Grey Bard (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} grey_bard) wrote,@ 2008-07-07 00:46:00 |
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Open letter to Paramount
Dear Paramount,
So. You have made the *brilliant* business decision that what you *really* needed to do to sell more Star Trek: the Original Series dvds and syndication rights is to spend squillionty dollars converting all the lovely period effects into state of the art boring CGI.
(I know this has been going on for the past two years, but work with me here, I just saw how much you're charging for the remastered dvds, and how boring your shiny new remastered versions look.)
Yes. That is a good use of squillionty dollars. In no way will you lose money on that. Good luck on *that* one.
Now, to be fair, unlike Star Wars, you aren't changing any character actions or plot - no guns into flashlights, added new scenes proving Spock is actually secretly a replicant, etcetera. Good call there!
However you could have gone a step further and just CGIed... Nothing.
I'm not just saying this as a fan. I'm saying this as someone who has seen many people lose giant piles of money doing obviously stupid things. And in that capacity I say... Captain! There appears to be an idiotic idea in sensor range!
Here's why:
A) Do you really think that anyone who hasn't bought Star Trek dvds has held off because it lacked CGI?
Hahahah. No.
How about making them less absurdly overpriced? Paramount is not starving, and dvds are physically cheap. Stop charging $70 a season, when other shows are $40 - $20 a season.
I know that's why I haven't bought them. Now, I understand it's your show, your dvds, and you can charge whatever you think the market will bear. But if you feel something needs to be changed to attract more buyers, price might be a good place to start.
B) Why, exactly, do people buy original Star Trek? Why do they like it? What have people loved about it for over forty years? Is it for the CGI?
Oh wait! CGI wasn't invented.
Clearly, the gigantic audience of obsessive fans are obsessed for some other reason.
C) Adding a lot of CGI will not make the show "Less dated". Sorry.
Not while they're all wearing 60's makeup, and keep meeting Misguided Star Hippies.
Also, we all know Shatner is an old guy now. We're okay with that! Really!
Finally, Paramount, do you really think that the number of people who will go "Well hell. Now I'm going to have to buy the whole dvd set again!" will be enough to pay for the squillionty dollars you spent on boring brown state of the art CGI?
Really?
I mean, there are some completists out there, but honestly.
Maybe I am wrong about your financial models, Paramount. Maybe you really do know something I don't. But frankly, this strikes me as a silly idea driven by a kneejerk need to "fix" things that aren't broken.
Oh, except the dvd set prices. Feel free to fix those.
No love,
Me
Dear Paramount,
So. You have made the *brilliant* business decision that what you *really* needed to do to sell more Star Trek: the Original Series dvds and syndication rights is to spend squillionty dollars converting all the lovely period effects into state of the art boring CGI.
(I know this has been going on for the past two years, but work with me here, I just saw how much you're charging for the remastered dvds, and how boring your shiny new remastered versions look.)
Yes. That is a good use of squillionty dollars. In no way will you lose money on that. Good luck on *that* one.
Now, to be fair, unlike Star Wars, you aren't changing any character actions or plot - no guns into flashlights, added new scenes proving Spock is actually secretly a replicant, etcetera. Good call there!
However you could have gone a step further and just CGIed... Nothing.
I'm not just saying this as a fan. I'm saying this as someone who has seen many people lose giant piles of money doing obviously stupid things. And in that capacity I say... Captain! There appears to be an idiotic idea in sensor range!
Here's why:
A) Do you really think that anyone who hasn't bought Star Trek dvds has held off because it lacked CGI?
Hahahah. No.
How about making them less absurdly overpriced? Paramount is not starving, and dvds are physically cheap. Stop charging $70 a season, when other shows are $40 - $20 a season.
I know that's why I haven't bought them. Now, I understand it's your show, your dvds, and you can charge whatever you think the market will bear. But if you feel something needs to be changed to attract more buyers, price might be a good place to start.
B) Why, exactly, do people buy original Star Trek? Why do they like it? What have people loved about it for over forty years? Is it for the CGI?
Oh wait! CGI wasn't invented.
Clearly, the gigantic audience of obsessive fans are obsessed for some other reason.
C) Adding a lot of CGI will not make the show "Less dated". Sorry.
Not while they're all wearing 60's makeup, and keep meeting Misguided Star Hippies.
Also, we all know Shatner is an old guy now. We're okay with that! Really!
Finally, Paramount, do you really think that the number of people who will go "Well hell. Now I'm going to have to buy the whole dvd set again!" will be enough to pay for the squillionty dollars you spent on boring brown state of the art CGI?
Really?
I mean, there are some completists out there, but honestly.
Maybe I am wrong about your financial models, Paramount. Maybe you really do know something I don't. But frankly, this strikes me as a silly idea driven by a kneejerk need to "fix" things that aren't broken.
Oh, except the dvd set prices. Feel free to fix those.
No love,
Me
