Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 12:11:51 -0400
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>
From: "Mike B." <omni at omniphile.com>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Enterprise - the end is nigh!
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>

At 10:47 AM 4/18/05 -0500, thaughey wrote:

>of the big budget SciFi series.  If it dies, who's likely to want to
>shell out two million per episode in the future for a really
>well-scripted show chocked full of expensive special effects?  --Tom Haughey

I think we are rapidly approaching the point where such things won't be
necessary...and neither will networks.

The advancing capabilities of home computers and animation software,
combined with things like motion capture systems and the ready availability
of people who like to act and are good at it, and the net for
sale/distribution, will make it possible to put out shows like Enterprise
at a fraction of the cost of today's shows, and those with the interest
will be able to do them at home, or nearly so.

When a camera cost $100,000 and you had to build sets, pay for pyrotechnics
and other special effects, hire stuntmen, and get the final product into
limited slots on the few outlet channels that existed, big powerful
networks were inevitable.

Now that a good camera costs under $5000 (or even a fraction of that), and
you can do sets and pyrotechnics and stunts in the computer (which costs
about as much as an engine overhaul in a typical car, even with the
software), and you've got much expanded numbers of distribution channels on
cable and satellite, not to mention the 'net, big powerful networks are
rapidly approaching obsolescence.

_Sky Captain_ showed how much you can do in the computer, and "405 The
Movie" showed what you can do in your spare time at home (anyone who hasn't
seen it, go watch it...it's flat out amazing what they managed with what
they had...i.e. no budget, spare time and home computer and video
equipment).  I think these are just the beginning.  It's the beginning of
the end for big studios IMHO.

I'm thinking that the next incarnation of the "fanzine" is going to be the
"fanshow" or even "fanseries"...though probably not with those names... ;-)

405 The Movie is at:  http://www.405themovie.com/  Watch the movie (about 3
minutes long) *before* you check out the rest of the site (which explains
how they made it).  There's more going on in the movie than you are likely
to notice without being told about it...

-- Mike B.
--
If you aren't living on the edge, you're taking up too much space.