WB ORDERS FILMING OF NEW DS PILOT

[Mary]

Last week's chat with CEO of the Horror Channel at the creaturecorner's website, indicates that "We have been evaluating the original DS as a potential staple for our launch lineup". (Oct./2004)

He does not know too much about the new DS and the WB's plans on the pilot.
www.creature-corner.com/columns/chatnickpsaltos.php3

Thank you for posting that, Jimbo!  I found a couple of interesting things mentioned in the chat.  First of all, Cereal_Chiller (the Horror Channel guy) mentions he saw the filmmaker of the new DS in an elevator at Warner Brothers awhile back -- would that be Curtis or Wells?  Or the director?  Secondly, he's talking about acquiring older shows (like the original DS hopefully!) for programming and it sounds like the Horror Channel can't really afford new programming, so might be unable to afford the new DS if it was pitched to them?  Is that the way others of you are interpreting this or am I reading too much into it? 

[jimbo]

I agree with MB and you. I hope that the Horror Channel will be on most cable companies. I not even sure it will be on NY's various cable services. In any event it will be great for the Dark Shadows universe. Not sure how this may impact on the negotiations with Soapnet. Competition is a good thing here. lol
Not sure who he met. Could have been any of the three co-executives or Hogan. I assume the new DS will come up in the Horror Channel's discussions with DCP etc.... But I do not sxpect to see the new DS on that channel and as MB said it is just too expensive.
BTW I love this big print feature.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

the Horror Channel can't really afford new programming, so might be unable to afford the new DS if it was pitched to them?  Is that the way others of you are interpreting this or am I reading too much into it?

Yes. Using the Sci-Fi Channel as an example again, I think they were around for four or five years before they produced their first original programming. And at that I *think* the first thing they did was Mystery Science Theater 3000, which didn't exactly have high production values - but then, that was sort of the whole point of that show. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

This OT post has been moved to "Text Size In The Input Window & On Certain Buttons" on the Testing board.

[jimbo]

This OT post has been moved to "Text Size In The Input Window & On Certain Buttons" on the Testing board.

[Mary]

Not sure how this may impact on the negotiations with Soapnet. Competition is a good thing here. lol
I assume the new DS will come up in the Horror Channel's discussions with DCP etc.... But I do not sxpect to see the new DS on that channel and as MB said it is just too expensive.
BTW I love this big print feature.

Is soapnet still in negotiations for the original DS?  I thought I'd read awhile back (either here or in Shadowgram) that that they'd decided against it, but maybe I'm wrong.  If they still are, then, yes, the competition could be interesting!  LOL!  Thanks to both you and MB for your input on the financial issue about the Horror Channel and the new DS.  I had a feeling it would probably be too expensive for the new channel.  Oh well -- hopefully DC/WB is having luck selling it somewhere.  Wish we'd hear some news about it!  Any news about any luck anywhere, good or bad, would be good to know!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

hopefully DC/WB is having luck selling it somewhere.  Wish we'd hear some news about it!  Any news about any luck anywhere, good or bad, would be good to know!

Most likely we won't hear anything substantial unless someone picks it up, or until all avenues have been exhausted and there's no hope in sight...

[dom]

It's too bad that the financial issue could keep the WB pilot and series from debuting on the Horror Channel. It would be nice if the trend were to be a way of thinking, that a brand new show to launch the channel would be the best thing for it. Of course, on the other hand, I'd hate to know it was on TV and I (and scores of others, I presume) wouldn't be able to see it because of the HC not being picked up by all the cable companies (or mine in particular, lol). Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise at this point. It makes a lot of sense that a company wouldn't spend a lot of money before it even gets off the ground, not knowing whether it will even be successful or not.

Exciting news about the original series though!

[jimbo]

hopefully DC/WB is having luck selling it somewhere.  Wish we'd hear some news about it!  Any news about any luck anywhere, good or bad, would be good to know!

Most likely we won't hear anything substantial unless someone picks it up, or until all avenues have been exhausted and there's no hope in sight...

I just hope that the WBP has generated some interest from the networks. The silence is deafening. lol
Horror Channel news now at www.horror-web.com/news4/news.php

[Midnite]

who is Jordan Levin?

President of WB.  The network, not WB Television.

Apparently Jordan Levin and the WB have parted ways.  Variety is reporting that he was asked to take a reduced role and instead made the decision to leave.

Could his departure impact the fate of our show?

[Raineypark]

.......as in, now that he's gone, the new President might reconsider the series?  If only.......!!

[jimbo]

That is an excellent question Midnite. I think his departure can only help. Hope it is not too late. Thanks for posting the news.

[Gothick]

This is really weird. A friend of mine rang this morning and ask if I'd heard about TNWBDS.  I told him his news was old and outdated. He said he'd read about the show in a new issue of Star magazine (the tabloid) he purchased in the supermarket late last week.

I can only assume they got hold of a really old news release somewhere or other...

G.

[Mary]

.......as in, now that he's gone, the new President might reconsider the series?  If only.......!!

I just emailed the WB and asked them to reconsider it -- yeah, for all the good it'll probably do!  LOL!  Well, now that Levin's gone we can hope they'll at least think about it.

[Darren Gross]

I've posted a mini-update and editorial on the restoration site...Personally think the pilot is brilliant and totally underrated by the network.

Someone's got extreme myopia to miss the obvious quality in this pilot. It plays like a 41min feature and looks amazing visually. I love all the nuance and fresh approaches the new cast brings to it and the mind swells with possible intriguing directions the show can take and character layers it could probe...

If this thing does stay dead for TV, I cross my fingers that a studio like Lions Gate or Studio Canal will snatch it up, shoot another hr and turn it into a feature...

It's another case of an artistic film director delivering something amazing (like Mulholland Drive) and it getting quashed by narrow minded TV execs with little vision...

Remember Mulholland Drive got slammed and dropped by the network, never to air, but then was released as a feature and won best director at Cannes and was nominated for Academy Awards...

If only they'd shot the pilot as a 90min feature length pilot, a feature sale would be a given...