Bad Feelings About the Fan Club Script Offerings

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: Neil Ottenstein <otten at my-deja.com>
Date: 29 Aug 1999 17:39:25 -0600
Lines: 46

Looking at the B5 Fan Club web page today I have a bad feeling inside.
What disturbs me are the new script items and especially the words
"Note: This script is a replica of an authentic, internal document and
will be presented to the consumer just as it would appear in the hands
of our cast and crew."

There were similar words with the Crusade Bible.  The information that
we got in the Crusade Bible was nice to have and being such a fan I
couldn't pass it up, but seriously, the package looked like something
I'd pay $7 or so for and still feel that I wasn't completely getting my
money's worth.  On top of that, due to the price, we paid $4 shipping
and it was just slapped into a priority mail envelope (no cost for the
envelope, $3 for postage) and sent off without any protective cardboard
or anything.  Also, it seemed available to anyone stopping at the web-
site, irrespective of fan club membership and had no fan club discount.

Now, scripts are going to be sold.  The first is $25 and it has this
note which from the example of the Crusade Bible would seem to be
something just photocopied with a red stamp put on the front page.  To
put this in one perspective, I have The Art of Star Wars which is full
of illustrations, nicely packaged and has the full script to the first
Star Wars movie all for $18.  Another perspective is Star Wars - The
Annotated Screenplays.  All three movies with loads of annotations in a
paperback for $12.95.  A third perspective is the annotated script for
Neil Gaiman's Day of the Dead.  All proceeds go to charity and it costs
only $12.95.  It has annotations, has a nice front and back cover, and
is perfect bound.  It is still a bit pricey for what's there, but it
helps out the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

My ideal presentation for a script of "The Gathering" would have
developmental illustrations, a history behind the beginning of the
show, lots of annotations discussing the two different televised
versions, and a good number of photos.

Of course, what is being offered are cheaply produced expensive
"collectors items."  It really gives me a bad feeling and I hope more
thought will go into this.

Thanks,

Neil


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Share what you know. Learn what you don't.


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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 29 Aug 1999 22:57:42 -0600
Lines: 29

>Of course, what is being offered are cheaply produced expensive
>"collectors items."  It really gives me a bad feeling and I hope more
>thought will go into this.
>

There's several differences.  You're getting the acutal physical *script*, not
a published version OF a script, the real deal.  

Second, the Art of Star Wars published several hundred thousand copies of that
script; collector's value is zero.  We will be putting out, at most, a few
hundred copies of each one.  The rarer something is, the more it costs, and the
greater its value.

Third, the $25 price ($20 for an episode) is equal to or less than what is
charged by script houses.

Fouth, unlike these script houses that copy scripts unlawfully and never pay a
dime to the author or the studio, all the B5 authors whose scripts we publish,
like Larry or David or DC or others, will get a 10% commission on the sales.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com




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