Post by Meleena on Nov 14, 2013 2:45:42 GMT 10
Okay, this is a big one. Please read this carefully and let us know your opinions.
It's a subject the entire Blue Project team think about and discuss every single day we're online. And with good reason. The official launch of the project is only such when we release the first real info about the pilot episode 1x01 "Revive". So far, all you have is a name. But we have so much more. We have the press release, as well as the episode promo, and the theme song for the first season. It's unreleased, but we have it all. In fact, so far we already have promos made for half the season!
For a while, we tried to work out what to tell you all. As in, should we give you a date for the release and hope we make it in time? I personally thought it wouldn't be a good idea, to get your hopes up on preparing for a date we may have to extend a few weeks. We're handling this project like a real show, but the difference is YOU. We want this to work not for ratings, TV fame, or to please a network. As in, we don't have to worry about budget, actors, ratings, and so on that come with on-screen TV shows. We only have to worry about you. We dedicate ourselves to this project for the shows, for the cast and crew, and for the fans.
That is why I've created this long post.
Because, honestly, I'm not entirely sure. The plan we currently have is to see how long one episode takes to create and work out a timeline from that. We have the oulines for every episode in this entire season - this includes the title, case plot, character plots, centered character, sub-plots, location, first and last scenes, and so on. One at a time, we then plan the scenes. So, for episode one we have all the scenes mapped out and have begun writing. We're making excellent progress and having a lot of fun with it. That's not the issue. The issue is we won't release episode 1 until we have at least episodes 1 to 3 complete and ready. The shows do it, and so are we - it's a good plan. But, it makes it hard to work out when the project will be launched. This is where you come in.
So, I have several questions to pose:
Issue #1 - Is December a bad time?
We must have 3 episodes completed and ready for release before we launch the project; if we achieve that by or during December, would it be bad timing? It's the final month of the year, but also so very busy. It's about family, with Christmas and New Years. It could be a very inconvenient time to launch a brand new series. Do you agree? Or do you disagree?
Would you rather wait for January? A new year, a fresh start, and a brand new show/fanfiction that's going to be around for the long haul? If we finish the 3 episodes in December, we will keep writing when we can so we may be even more ahead by then. If that's the case, the project will probably be launched in the first few days of January. Would this work better for you? Or would you rather we release it the moment we're ready (first 3 eps complete), regardless of timing?
Issue #2 - Releasing information
It has always been that the episode press release and promo are released approximately a week before the actual episode airs. This will apply to NCIS: Blue, except for the very first episode. We plan to release it 2 weeks prior, rather than 1.
The question is, are you happy with that? As the above theorises, let's say we release the show in January and yet we're all ready in say mid-December. Would would like the promo etc to be released in the last week of December, or...When is too soon? NCIS: LA was announced and given its backdoor pilot in August, but it was another month before the show itself came about. This isn't a season premiere, it's a series launch. Would you like to have a month or more to discuss and theorise about the first episode? As in, would you honestly want us to release the press release very very soon? This means a spoilers/theories thread in the Scuttlebutt section for you all to converse about what you might expect, what you think it will involve, and so on like all other episodes - except, you'll have a lot more time to do so.
We will still wait with the promo, which will provide a bit more, but would you like to start discussing the series launch ahead of time? And by that, I mean it could be a month and a half before the episode is released. Do you want the press release now, then wait as usual for the promo, or would you rather the press release to come out with the promo? The sooner it is to the episode the more hype it can create, but we'll let you be the judge of that. Tell us what you think, and would prefer.
Issue #3 - Sneak Peeks
We decided from the very start that this was not going to happen.
We will not be releasing any portions of any episode ahead of time - zero exceptions! We have press releases, titles, promos, and such, but not sneak peeks. However, I think there should be something else. Something that we can use give you a few little hints or something to add to the hype and intrigue, without giving too much away, but what? Do you have any ideas? It can't be a video, and it can't be the releasing of any direct material from the episode.
I had one idea, what about a Q&A? As in, we create a board for members to ask a bunch of questions. The project team will pick say 3 or 5 or whatever for me to answer. Sort of like a short interview per episode. Being selective, we can choose how to handle the questions and what to reveal. It will be clearly marked for those not wanting to be spoiled, but we won't give too much away - enough for anti-spoiler people to steer clear, but not enough to ruin anything. This will be things like "What is Deeks going through this episode?" or "Will they talk about what happened in the last episode?" - general things like that. Those burning questions you want to know. As Project Manger I'll be the one to submit them, likely a day or two before the episode is released, much like the sneak peeks are.
--
There are some more things I'd like to hear opinions about, but for now I'll leave it at these three. What comes of this will depend on the responses we get. We will work out any issues we come across as we have been since the project was created - that's not what this is about. We're not asking for solutions, merely wondering what you think. What would you prefer? When we know what you want, expect, or think is best, we can then work out which options we might have been over-thinking, and which options you think would work better for you. It would make everything less stressful for us, and help reduce the huge range of possibilities we now have.
There is no right or wrong answer here; we just want to hear your opinions on those three matters. Be honest, and please don't think only of how soon you get to read the episodes. Think of this like a show, not a fanfiction. After all, all great adventures aren't about the destination, but the roads that lead us there; the journey.
After a week, the project team will select one member (who replied to this thread and shared their opinions in detail) for a special reward. This will involve the series - it will give that one member something every fan wants for the actual shows...It's the chance to influence something. We will let that member pick a name, a place, a sentence, an object, an action - something he/she would like to see in an episode. Don't worry, it will be within reason and only if we believe it fits. But we promise, if it suits and is fair, we will put it in an episode this season.
So, share away! What are your opinions on those 3 issues?
It's a subject the entire Blue Project team think about and discuss every single day we're online. And with good reason. The official launch of the project is only such when we release the first real info about the pilot episode 1x01 "Revive". So far, all you have is a name. But we have so much more. We have the press release, as well as the episode promo, and the theme song for the first season. It's unreleased, but we have it all. In fact, so far we already have promos made for half the season!
For a while, we tried to work out what to tell you all. As in, should we give you a date for the release and hope we make it in time? I personally thought it wouldn't be a good idea, to get your hopes up on preparing for a date we may have to extend a few weeks. We're handling this project like a real show, but the difference is YOU. We want this to work not for ratings, TV fame, or to please a network. As in, we don't have to worry about budget, actors, ratings, and so on that come with on-screen TV shows. We only have to worry about you. We dedicate ourselves to this project for the shows, for the cast and crew, and for the fans.
That is why I've created this long post.
Because, honestly, I'm not entirely sure. The plan we currently have is to see how long one episode takes to create and work out a timeline from that. We have the oulines for every episode in this entire season - this includes the title, case plot, character plots, centered character, sub-plots, location, first and last scenes, and so on. One at a time, we then plan the scenes. So, for episode one we have all the scenes mapped out and have begun writing. We're making excellent progress and having a lot of fun with it. That's not the issue. The issue is we won't release episode 1 until we have at least episodes 1 to 3 complete and ready. The shows do it, and so are we - it's a good plan. But, it makes it hard to work out when the project will be launched. This is where you come in.
So, I have several questions to pose:
Issue #1 - Is December a bad time?
We must have 3 episodes completed and ready for release before we launch the project; if we achieve that by or during December, would it be bad timing? It's the final month of the year, but also so very busy. It's about family, with Christmas and New Years. It could be a very inconvenient time to launch a brand new series. Do you agree? Or do you disagree?
Would you rather wait for January? A new year, a fresh start, and a brand new show/fanfiction that's going to be around for the long haul? If we finish the 3 episodes in December, we will keep writing when we can so we may be even more ahead by then. If that's the case, the project will probably be launched in the first few days of January. Would this work better for you? Or would you rather we release it the moment we're ready (first 3 eps complete), regardless of timing?
Issue #2 - Releasing information
It has always been that the episode press release and promo are released approximately a week before the actual episode airs. This will apply to NCIS: Blue, except for the very first episode. We plan to release it 2 weeks prior, rather than 1.
The question is, are you happy with that? As the above theorises, let's say we release the show in January and yet we're all ready in say mid-December. Would would like the promo etc to be released in the last week of December, or...When is too soon? NCIS: LA was announced and given its backdoor pilot in August, but it was another month before the show itself came about. This isn't a season premiere, it's a series launch. Would you like to have a month or more to discuss and theorise about the first episode? As in, would you honestly want us to release the press release very very soon? This means a spoilers/theories thread in the Scuttlebutt section for you all to converse about what you might expect, what you think it will involve, and so on like all other episodes - except, you'll have a lot more time to do so.
We will still wait with the promo, which will provide a bit more, but would you like to start discussing the series launch ahead of time? And by that, I mean it could be a month and a half before the episode is released. Do you want the press release now, then wait as usual for the promo, or would you rather the press release to come out with the promo? The sooner it is to the episode the more hype it can create, but we'll let you be the judge of that. Tell us what you think, and would prefer.
Issue #3 - Sneak Peeks
We decided from the very start that this was not going to happen.
We will not be releasing any portions of any episode ahead of time - zero exceptions! We have press releases, titles, promos, and such, but not sneak peeks. However, I think there should be something else. Something that we can use give you a few little hints or something to add to the hype and intrigue, without giving too much away, but what? Do you have any ideas? It can't be a video, and it can't be the releasing of any direct material from the episode.
I had one idea, what about a Q&A? As in, we create a board for members to ask a bunch of questions. The project team will pick say 3 or 5 or whatever for me to answer. Sort of like a short interview per episode. Being selective, we can choose how to handle the questions and what to reveal. It will be clearly marked for those not wanting to be spoiled, but we won't give too much away - enough for anti-spoiler people to steer clear, but not enough to ruin anything. This will be things like "What is Deeks going through this episode?" or "Will they talk about what happened in the last episode?" - general things like that. Those burning questions you want to know. As Project Manger I'll be the one to submit them, likely a day or two before the episode is released, much like the sneak peeks are.
--
There are some more things I'd like to hear opinions about, but for now I'll leave it at these three. What comes of this will depend on the responses we get. We will work out any issues we come across as we have been since the project was created - that's not what this is about. We're not asking for solutions, merely wondering what you think. What would you prefer? When we know what you want, expect, or think is best, we can then work out which options we might have been over-thinking, and which options you think would work better for you. It would make everything less stressful for us, and help reduce the huge range of possibilities we now have.
There is no right or wrong answer here; we just want to hear your opinions on those three matters. Be honest, and please don't think only of how soon you get to read the episodes. Think of this like a show, not a fanfiction. After all, all great adventures aren't about the destination, but the roads that lead us there; the journey.
After a week, the project team will select one member (who replied to this thread and shared their opinions in detail) for a special reward. This will involve the series - it will give that one member something every fan wants for the actual shows...It's the chance to influence something. We will let that member pick a name, a place, a sentence, an object, an action - something he/she would like to see in an episode. Don't worry, it will be within reason and only if we believe it fits. But we promise, if it suits and is fair, we will put it in an episode this season.
So, share away! What are your opinions on those 3 issues?
Besides, some teasers will feature a character. It all depends, I mean, there are episodes that are more centered on a character and then those more case-related.
