Can Stars Push Their Tv Shows For DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Jim Beaver]

After Reading about Lois & Clark on TVSHOWSONDVD tonight. I wondered could this help alot of shows also get that are still on the Purgatory WAiting List so to speak. While I was never a big fan of Lois & Clark i did watch it and think it should be on DVD. Made me feel good that Dean Cain wanted it to.

 

[Rick P]

Actually Lois and Clark *IS* available on DVD.. but only from Columbia House (as is "Land of the Giants" and "Alien Nation")

 

[Rob T]

I would love to have alien nation season sets from fox!

 

[David Lambert]

Rick, that's something I've never heard before. I know about the other two, and can see them on CH's site. But no L&C?...


Also, keep in mind that those items eventually DO come to release for general sale: I Love Lucy did, What's Happening! is, uh, happening, and more is coming, such as Hogan's Heroes.

 

[Gord Lacey]

Stars sometimes mention something in articles about wishing for their shows on DVD (I remember reading an interview with Dave Foley where he said he thought "Kids in the Hall" would eventually come out), but I know a lot of executive producers call the studios and ask about any plans for their shows.

Gord

 

[David Lambert]

That's a great example, Gord.

Besides that this was a fun quote, I admit that one of my motivations for posting that was to subtley point out to our readers that the stars don't always have a say in whether their shows come out on DVD.

Gord knows better than I do that we get e-mail after e-mail saying stuff like "can't you call Gil Gerard and get him to release Buck Rogers on DVD?" That's a made-up example, but you get the point. Unless you're in a Jerry Seinfeld kind of situation, where you have creative control over the show as well as star in it, then you have zero say in most cases.

And, as Gord points out subtle-like, even the Exec. Producers are at the mercy of the studios who own the property. It's up to them, or whoever the current rights-holders are, to ultimately make the decision to release.


That's the answer to your question, Jim. The stars and other people involved with the show can indeed "push" for the release. And the studios may listen. Or not...that's their choice.

But then again, there's nothing like the main star's involvement to really get the fans motivated. As many people as there are who vote for L&C at TVShowsOnDVD, I suspect he could become leader of a small army trying to convince Warner to release the show!


Even then, though, the studio is still at the mercy of budget concerns, rights issues, condition of the elements, participation, etc. etc. All the usual showstoppers. :frowning:

 

[Jim Beaver]

Thanks Gord & Dave. That is what I figured

 

[Scott_F_S]

In most cases (Seinfeld, I guess, being the best example), the stars are essentially only hired hands -- as are directors, writers, limo drivers, etc. Depending on a number of factors, they may have some indirect influence on the decision makers. But ultimately, the decisions are made by the studios or whomever it is that has ownership of the title.

 

[Gord Lacey]

There are a couple of things that we can read into with Dean Cain's comment:

1) He hasn't been contacted by Warner Bros to do any bonus material for the sets
2) That means WB isn't currently working on a set since they would no doubt contact him
3) If they were to call him up, he would probably agree to take part in bonus materials for the set since he's interested in getting it for himself

I know Ben Stiller played a big role in the bonus material for "The Ben Stiller Show." He called the various cast members and asked them to come in to record commentary and take part in the DVD set. I think when a star of the show gets involved in the set, the end result will be a better product. When writers, creators and executive producers call the studios I'm sure they're also offering to take part in bonus features for the sets. Warner Bros has done some nice documentaries for "ER" and "The West Wing" that include almost everyone involved in the production. If you haven't seen either set, consider picking them up.

Gord

 

[todd s]

I think the reason they haven't started work on L&C yet. Is that they are busy with the super special edition of "The Flash" tv show.

Hey! I can dream can't I??

 

[David Lambert]

I bet my Justice League membership card that we see Wonder Woman come to DVD before we see the Flash.

No, I don't know nothing. Just opinionating.

 

[Dane Marvin]

Know-it-All and Max Verbosity

"Don't know nothin", huh?

As David basically said, I think a star's involvement can't possibly hurt the chances of a series coming to DVD (and having the stars included in special features makes for a better product), but in most cases, they probably don't have much pull either.

I lost count of how many times I've seen an E! True Hollywood Story or similar program in which stars found out their shows had been cancelled or they'd been fired by reading the morning news like the rest of us. That should tell us right away how much pull the stars have, with the exception of co-creators/producers who are also stars: Seinfeld, Ray Romano, etc.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

That should tell us right away how much pull the stars have, with the exception of co-creators/producers who are also stars: Seinfeld, Ray Romano, etc.

And even they may only be able to influence things during the actual production of their series. Executive and other producers may theoretically have some profit participation in a show (although creative Hollywood accounting usually sees to it that there are no actual "profits") they don't generally have any ownership rights. So they have no actual power when it comes to getting a show released on DVD.

Depending on their contracts they may have some input in how the eventual DVD gets put together. J. Michael Straczynski of Babylon 5 had a provision in his contract that gave him what amounts to a veto power over certain kinds of merchandising tie-ins, and that requires he be consulted on any proposed spin-offs, sequels and home video release. But the contract does not require that Warner Bros. actually do what he suggests. They just have to inform him of their plans and let him get his two cents in. Luckily they've been smart enough to listen to him so far.

The B5 sets are a good example of how WB might approach an L&C set, by the way. Each set has included at least two episode commentaries by JMS and one gang commentary by cast members, documentaries and interviews, text features exploring the ficitonal universe, a documentary on one specific area of production such as costumes and make up and one Easter Egg - the series promo trailer on the S1 set, "bloopers" in the subsequent sets. (Except that there was no Easter Egg on the season 1 sets produced for PAL regions.)

Regards,

Joe

 

[Rick P]

I bet my Justice League membership card that we see Wonder Woman come to DVD before we see the Flash.

Wonder Woman = 60 episodes, 3 seasons
The Flash = 23 episodes, 1 season.

The Flash would be easier as a 'complete series'.

And.. IIRC, There's supposed to be a 're-imaging' of The Flash Fall '04 on the WB to go with Smallville. Would be a good tie in..

 

[David Lambert]

You have a point there, but I'll stick to my opinion for now.

 

[Martin_KA]

What about Smallville? If that has good sales, wouldn't that make WB release L&C? I mean they're both about Superman

 

[Dane Marvin]

They are both about Superman, but one is still on the air. That makes all the difference.

 

[Rob T]

Maybe Kevin Conroy (voice of Bruce Wayne and Batman) and Bruce Timm could push for Batman: TAS season sets!
They seem to understand what the fans want even though Warner Bros. doesn't. :frowning:

 

[Gord Lacey]

L&C and Smallville are both about Superman, but I think their audience is different. Smallville would be geared towards younger people while L&C is probably aimed at 25-34 females.

Gord

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Maybe Kevin Conroy (voice of Bruce Wayne and Batman) and Bruce Timm could push for Batman: TAS season sets!

Haven't we already been told these are coming next year?