Ark of Truth & Continuum will be MOVIES

[Daniel Jackson]

I've seen numerous posts in various threads mention that they're direct to DVD, they're not movies. I feel this discussion disserves it's own thread. Now, I am going to explain why they are movies. Then you all can explain to me why you feel they are not movies.

Format of Release
There are numerous ways to release a movie. You can release it theatrically and later to DVD, air the movie on TV and then release it on DVD, or release it directly to DVD. These three formats of release are the most common. However, the format of release has nothing to do with the type of movie. Weather it's theatrical, TV, or direct to DVD, a movie is a movie. Take the SG-1 movies for example. I know it's popular to call them DVD movies, but I fail to see the point in doing so. I simply call them the SG-1 movies. If someone asks me when they're going to be released at the theater, then I tell them they'll be released on DVD. I would hope the person isn't superficial enough to put the movie down soley because of how it's being released.

Movie vs. TV Episode
In a television series, you have an ongoing series of individual stories that are each an hour long (with commercials). Stargate SG-1, as a television series, has ended with Season 10, Episode 20 "Unending." SG-1 is over. The story, however, will continue in the movie format. Specifically, SG-1 will continue as a film series which would be equal to the Star Trek film series, but on a smaller budget. Once the movies are out, when you go to the video store, you're not going to find them in the TV section with SG-1 and Atlantis season sets. You're going to find them in the movies section under science-fiction along with the original movie.

Stargate as a Trilogy
Technically, Stargate will now feature a film trilogy. Keep in mind that trilogy can mean a three-part story or a series of three independent stories. In this case, we have three Stargate movies: Stargate, The Ark of Truth, and Continuum. The first being the origin of the franchise, the two sequels being based on SG-1 which is in turn based on the original movie.

3 Television Series & 3 Movies
By the end of this year, we will have three television series and three movies.

Television Series
Stargate SG-1
Stargate: Atlantis
Stargate: Infinity

Movies
Stargate
Stargate: The Ark of Truth
Stargate: Continuum

[Ripple in Space]

You lost me at the end. Stargate: Infinity isn't considered cannon by anyone. And the Stargate: the Movie producers don't consider SG-1, or Atlantis cannon.

[Nikki]

I agree with Ripple in Space. Everything you (Daniel Jackson) said was correct except the mistakes that Ripple in Space picked up on.

[Daniel Jackson]

You lost me at the end. Stargate: Infinity isn't considered cannon by anyone.

I said we have three TV series. I never said Infinity is canon.

And the Stargate: the Movie producers don't consider SG-1, or Atlantis cannon.

The opinions of Ronnald Emmerich and Dean Devlin are irelavent. MGM owns the franchise and considers SG-1 a continuation of the movie as intended by the creators of SG-1.

[Major Tyler]

You lost me at the end. Stargate: Infinity isn't considered cannon by anyone. And the Stargate: the Movie producers don't consider SG-1, or Atlantis cannon.

A cannon is a weapon used by pirates on the high seas..."canon" is an authoritative source of information that is accepted to be accurate.

http://www.answers.com/topic/canon

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

The opinions of Ronnald Emmerich and Dean Devlin are irelavent. MGM owns the franchise and considers SG-1 a continuation of the movie as intended by the creators of SG-1.

The opinion of Ronnald Emmerich is especially irrelevant as it was Roland Emmerich who directed the original film! I've also heard that he had planned to make stargate into a trilogy before MGM took the rights from him and gave them to someone else to make SG-1

[Admiral Mappalazarou]

Television Series
Stargate SG-1
Stargate: Atlantis
Stargate: Infinity

& Stargate: Universe.

*cringes at terrible name*

[Daniel Jackson]

The opinion of Ronnald Emmerich is especially irrelevant as it was Roland Emmerich who directed the original film! I've also heard that he had planned to make stargate into a trilogy before MGM took the rights from him and gave them to someone else to make SG-1

I assume you mean relavent, not irelavent?

Ronald Emmerich may have directed the original film, but MGM owns it. Emmerich and Devlin had two sequels planned, but before they began work on Stargate 2, two TV producers approached MGM and developed SG-1. MGM didn't take the rights from Emmerich as he never had them to begin with! What MGM did is no different than when a film studio wants to do a sequel without the original film's director.

& Stargate: Universe.

*cringes at terrible name*

I said by the end of this year.

[Major Tyler]

Ark of Truth & Continuum will be MOVIES

Really?! I thought they were going to be puppet theater?!

YAY puppet theater!!

[Goddess]

& Stargate: Universe.

*cringes at terrible name*

Well I'm seriously glad I'm not the only one who feels that way about the name.

[Jarnin]

I've also heard that he had planned to make stargate into a trilogy before MGM took the rights from him and gave them to someone else to make SG-1

MGM never "took" anything. They own the license, and have owned it since Rolland and Dean wrote the movie. Writers and directors almost never own the rights to the movies they create; the studios that fund the movies own them.
It's the same with music. The songwriters and musicians rarely own the rights to their work; the studios that pay for everything own the rights.

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

MGM never "took" anything. They own the license, and have owned it since Rolland and Dean wrote the movie. Writers and directors almost never own the rights to the movies they create; the studios that fund the movies own them.
It's the same with music. The songwriters and musicians rarely own the rights to their work; the studios that pay for everything own the rights.

you're right that the studio owns the copyright to stargate, but the creative rights to the idea always belong to the creator. As Emmerich and Devlin are the writers/producers/director of stargate they own the creative rights to the stargate film, premise and characters and as such have the right to object to the way their ideas are used (as in SG-1, Atlantis etc)

its the same with music, the musician owns the creative rights no matter who owns the copyright and has a say in how their music is used.

[Skydiver]

guys, haven't we settled this?

ark of truth and continuum will be feature length movies that are direct to dvd releases.

I'm not seeing what else there is to discuss, especially not rights of ownership.

[Daniel Jackson]

you're right that the studio owns the copyright to stargate, but the creative rights to the idea always belong to the creator. As Emmerich and Devlin are the writers/producers/director of stargate they own the creative rights to the stargate film, premise and characters and as such have the right to object to the way their ideas are used (as in SG-1, Atlantis etc)

Emmerich and Devlin lost their creative rights as soon as they signed a deal with MGM to produce the movie. Generally, when a movie is produced, the studio owns all rights to the production. MGM owns the rights to the movie. Emmerich and Devlin have the right to object, and MGM has the right to ignore them.

[FallenAngelII]

Of course Direct-to-DVD can mean "movie". In fact, most of the time, when someone says "Direct-to-DVD", they're talking about a movie!

How many Direct-to-DVD episode-based shows do you know of?

When people say Direct-to-DVD, they're saying Direct-to-DVD movie. They just don't include the "movie"-part. We all know they're movies. You make it sound like some people are saying they're not.

Are there people who are running around saying they're not movies? BTW, a movie only has to be 52 or something minutes in order to be considered a feature movie (i.e. not a "short").