Stargate Atlantis: Extinction - Kickstarter?

[Fenton Hutson]

So I just finished watching the whole series of Stargate Atlantis again and I am still bummed-out by the finale. It felt quite rushed and inconclusive for the series, but originally that did not matter because us SGA fans were promised a film. But alas, no film was ever made.

Joseph Mallozzi posted on his blog in late March, (for those that have not seen it), the title and idea for the film - Stargate Atlantis: Extinction

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...on-and-beyond/


Also in March, as I'm sure some of you are aware, there was a Kickstarter project for Veronica Mars. It reached its $2,000,000 in just 10 hours and now stands at $5,702,153. Which is kind of incredible really. You can see it here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...-movie-project
http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertco...ca-mars-movie/


But to the point, do you think there would be enough interest in for a Kickstarter project for Stargate Atlantis: Extinction?

From what quick research I have done, Stargate Atlantis had about 2/3 of the viewing figures that Veronica Mars did on average. Now of course, something like Veronica Mars is much cheaper to make than something like Stargate Atlantis. From what I have read, Stargate Atlantis cost on average 1.4/1.7 Million Dollars for each episode while the first two episodes of Season 1, (Rising Part 1 & 2) cost $5,000,000. (I am not sure if this is CAD or USD. I would guess the former, not that it makes much difference).

I estimate that the movie, (provided we would want it to be a good movie), would need about $5,000,000-$7,000,000 to be made.

How much would you guys be willing to donate? I would happily donate about £30 to begin with, ($47.85 CAD based on current exchange rates), and then another £70-80 if it started to gain more interest. Perhaps even more if it was generating alot of interest.

Of course, in order to get a Kickstarter going, we would need the creators/producers to create the project themselves. But if it generated alot of interest on here and alot of emails/letters were to be written to the creators, perhaps it could happen???



P.S. I only just discovered the Mallozzi Blog on Stargate Atlantis: Extinction. In fact, I literally created this account sorely for this post .

[Ripple in Space]

I've thought this would be a great idea for several months. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand the issue to be with MGM Studios rather than the actual SGA staff.

Considering the two stars, Joe F & David H, continue to constantly talk about their hopes of returning to SGA, and the fact most of the writers & producers have done little work outside of Stargate, I think if MGM were on board, the actual makers would be thrilled to get back into the franchise.

[tomaso88]

They would have to rebuild the sets and get the cast from their current jobs in the end I don't see it happening from a kickstarter it would have to raise far more then veronica mars did. the only chance of stargate to happen would be if mgm decided to fund it I just cant see a kick starter working'


it would cost way more then 7mil cause of the sets

[Jedi_Master_Bra'tac]

They would have to rebuild the sets and get the cast from their current jobs in the end I don't see it happening from a kickstarter it would have to raise far more then veronica mars did. the only chance of stargate to happen would be if mgm decided to fund it I just cant see a kick starter working'


it would cost way more then 7mil cause of the sets

Well AoT and Continuum each cost $7mil. Does the $5mil figure for Rising include building all the sets?

If I thought there was a decent chance of succeeding I'd happily donate for this and the planned SG-1 movie (Revolution), screw the planned SGU movie.

[Fenton Hutson]

Hopefully, if it was funded through Kickstarter, or even other means, MGM wouldn't mind allowing the movie to be made.

I did hear MGM was going public? Perhaps this could be a good thing for the franchise where all our fanboy wishes and dreams are answered! ...Or it could end in disaster and many many tears...

They would have to rebuild the sets and get the cast from their current jobs in the end I don't see it happening from a kickstarter it would have to raise far more then veronica mars did. the only chance of stargate to happen would be if mgm decided to fund it I just cant see a kick starter working'


it would cost way more then 7mil cause of the sets

I don't really know of other ways where donations and studio funding can be linked safely to make a movie?

Well AoT and Continuum each cost $7mil. Does the $5mil figure for Rising include building all the sets?

This is why I estimated it about $5-7 million. And the fact that cast and crew would be returning to the franchise after (at least) a 4 year period might help reduce the cost a little, seeing as most of them are not working on something as big as what SGA was. But I guess that doesn't mean they aren't making as much.

I must admit, I am doubtful that a Stargate Atlantis: Extinction Kickstarter could make $7 million. But I do believe it could reach $3.5-$4.5.

[Falcon Horus]

Well AoT and Continuum each cost $7mil. Does the $5mil figure for Rising include building all the sets?

I would think the largest part of the budget, at least as far as Rising is concerned, is the special effects and CG-shots one would need. In the case of Rising the most expensive shot was the city rising from the ocean floor to the surface, and the surface shot itself. It shows too.

I imagine, the same would have been true for both SG1 films. The largest chunk of the money would have gone towards CG and VFX.

***

To answer the OP's question... No, I would never support a kickstarter project for SGA. At least, not if the current PTW are involved again. If someone new could tackle the ideas on the table with a new set of brains, then maybe. But not with the idiots that failed to deliver in the first place -- my opinion (and they know it).

[Thunderstorm]

You can't do a KickStarter unless you own the rights or get permission from the owner of the rights. (the later is what Veronica Mars did), so until MGM allows this there is nothing anyone can do other than to keep interest up.

[McAvoy]

The first two episodes of Atlantis cost 5 million dollars. I assume that includes the building of sets and props and so forth.

The term Kickstarter basically means doing something enough to get something to get a jump start on it. So if a project like this was done correctly and the project for example raised 5 to 7 million, then MGM could put relatively little money down as well. Like a 10 million dollar budget. It would also indicate to MGM that people are serious in getting an Atlantis movie out.

If the DVD and Blu Rays sell enough, then the second movie would be cheaper. That alone would have to seriously pounded into everyone's head. No downloading, no streaming and no torrents. Spend the 20 to 25 dollars for the movie.

Also, when it premieres on TV, have everyone watch it.

[handya]

even if the "Kickstarter" did not make enough money it could be just the boost the franchise needs, to show yes there are still fans out there...

if we want more stargate its up to the fans to show there is still a market for it

[Falcon Horus]

Actually, in the grand scheme of things the fans are not of interest. It's the casual viewers, and the ones that come back every episode (but don't necessarily go looking for more on the net) they are the ones that count the most. If fact, as far as a series would go, it's the US audience that is the most important of all. Direct-to-DVD would be more worldly.

Look at Serenity - the Firefly film - how many people actually went to see it who had never before heard of Firefly or maybe a little. It wasn't a box office success, because the audience was too small in comparison. Or at least that's what I think happened.

[handya]

yeah, you are probably right, so all thats left is hoping and praying for new Stargate?

[Falcon Horus]

yeah, you are probably right, so all thats left is hoping and praying for new Stargate?

Sure, if you want.

And there's always fanfic to turn to as well.

[McAvoy]

Actually, in the grand scheme of things the fans are not of interest. It's the casual viewers, and the ones that come back every episode (but don't necessarily go looking for more on the net) they are the ones that count the most. If fact, as far as a series would go, it's the US audience that is the most important of all. Direct-to-DVD would be more worldly.

Look at Serenity - the Firefly film - how many people actually went to see it who had never before heard of Firefly or maybe a little. It wasn't a box office success, because the audience was too small in comparison. Or at least that's what I think happened.

Yeah, that is exactly what happened with Serenity. I didn't even know about Firefly because the series came out while I was still in Boot Camp and the A-school. Never knew about the series until the movie came out.

[DrCam]

I've actually wondered why there hasn't been a kickstarter campaign for any of the SG series given the fanaticism of the fanbase. Yes, it would require the writers and MGM getting together again, but if they could raise 50% or more of the production costs from the viewers they would certainly be in a money making zone.

[Thunderstorm]

I've actually wondered why there hasn't been a kickstarter campaign for any of the SG series given the fanaticism of the fanbase. Yes, it would require the writers and MGM getting together again, but if they could raise 50% or more of the production costs from the viewers they would certainly be in a money making zone.

Because, as I stated above, to do Kickstarter you have to either own the rights or have permission from the owner and that's MGM and they haven't granted that.

Companies have been known to sit on the rights of a property for years and not do anything. Or buy the rights even though they aren't going to do anything just so someone else can't. Some years back Sony bought the rights to produce Farscape DVDs in the US and never did anything with it. So for several years the only way you could buy them was thru Ebay, etc and because of the limited supply they cost a fortune.