Zeratul wrote:networks rarely care about popular shows. they only care about shows that have high "ratings". no matter that the rating system only measures a small fraction of the viewers.
Networks are businesses, they care about profit & loss, cost of production, advertising revenue, premium channel fees, premium rate phone lines for voting etc
Income relies on viewer numbers but greater profits can be made by shows cheap to produce, game shows, quizzes, talent shows etc are all very cheap to produce compared to shows that require quality writers, actors, special effects. So quality shows need to have far higher ratings to start with, and even if they increase in popularity, if the writers & actors want more money as they get more popular, the viewers expect higher quality effects/scenery/sets, the production cost goes up and the profits drop.
Bottom line, good shows get canceled because after they peak the profits drop.
Has anyone seen Pioneer One ? Or heard of / used VODO ?
http://vodo.net/pioneeroneI havent watched it yet but its meant to be a new sci fi series, one of several series available for download, only 4 episodes made so far and asking for donations to make the next 2 episodes
Could this be the new way to get great shows made ????
Spoiler quote from website, not a show spoiler
[spoiler]
The Pioneer One Team
In late January 2010, writer Josh Bernhard pitched his Untitled Mars Show idea to director Bracey Smith. In February, the pair quit their jobs and got down to work on the pilot episode of Pioneer One, finished by May with a budget of $6000. The enormous response to its release on VODO prompted them to continue producing the first season with viewer-donated support.
The Pioneer One team is based mostly in and around New York, NY. At its core is a group of filmmakers who met at the avant-garde cinema department at Binghamton University in Binghamton, NY. With P1, they’ve amassed an amazing group of talented performers and crew, all willing to work for free because of their belief in the project.
Where Is Your Money Going?
The P1 team are shaping up to finish this first season with a spectacular finale: two more episodes are scheduled to start shooting in May. Post-production will continue through summer of 2011.
The completion of Pioneer One, Season One will be a milestone for VODO and a milestone for original content distributed through BitTorrent. We hope you’ll help us conclude this groundbreaking first season. There are some great rewards, including credits in upcoming episodes. Remember, this show depends on your support!
How we will spend the money:
Transportation/Travel (gas, tolls, car/van/truck rental, plane tickets)
$5,000
Food for cast and crew
$4,000
Hair/Make-Up
$750
Wardrobe
$1,250
Props/Set Construction
$5,000
Accommodations (for location shooting more than one day)
$4,500
Office/Studio Space + utilities
$7,500
Equipment Rental
$12,000
Web development & marketing
$3,000
Post-Production (hard drives, studio time, audio mastering, color correction)
$15,000
Location/Legal Fees
$2,000
Total $60,000
(These costs are based on our past expenses, plus additional expenses for time/equipment that were donated previously. This leaves no room for emergency money and other miscellaneous costs. So the more you give the better the show will be!)
[/spoiler]