SGU Kickstarter?

[min min light]

To you it might just look like a few bits of wood painted black that form the walls on destiny. The the people that made it, it's a huge wooden structure with multiple floors that also has to be certified as safe. Then you have to remember that someone had to design it, etc, etc. It's a huge task to build a set like that.

Ok thanks. I know it's more than a few bits of painted wood, I just wondered why it's so very expensive when so much of it doesn't seem to be all that technical. Stickers can be printed out, regular companies manage to buy uniforms for (say) baseball teams without spending 20 million, architects design everything on paper first and yet they manage to build houses for under 20 million, and so on. I would love to see an actual expense sheet. Just out of curiosity.

[alfredodedarc]

Glad to see the thoughtful responses here. My thinking was along the lines of a single 2 hour movie to finish the series, but the cost of the sets alone would probably preclude any possibility of bringing the series to a satisfying conclusion.
SGU didn't work because it wasn't very much fun- which its predecessors were, in spades. The other two were frequently humorous and didn't take themselves all that seriously. There was always wink and nod factor, acknowledging that they knew where the 4th wall was.
I Would prefer an SDG1 movie or an Atlantis movie, given my druthers ....

[Calluna]

I would love to see an actual expense sheet. Just out of curiosity.

Well SG1 movies cost around $7m when they had many of the sets still standing and the actors ready to shoot as soon as "Unending" was finished. It's not just about the actually hightech sets but CGI and all the other expenses of an action adventure series with a large cast, most of whom have moved on. There was a reason Brad Wright once boasted that he finally got a good budget out of Syfy for their game changer show.

From the way Kickstarter generally works, the initiative has to come from the writers/producers and in this case with the studio and other legally interested parties on board, it won't be a good launch for fan campaigns without any legal agreements in place.

I'm still a little sceptical that any expensive show could be sustained without studio or pseudo studio ala Netflix backing, even if it had initial support and enthusiasm. The original Sanctuary webisodes had crowd sourced funding but it soon turned out that even big fans were watching it for free rather than official, which is why they ended up moving to Syfy.

Smaller scale projects like webisodes are more plausible, but is it worth it for the storyline they'd be able to produce?

[Energizer_Vs_ZPM]

I'd forget SGU and concentrate on a new series that loosely links up with the other 3 to avoid having expensive actors.

But what new direction is there for the SG franchise to go in? - We've done the gate exploring in SG-1. We've done the Ancient tech salvaging and finding the ultimately cool source of Ancient tech designs and the ultimately cool spaceship in Atlantis. We've finally solved the 9th chevron in SGU. Unless we go back in time to the Ancients themselves (which I suggested a while back tying in with Destiny being sent back in time) then I don't see another direction that the SG franchise could take.

Approach the studio and ask how much money do you want for the legal permission to create a new series.

I doubt they'd even take us fans seriously. If someone like Bill Gates approached them he'd have their immediate attention but us little people won't even get the phone answered.

unless there is some hidden agenda to kill it off and then reboot.

I did wonder if this 3 year crossing was actually being faked in order to actually bring it back in 3 years. Sadly though after seeing so many props up on ebay including the captains chair from destinys bridge, I think the SG franchise is most definitely dust as far as MGM are concerned.

Use Kickstarter to finance a pilot episode.

You make that sound so easy! I really wish it were.

whilst getting Stargate fans to write in and say they want to see it.

Thats the next big problem. How many in reality would write in? Sure, the hardcore fans will write a few letters and that might turn into a few hundred letters but you won't get that many. It's weird really isn't it... in the days before email and the internet people would take the time to write a letter on paper and send it somewhere to make a moral point despite the time it took to do so. I remember years ago TV stations used to get sack after sack of postal mail from viewers. Now we have email which is almost instantaneous bar the time it takes to write it, very few people want to bother writing in mass numbers about anything.

Also release later as a DVD and on the web with advertising supported viewing. Get this; advertising means every time a fan watches it for free it makes money. Result!!

Yes but the trouble with online revenue is it's typically only a few pence per viewer / click. I can't see it adding up to the millions needed to finance a new show.

Everybody gets what they want.

Unfortunately in the real world it may prove harder to organise. RIP Stargate

I wish we did get it.. I really do. Sadly I don't think it will ever happen in the next decade. Leave it 15 - 20 years and MGM might decide to blow the dust off the SGU plot and think about promoting it again like the BBC did with Dr Who.

[Snowman37]

I'd rather donate money to the needy, a church, or Trinity Broadcast Network. Sorry, folks.

[min min light]

It's not just about the actually hightech sets but CGI and all the other expenses of an action adventure series with a large cast, most of whom have moved on.

Oh I know, I only mentioned the set costs because of this:

2 million would not do anything. I read somewhere that the sets for destiny alone cost something like $20million to build.

And I don't think there's any way they'd raise enough money for another season of SGU, but it would be nice to get a series finale/movie. (Even an animated one. Hell, even done with crayons.)

David Blue has stated he's on board for any followup, and Robert Carlyle had time to be in a movie last year so I'm sure they could work around his schedule if he was willing to do it. But since it's SGU, it would be easy to explain both the time lapse and anyone who couldn't come back - that's one big advantage SGU has. They have got a built-in explanation for that.

I know it won't happen, but it won't happen because the people who would need to get it rolling won't do it - not because it's impossible.

[Snowman37]

Honestly, the ship has sailed. The time to do a movie was before the sets were torn down. At least we got 40 episodes.

[Energizer_Vs_ZPM]

At least we got 40 episodes.

Suddenly you're a fan eh?

[min min light]

I wonder, would anyone else pay to just have the script? Because I would. I just want to know how it ends, they don't even have to actually make the movie.

[Skydiver]

It has no chance at all because MGM owns Stargate and all its incarnations and they won't let anyone do anything with it.

Also, mod hat on, there is no tolerance at all for money making schemes, including kickstarters due to the extreme likelyhood of scams. So don't go posting ANY links here if someone gets a wild idea about starting something.

[python490]

MGM own's the rights but in general this could be good for the future of Sci-fi get it out of the hands of people who don't care about it (networks in general) and let independent artists do original work. I had said year a go or so on this forum that Kickstarter could be an avenue to get funding for small tv projects/web series and it looks like I was right. Maybe the networks will start listening to the public and not get rid of shows people actually like(Fox I am looking at you) Firefly.

[Snowman37]

Suddenly you're a fan eh?

Sort of... I was turned off by the opening episodes back in 2009. Realizing there may never be another production, I've decided to run with SGU for better or worse. Right now, I'm enjoying about half the episodes. They're either really good or really bad. I'm half way through the first season. Fan? No... but I am finding the show entertaining.

[min min light]

Also, mod hat on, there is no tolerance at all for money making schemes, including kickstarters due to the extreme likelyhood of scams. So don't go posting ANY links here if someone gets a wild idea about starting something.

God, I wouldn't even dream of it. We were talking about kickstarters, I didn't mean would someone pay me. Or that I would start one.

Hell, delete the post - I can't see any way of fixing it.

[Bagpuss]

Pretty sure Sky was making a "To the topic" post,so no need to worry.

[Gatefan1976]

I'd rather donate money to the needy, a church, or Trinity Broadcast Network. Sorry, folks.

The church and broadcast networks are such a NEEDY organizations.