. This guy's an Exec, so try not to make him feel stupid, okay? He's working in a field with limited resources, tryin' to make a buck, just like the rest of us.
Remember to stay in close with your Farscape support group if you have one, passing letters back and forth, generating ideas and sharing them with others will help keep us all fresh and on our toes.
Save farscape rallys
Oh, hey, I like to think I read every scrap of information over at Save Farscape, but just last night I got to read the report on the rally on September 12th in NYC. Yeah, tell me about it. If you haven't read the article, you really need to, my spirits soared and I went to bed one happy BBQ.
Something for canadian fans
Got an email from a canadian fan, I'm just just C.A.S.E.ing it and putting it here:
One of the small frustrations of trying to support the Farscape efforts from this side of the border is that there doesn't seem to be a lot that Canadians can offer to the power brokers. However, quite by accident, I just made a little discovery that actually gives Canadians something concrete to say in at least one aspect.
Our household has just decided to switch from cable television service to satellite dish. In picking the packages of channels that we'd want, I noticed that one of the bundles includes a selection of American superstations, including WSBK Boston — which is a UPN affiliate. HOT DAMN!
So ... I'm going to re-write my note to UPN from an additional Canadian vantage. If you want to use it as you did my last note, you're welcome to it.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
UPN's name has been put forward as a possible saviour for Farscape. As a fan of intelligent and compelling drama, I'd hope that if the notion fits in any way with strategic plans for UPN to associate itself with quality, you'd consider the role The possibility that UPN could consider adding Farscape to its line-up is especially interesting to Canadian fans of the series, because UPN affiliate WSBK Boston is available to Canadian cable and satellite TV subscribers. If the series aired on WSBK, it would offer Canadian viewers their first opportunity to see the series' current episodes as they air in the U.S. In our house, that's reason enough to subscribe to the extended bundle.
My family has admired the freedom that UPN has given to this past season's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It proves that you have some regard for smart, tough storytelling. Were UPN to give Farscape the home it deserves, it would reflect well again on the network and no doubt match the quality that Buffy's viewers expect, cementing their loyalty.
Television offers little enough in the way of originality and challenge. Farscape would be very much missed as an example of intelligent, original and challenging storytelling.
And that's it. Thanks to the Canadian Fans who are doing what they can to save Farscape!
Smallville
Nothing new, much, as I've read this before, but a friend reminds me of how much I loved this story. Redesign on the author's Smallville fic page is a grin a minute, plus there's a tiny little discard bit from the story that made me laugh. Man, I love this story. It's a banquet of a story.
Just for you guys, and thanks for waiting so patiently. Tranny complete: Unrealized Reality. S4 Spoilers. Still have to do the spit and polish stuff for the credits page, but the tranny is finished save editing by Minnie.
Working on the tranny still, hope to have it done by tomorrow, my efforts are a bit fragmented and there are many emails still unanswered. I will get to them and get info out there, try to catch up on that tomorrow as well. So, here we go...
Interesting. EW Online has a Ladies of Farscape article with lovely picture. The article is part of EW's IT list, and the ladies are dubbed the "IT SciFi Babes". No mention of the series' cancellation.
There is an online demographic statistics generator for potential producers and advertisers for farscape, the Farscape Fanscape Enumerator is available for you to enter your demographic information and will eventually be distributed to appropriate contacts. Please enter your information only once to preserve the integrity of this valuable database.
Update on the Atlanta Rally at Save Farscape, apparently the rally was a great success. Congratulations to all attendees!
Fialka pointed me over to the Friday, September 13, 2002 article that ZapIt TV put up on the Save Farscape Campaign, and you know I love this, 'cause this site is on my favorites for checking out what's on and what's not.
Is it fair to point out that if not for Farscape, it'd be highly unlikely that SciFi would have been able to buy Stargate, its new funtoy?
bombscares are nobody's idea of fun
It is being urged, and I fully agree, that we shouldn't be mailing packages, not boxes of crackers or anything else. Send postcards, send postcards cut from boxes of crackers, but don't send packages of any kind.
In the aftermath of 9/11, getting a flood of packages isn't anyone's idea of fun. The mail should only frighten them in a good way.
Just a bit of smallville
Hey, I'm trying, did more homework today, too late for conventional mail but emails and faxes went out... I'm seriously considering buying my own fax machine at this point as the folks at the Kinko's down the road are getting to know me much to well, and believe it or not, not a single Farscape Fan among them. I live in such a backward town. *sigh*
Been thinking fic writers could demand a ransom for a story... "If you enjoyed this story, please send an additional letter to UPN telling them how nicely Farscape would go with Enterprise." Meantime here's...
Categorized as humor by the author and actually qualifies. Humor is likely the toughest category to make real, and for me the author scores a hit as I laughed many times through the story which is also vaguely sweet and tender.
~~ "You don't mind if we fight for you, do you?" ~~
Musicalgal provides an update and notice on the impending Save Farscape Rally for West Coast Fans.
SAVE FARSCAPE WEST COAST RALLY
When: Saturday - Sept. 21, 2002
Time: 12 Noon
Where: Universal City Walk (Vivendi Offices)
Meet: Outside Hardrock Cafe starting at 11:30am
If you're interested in joining a Save Farscape Rally, send an e-mail to Farscaper555@hotmail.com. Please contact the Save Farscape site by Thursday, Sept. 19th if you plan to attend the rally. If there are enough people interested, we'll contact the media outlets and let them know the Scapers are coming. This will be a great chance to give our support to Farscape and meet fellow Scapers.
Universal City Walk is easy to get to by public transportation and by car. The metro station stops at Universal City and free parking is available at the North Hollywood metro station, which is one-stop and 5 minutes away. There is a free shuttle that will take you to the Citywalk. Parking, for a fee, is available at Universal Citywalk too. If you're thinking of coming by train, you can pick up the Metro from the train station.
PLEASE NOTE: There is no website so all information will be disseminated through the hotmail account via e-mail. If you have a question, please let us know. As we get closer to the date, driving directions and more detailed public transportation instructions will be made available.
We welcome all suggestions and input.
Musicalgal
And there is a variety of links to other threads regarding rallys planned across the United States, kindly compiled by Incognito, over at the Save Farscape Forums. Just scroll down the page a bit to the appropriate post, it's easy to spot.
more fan generated media
I think I mentioned the ad for Variety that benbrowder.net was coordinating, and that they had reached their goal to place that ad. The ad, titled "Open Letter to the SciFi Channel" is a beauty. My thanks to all the fans that made this possible, and to the webmistress for the beauty of an idea.
Other stuff...
Orchid has today's homework assignment up at her place. Which is good because I've yet to get my confirmation email back on joining the group. Am the BBQ doin' somethin' worng? Dare I say it? Is the BBQ Yahoo Groups illiterate?
Remember to keep hitting the Save Farscape site for valuable information, including a Farscape Friday assignment generated by Maayan, Max, Fi and Cofax... I'm probably forgetting someone. Oy. Check it out.
kick back, have some fun
And, well, I've determined that Fi is absolutely correct and we need to have some fun, well, non-SciFi ass kicking related fun, so the BBQ is gonna finish up the UR tranny for those who've been waiting -- a little reward for your efforts, and then we're gonna cruise for fic, old or new reccs. It's okay to have fun too. Fanfiction went a long way toward generating an increased interest in the show, and if writing is your thing, then you shouldn't stop. Ally'll just be out there lookin' around. Fling an email if you've a mind.
In the meantime, here's a little Smallville to brighten your day. Mind the ratings, kids.
Love this. Style is non-liniar liniar. Incredible. My head spins just thinking how the author made it work. And happy, happy, as an added bonus, got an Ally kink - happy Lex.
You Get Fries With That, by Caroline Baker::NC17::
And here's that little gem that I told orchid about with the great quotes I couldn't use 'cause they were all... well, NC17 rated. My favorite having something to do with Chicken McNuggets. Hysterical. I love Caroline's stuff.
For those who haven't seen it or can't download the RealMedia file of the report, the below is a transcript of a "Hotwired" segment for CNN Headline News, Thursday, September 12, 2002. Reporter: Renay San Miguel.
The title of the segment was 'Fans from near and "Far"', the transcript follows:
I make calls on this, but I'm also getting lots of information from the emails that are coming in from the shows' fans. It's always helpful and we do appreciate that.
The emails still roll into Hotwired and have been rolling into the SciFi Channel as well from hundreds of Farscape fans around the world.
Hotwired wanted to examine whether the Internet has enough power to save this show. It was the Internet, after all, that alerted the shows' fans to its unexpected cancellation, and now the fans are trying to use the web to let the SciFi Network know their feelings and maybe change its mind.
Today the Save Farscape websites were roiling with news of a rally outside the channels New York Headquarters. Reportedly lots of fans showed up for that.
Earlier today I spoke with Lana Kim, a publicist for the SciFi Channel, she said the network was not releasing any statements about this Internet campaign, or anything else Farscape related, for that matter.
But Nina Lum is talking, she is the webmistress of the Save Farscape website at farscape.wdsection.com — I spoke with her today, and she says that site and a related one have had over 600,000 hits since yesterday. Since news of the cancellation broke last weekend, she's recieved hundreds of emails a day, and she has had to expand her site from one, to forty-five pages. She says she's not getting a lot of sleep lately.
Ms. Lum, who calls this her "day job", by the way, told me that she's had some experience using the Internet to try and save favorite shows. The USA Network a couple of years ago had plans to cancel the distaff spy drama 'La Femme Nikita', and she credits her fan message board with bringing that show back for eight more shows.
Now, here's the reason we're doing this story in the first place, this email from Lotta Danielsson-Murphy of Arlington, Virginia: "I believe that this campaign will dwarf the famous Star Trek letter-writing campaign of the 1960's, and will showcase, like nothing before it, the way the internet has changed how people interact and form communities."
And who knows, maybe it can change the way people put pressure on TV Networks. That is Hotwired for this hour, Steve and Cathy?
[Co-Anchor Cathy comments: "You know, Renay... it's no secret that SciFi fans are very dedicated."]
They really are, but I also got another email saying that the typical demographics of the 'scaper community, this from Jackie Tanner of San Antonio: age 20-60; predominantly female, which she says is very rare for, you know, science fiction; college educated; professionals; typical incomes— $50,000 to $150,000; technologically inclined; extremely computer literate. I would think that advertisers would jump all over that demographic.
[Co-Anchor Cathy comments: "I would think so, yeah."]
[Co-Anchor Steve comments: "Those are eyeballs they really want."]
Yeah. [charming smile by gorgeous guy] And if Farscape doesn't come back, come on over to Hotwired and Headline News, we'll take ya.
[Co-Anchors laugh, a bit giddy].
[Co-Anchor Steve: "Thanks, Renay."]
You bet.
Well, I just have to nominate CNN Headline News Technology Reporter, Renay San Miguel as an honorary Scaper. While his focus seems to be 'the power of the internet', getting that kind of attention on the Save Farscape campaign is intensely satisfying. You rock, Renay!
Feel free to pass this information along.
nyc save farscape rally
Darkscape has a RealMedia file of the CNN Headline News report on the Save Farscape Rally in NYC. Word in the scifi.com #farscape chatroom is that CNN Headline News will rebroadcast that report at 9:45P.M. EST, although it probably wouldn't hurt to continue tuning in the Headline news at 45 minutes after the hour, every hour.
Six more letters out today and giddy me, one of them was to UPN, where conveniently enough, today Save Farscape has intel on UPN giving 'scape the eye of desire. Oh yeah. Time to write more letters to UPN.
save farscape
Intel from orchid and subsequent add on the coding up and to the left. Here's what she has to say:
Save Farscape has an emailing list. It will include any up to date information, as well as special... tasks [hehe] to make our days more fun. (and make SciFi's Wheaties taste funny) [ROFL!]
Also, if you want, you can snurch the code from my site for the HTML Button, so folks can join easier. [done - what is with that background color? *shiver*]
Jen
...because DK has hope. (and Scapers have the power)
And we will take a moment to giggle, cause it used to be fun to tease Jen about DK. heh.
Fialka has some wonderful words about what you can do today while still taking care of yourself. I also got a look at the draft of the Sydney Herald Ad, over at Beyond Hope. You guys are so good you make me weep. Well done.
neilsen ratings... what the frell?
I keep hearing the question: "What does that 1.5 or 1.1 rating mean in terms of actual viewership?". Many would agree that it doesn't mean much because the ratings are artificial numbers based on a sampling of households who are selected by the Neilsen Media Research group. Certainly the NMR isn't going to put a rating box in over 100 million households, and certainly not on every television in the country or the world. However, for as long as most of us have been alive, the Neilsen Ratings have been a valuable *cough* research tool for those in the teevee bizzness, and therefore, are all too often used as a reason a show makes or breaks.
According to NMR, there are an estimated 105.5 million television households in the USA. A single ratings point represents 1%, or 1,055,000 television households for the 2001-02 season. This number is expected to go up to around 106.something million represented for each percentage point for the 2002-2003 season.
So, what this means is that when Farscape received a 1.1 rating, that means that over one million households (1,160,000) turned in to watch. A 1.5 rating means that, for the 2001-2002 season, over one and a half million households tuned in to watch. How many in a household? I guess it doesn't matter if they all share a single television (yeah, since when does that happen?). Gosh, adding over 400 thousand television households in a single season. Suck much?
Most of this crap brought to you by the lovely folks at Neilsen Media Research. In the meantime, Neilsen themselves acknowledge that in a selection of 210 U.S. cities there are over 106 million television households. 210 cities. I haven't checked... how many cities in the United States?
Last year I was home, one final vacation day after the convention before returning to work. I was awakened by a phone call from my son shortly before 9 in the morning, and in that voice that every parent dreads, he told me to turn on my television—the rest is still like a very bad dream.
At work today we will observe a minute of silence at 8:46a.m., the time the first plane struck the first tower and at 12:30 there will be a special observance commemorating the event which changed the course of so many lives.
Today I felt love. Today I felt hope. Tomorrow will be the same.
more on the home front
I was going to pass on this today, but I get so many wonderful emails that if I don't pass them along I'll just get further behind.
First, my son, my wonderful son. Your love and support is a treasure beyond price, your thoughtful kindness knows no bounds. Your friends and family are lucky to have you, and I'm the luckiest mom on the face of the earth!
My love to BBQJr who left this wonderful note in my comments box:
Don't forget www.aintitcoolnews.com's support! Everyone anywhere is helping to pitch in. I've already sent my letters and my guild alliance in Dark Age of Camelot is pitching in as well :)
Love ya and hope for the best!
Hugs,
Austin
See? "Hope" - Baby, you're the best!
And all of this without a call from Mom, folks. Didn't want to snivel on my son's shoulder. Is this a great kid or what?
For Netscape users and in particular Jane, whose priority letters went out to SciFi to land on appropriate desks by tomorrow, here's a little bit of Maayan's intel. Couldn't glean the snark, time pressure. Maybe tomorrow.
"In any case, as per Barb's request I drafted a release to announce tomorrow's protest [Thursday, September 12, 2002], and fired it off to NBC 4, FOX 5, and NY1 among others. (Analise gave me a hand in tracking down contacts.) Protest begins at 8am in front of SCI FI's offices. Bring signs with catchy slogans. Keep the clothing tame. The Today Show is right across the street, and they've got an audience interaction area (7am to 10am). I couldn't get through to the Farscape publicist, but I'll try again later. I have no idea if anyone wishes to comment right now. No need to upset SCI FI needlessly."
[snippage]
The man to target:
Michael Jackson
Chairman of the Universal Television Group
The SciFi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas, F115
New York, NY 10020-1513
Phone # 212-413-5000
1. Dial 212-413-5000
2. It should give you the option to spell his name.
3. Just keep entering letters until you finish his last
name. 5225766 - Jackson. End with a #, then enter
his first name. 6424235 - Michael.
4. If you hit # after your message, you can choose to place the call priority.
Trying to keep information here pretty brief so as not to drown anyone. Please go to the Save Farscape Site, Divine Collective or Orchids for far more comprehensive information. For a good dose of morale, pop over to Deneba's, she cheers me enormously, and also has great news about the Sydney Herald ad for the 'scape cast and crew!
Online, surfing for info and having already emptied my inbox, I missed the several notes hurled at my head regarding DK's visit to the scifi.com chat room. Save Farscape has the chat transcript for your information.
Orchid wants everyone to know about this online protest. [which Maayan discusses above re: the press release]. If you have access to email on a workday, you should definitely participate. Nothing simpler than sending an email.
Katyaz wanted everyone to get a look at some information on the CNN article on the cancellation of Farscape. The revised article is the one I saw. The key text added is in bold and just give the article that added zing! Thanks, Kat!
See these hands? ... *nab*
~~ "You lied to us, you used us and you betrayed us!" ~~
Seva and several other folks have noted that Conan O'Brien is a Farscape fan. Pop on over to his page at NBC and leave a comment. I'm gonna have to catch his show for a few weeks to see if he snarks SciFi for us. Cool.
Don't let up on SciFi, but we want to build interest in the show elsewhere, let potential nets know that there's a show with a built in fanbase out there that could make them a nice chunk of change. And, heck, we all know that if Farscape hadn't been relegated to a relatively small network like SciFi the thing would be bigger than Star Trek could even imagine. Addresses for Nets such as TNT and UPN are included at the Save Farscape site as well as the much easier to influence Showtime, which, we understand has already expressed interest. Just pop over to the Showtime website and leave a comment. Type Programming: Farscape in the subject line and gush a bit, or a ton, as your bent.
Here's the intel from Save Farscape as it's a bit buried down the page [quoting]:
User at #farscape on scifi.com got off the phone with Shotime, they are counting Farscape msgs via the Help/Contact button at the bottom of the page at www.sho.com, click ask a technical question (this is what they are using according to them) and put in the subject area Farscape and type your msg.
Wow. I used to go to that site all the time to check out intel on Stargate:SG1. Heh. Never so happy as I am today to find that extended cable is out of my home and everyone knows it's because SciFi canceled Farscape. I'll be adding the package again in January but again, only to see the final eleven episodes and then out again. Repeats won't even tempt me as I have all on VHS and soon will have all eps on DVD. Nothing SciFi has or will ever have will tempt me as, well, there's the whole trust issue. Sheez. Do they learn nothing from watching Farscape?
Oh, and here's a little snippet of a message dropped in the Showtime comments box, just as a sample:
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Showtime's name has been put forward as a possible saviour for "Farscape". As a fan of intelligent and compelling drama, I'd hope that if the notion fits in any way with strategic plans for Showtime to associate itself with quality, you'd consider the role.
You've shown with other series such as "Queer as Folk" and dramatic presentations that you have some regard for smart, tough storytelling. Were Showtime to give "Farscape" the home it deserves, it would be a good move for the network, the series, the fans — and quality drama in general. I don't doubt for a minute that Showtime could cement a new group of viewers with such a move.
Television offers little enough in the way of originality and challenge. "Farscape" would be very much missed as an example of intelligent, original and challenging storytelling.
[signature withheld by Ally]
And, there's more on Farscape at Cinescape, including a mention of the Save Farscape website.
Orchid has some cool intel as well, including a link to the best article on what's really going on, un-spun and un-depended on by info from SciFi press releases. Geez. Can they even call it real news if all they do is take what someone tells them as gold and run with it? CNN ROCKS!
Orchid and inkling are my own personal saviors. They keep me sane and keep me hopeful, and they work like demons to save this show. It seems somehow fair and right that not only is the best show it has ever been my pleasure to see, jam packed with the most committed, talented and gorgeous people ever, but that the show itself has created bonds of friendship stronger than any I've ever experienced. Farscape isn't just a show. It's a phenomenon. One that may never come again. Pretty singular reason for any effort expended. Save Our Show!
~~ "The journey can be random... or with purpose." ~~
SciFi may in fact have been prepared for a certain amount of fan backlash at the cancellation of Farscape, but in my view, this is gonna be a way bigger dog than they ever dreamed.
Heard that the SciFi BBoard has crashed. Hm. Wonder how that happened? Plenty more boards out there to visit that are getting information out there; a board at Save Farscape, and of course there's Ultimate (link provided on the menu bar to the left) and ScapeArtist has set up a temporary board at ScapeRoute as well.
It's worth noting that both the official website for Gigi Edgley and Virginia Hey have put up Save Farscape information. We can pop by there and show our support.
The updated TV Guide Online has an article on the cancellation of Farcape by Matt Roush. You rock, Matt! The news is getting out and that can only be a good thing for us!
CNN Headline News has an entertainment blurb they do, and they have covered Farscape before. I just dropped them a line at http://www.cnn.com/feedback/ . There's an Entertainment link within the drop-down box at the bottom of the page.
Deneba is coordinating efforts to place a full page ad in the Sunday Sydney Herald to thank the cast and crew of Farscape for the wonderful years of show we've been given. Pop by and leave a donation via paypal, it's easy as pie, and just a bit more to the goal, and again, not much more time to get this done.
Finally... Maayan has a gigantic amount of contact information and advice over at Divine Collective.
~~ "Never get off the boat, man. Never get off the boat!" ~~
More excellent ideas received in a message from Fialka reminding us that it continues to be most important to keep the pressure on SciFi rather than EM.TV. It was indeed SciFi's decision to cancel the show, citing money issues they were well aware of when they signed a contract for the fourth and fifth season. Nothing chafes like hypocrisy, and this should do even less to endear them to us. Keep those cards, letters, calls and faxes coming!
In other news, Maayan and myself [Fialka] have been thinking about something nice, supportive and immediate that we could do for the cast and crew, something at once representative, unintrusive and practical. Mail, faxes and e-mails sent to Homebush are wonderful, and I'm sure they're getting plenty, but at the same time, we don't want to drown them under a lot of paper, the way we are drowning Sci Fi, and we don't know what the situation is at the office.
Here's what we came up with: we have set up a central, dedicated Yahoo! account to which fans can e-mail messages of support.
The login and password for this account have been forwarded to the cast and crew, to read the e-mails at their leisure. This is one way to express your love and support directly to the people to whom it most matters. Please, try to restrain yourself to one message each. The size of the account is limited.
First, my apologies to those I promised to finish the UR transcript by yesterday. Events of the chat turned out much different than anyone expected and I have been devoting my efforts elsewhere for now. Second...
Please keep checking in periodically at the Save Farscape website. It's being updated regularly and they are putting up information that I'm using myself to send letters and faxes, and there's another number there that has a voicemail that isn't full yet. As far as calling goes and leaving messages, please remember to call back again on Monday, and hell, every working day next week, after the voicemails are empied in the mornings, to keep our plea out there. We want them to make this a priority as soon as possible.
Remember to call and contact as many friends, acquaintances and relatives as you can, without access to the web they may not even know this has happened. Emails to media outlets will have the same result. If we can make this a newsworthy item, the media outlets can get the information to the fans who, in the majority, are strangers to the internet.
WDSection has set up a Save Farscape website with much needed information. Go there. Now. It's an incredible piece of work. Many thanks to Red and the 533 people who have already signed the petition by the time I got there!
Quoting David Kemper at tonight's chat on the Scifi.com server:
[19:13] <DK> We are two days away from shooting the last scenes
[19:13] <DK> of season 4.
[19:13] <DK> As you know, Sci Fi has picked us up
[19:13] <DK> for 4th and 5th seasons.
[19:13] <DK> However, as with everything done at a
[19:13] <DK> corporate level,
[19:14] <DK> there was an out clause built into Sci Fi's
[19:14] <DK> pickup schedule.
[19:14] <DK> As of yesterday, we were informed --
[19:14] <DK> after massive efforts by everyone at Henson
[19:14] <DK> and working on the show --
[19:14] <DK> most importantly Brian Henson
[19:14] <DK> and the 3 gentlemen
[19:14] <DK> here
[19:15] <DK> that Sci Fi was not going to exercise it's
[19:15] <DK> option to pick up the 5th season of Farscape.
[19:15] <DK> The rumors that everyone has been calling me
[19:15] <DK> about are sadly
[19:15] <DK> very sadly true.
The full transcript of the chat tonight on the scifi.com server. As for what you can do, do what I'm doing. Sending an angry but politely concerned letter.
Frankly, letters from concerned fans hold more weight. DK said that if the 1.5 million fans watching Unrealized Reality wrote a letter he had no doubt they would be shooting Season 9 of Farscape.
When you write your letter, be certain to be polite. Angry is okay, but polite is vital. You are a fan, not a nut. Focus on the positive, hit them in the wallet. "How can they cancel such a highly successful show?" etc. and so on. No name calling as this could be seen as impolite. Stay away from speculation on mental health as this can be seen as negative feedback. Be certain to reiterate how much you love the show. A rant, no matter how well executed tends to be chalked up to an unstable personality rather than a serious fan. An intelligently formulated letter is more likely to be taken seriously.
You can also get in touch with anyone and everyone you regularly do - via site, chat, blogs, emails, etc - and encourage them to spread the news, get people motivated, write, participate, do what they can. Also, write and email Cult Mag's, TV Guide, etc. the more the better. Create a buzz. The power of the internet cannot be understated. Word of mouth does work. We are the ripples now! [shamelessly stolen from a friend in chat. Thanks, inkling. You rock.]
Let your voice be heard. Immediately, if not sooner, in this case speed is critical. Don't wait until tomorrow.
[on edit deleted address information. This can be found, along with many more contacts, at the Save Farscape website. Information includes fax numbers so you can fax your letters. Yeah!]
Disturbing Fic. Rated NC17 for particularly brutal themes and some sexual content. I admit, the content disturbed me, made me uncomfortable—that'd be just one of the reasons the recc is here. I love a story that can get me out of my comfort zone and this one manages handily. On top of that, like ice cream with cake, we get imagery that is swelteringly beautiful. Deneba puts words together into lyric sentences I can read over and over just for the taste. Okay, well, I can't do a snippet without giving away too much, the story is too tightly interwoven although relatively short, providing a deep character study of many of Moya's crew. That taste of Sikozu was particularly sweet Awesome story. We'd wait a year or more for one like this. Hope you are able to enjoy.
Additional new stories at Leviathan fall into fluffy bunny fic and alternate universe/baby fic categories and sadly, we're pathologically unable to get through them. No huge outpouring of fanfic from the US following episode 11 and only one week into a four month drought.
Wonderfully funny, excellent dialogue, divine characterization; but you don't even have to watch Smallville to get many laughs from this short fic. Safe for family consumption. Lex, Chloe and a bottle of Martinelli's. The author has two other short stories at Fanfic.net, each one a charming character study with biting dialogue.
Seems like we're finally getting a lot of post Tempest fic and this one is quite good. Of course I'm facinated because of the perfect way the author reveals just how disturbed and possibly dangerous Lex is. Although, you know, not his fault! The rest of the reason why this one is here is because I couldn't read the first part of the first sentence without erupting into giggles — took me three tries to read the rest of the story. And it's not necessarily a funny story. Very skilled author. Have to search for more.
