It's time, Marshmallows

Here's a little secret about how things run at Part Time Authors. See, even though all the other guys are WAY better writers than me, I function as sort of the manager of the site. I don't know how or why that happened. Probably because I am the most bossy. Also because, as I said, all the other guys are better writers than me and I want them to have a reason to keep me around (I have the password to the email.)

Part of my job as manager is picking our bi-weekly themes that we use to ease the burden of having to come up with a topic every week. This week, I picked "Pioneers" because it's Pioneer Day in Utah, and we are nothing if not a bunch of Utah-living guys. I thought certainly the topic would be interpreted loosely and creatively, like maybe in your family whenever you sing "They, The Builders of the Nation" in church at the end when the line says "Blessed, Honored Pioneer" you alternately sing either "Liar, traitor Pioneer" or "Fresh Raspberry Pie-oneer" because it makes you giggle. (Wait, that's only my family? OK.) But then everyone went and wrote REAL, INSPIRING stories about ACTUAL pioneer ancestors. Their stories were touching and amazing and inspiring and lovely. So now I am not sure why I picked this theme. Maybe I should choose themes that I actually have something to write about.

So, instead of an inspiring post about pioneers, I am leaving you with something I can't stop thinking about. As I have mentioned before I have an undying love of a little TV show from the early aughts called Veronica Mars. And I helped fund a kickstarters to help make that TV show into a movie. And so did 1 billion other people. So now, the movie is happening and this week the trailer was debuted at Comic Con in San Diego. Please do enjoy:

I mean, COME ON! Are you dying? I have watched this about 100 times so far. It's just too great. And you better believe that my wife and I will be at this movie on opening night, dressed in Veronica Mars costumes (Or maybe just T-Shirts.) And if you have never seen Veronica Mars, it's not too late. Get the DVDs from Netflix, have a marathon and get ready for the movie. You're welcome.

Blah, blah, blah, pioneer legacy. Blah, blah, blah, ancestors. Blessed, honored, pioneer.

Let's Go Back to Neptune

I love TV. A great, great deal. And I watch a lot of shows. Some are fun, but come and go. And some are the Great Ones. Those TV shows that change the TV landscape and that you think about for years to come: Friday Night Lights, Felicity, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The West Wing, and Veronica Mars.

That's right, Veronica Mars. In case you missed the news today, this canceled TV show that went off the air 7 years ago just made over $2 million dollars in less than 8 hours all from fans. Let me break it down for you:

• Veronica Mars was a TV show on the CW that lasted 3 seasons and then was unjustly and untimely-ly canceled.
• There was talk of making a movie but of course it didn't happen, because it NEVER happens (Serenity being the one exception.) 
• We moved on with our lives.
• Today, Rob Thomas, the shows creator launched a Kickstarter campaign. Essentially, he had gotten the major stars to agree to the movie but lacked the funding because big movie studios don't typically want to put the money down for a movie based on a TV show that had low ratings and was canceled.
• The fan's, excited by the prospect of not only a movie, but cool swag like signed posters and t-shirts, rallied and the movie met it's funding goal of $2 million in about 8 hours. (And the money is rolling in.) 
• Next year, there will be a Veronica Mars movie, and I am thrilled.

Here's the Kickstarter video and if you are a VM fan you will be filled with glee. (Warning: Adult language. Don't watch withe the kiddies!)

Not only is this amazing because I get to see all my old friends from Neptune, California again. (Veronica! Logan! Keith Mars! The Piz! Dick! Weevil! Wallace!! Mac!!) but it kinda might change the face of the TV/ Movie industry.

Whenever a culty TV show gets the can, the fans panic and there is always talk of the show being made into a movie or moving to another network. And it almost never happens. When Buffy the Vampire Slayerwas canceled there was talk of a movie, even though that TV show was based on a movie. And no one backed it.

But a few years ago when NBC canceled Friday Night Lights it was picked up by DirectTV and lasted another couple of seasons. And the fans rejoiced. But it seemed like kind of a weird fluke. And then Arrested Development was canceled far too soon. And suddenly Netflix stepped in and it is coming back. Soon. And now this - a show that ended 7 years ago still resonates with fans enough that it raised $2 million in less time than it takes me to work a shift at Old Navy.

I think my friend Daryn (who is a filmmaker) said it best:

This is kind of genius. Made a show with devoted fans? Get the fans to pay for the movie by giving them fan stuff. Unlike investors, who would expect to make money on the money they invest in the movie, the fans get the movie and the geek stuff. The filmmakers get paid and keep all the profits. Everybody wins. Especially the filmmakers. 

 And it feel like this is changing in a lot of creative endeavors. While the studios (and the publishers and the music moguls) still have most of the power, that power is shifting slightly. If you want to make a movie, get your fans to pay for it. If you want to release an album, put it online. If you write a book, self-publish. We are taking the power away from the gatekeepers and putting it in the hands of the artists and creators. And I think it is pretty awesome. And I hope you all do too when I am begging you to buy my self-published novel or back Patrick's Kickstarter to get his play produced. If Veronica Mars can do it, why can't we?