NCS in The USA
Moderator: Spectrum Strike Force
I have been thinking of getting an HD TV for a while but is it worth getting the TV, Dish Network for $50 a month to see the series in HD? What about recording in HD?
ARRGHH
Anyhow - I have emailed Voom with questions on what their audience is and what their numbers are - I mentioned that I was interested in the progress of this show and was just curious about it's airing and when it would happen. They might answer me.
So, the bottom line is that perhaps we can get a few thousand people interested in the series over here and maybe the DVD will follow at some point.
KP
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shadokp
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shadokp wrote:So, the bottom line is that perhaps we can get a few thousand people interested in the series over here...
About the same as the number of people in the UK who seem to know about it, then...
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shaqui
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I'm a little perplexed here. I don't think it means that, if you have Dish Network, you REALLY need to have a HD TV to actually see the show? Surely it would mean that the quality would not be as good if you have a 'regular' TV?
Correct me if I'm wrong.
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chrisbishop
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chrisbishop wrote:My sources didn't mention Nickelodeon, that's why I didn't mention it either.
I'm a little perplexed here. I don't think it means that, if you have Dish Network, you REALLY need to have a HD TV to actually see the show? Surely it would mean that the quality would not be as good if you have a 'regular' TV?
Correct me if I'm wrong.
That's my take on it as well, Chris. We don't have Dish, we have DirecTV, but both compete for viewership in my area. I've never seen any HD requirement for either service or any of the individual channels they offer. My guess would be that it will be AVAILABLE to Dish subscribers (at what subscription-package level I don't know, as it's not our service) but as you said the quality won't be as good.
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Mary
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Now I believe that if NCS is broadcast in HD, there is no way to view this on a non HD TV and receiver unless there are receivers that can downgrade the signal (If you want to watch a program that is available in HD, you must turn to a totally different channel and not the original one, even though they may be running the same program at once.) I did read about some way of downgrading to watch on standard TV
If one wanted to watch NCS in HD, one would have to buy an HD ready TV, a HD encoder, the satellite receiver and dish (may have the HD encoder or that may be included within the TV), a DVrecorder (to store programming on to view at another time) and the subscription to the correct package.
Currently, HD is very limited in the US and my guess is that is about the same in Canada and in the UK, it is starting to take off this year?? My current cable company only has a half dozen cable channels, even though many programs are broadcast in HD, it is up the the individual channel (local stations) to upgrade.
I was hoping to advertise and help promote the series in America by posting, articles and contacting local newspapers with the info but what is the point if there are only a dozen people in my city that even get this channel. I have no idea what sorts of numbers subscribe.
I was slightly dissappointed with the Nickelodeon rumor - thinking that would generate low viewing numbers. At least you could find the ratings and compare them to other like cable channels. With this development, the numbers will be so low.
KP
KP
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shadokp
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Well, it appears that Fanderson's announcement that Nickelodeon would handle the airing of the New Captain Scarlet was wrong and that instead the series will air on Animania HD, part of the Voom HD network.
KP, what is your source for this bit of information? If you are right, there's some strange things going on. Perhaps the Mysterons have got involved in trying to promote the series in the US.
Surely Fanderson would have been told about the Nickelodeon deal from reliable sources.
You are right about Dan Dare having aired on Animania. This happened in 2004. Check out http://forums.cgsociety.org/printthread.php?t=118570
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Lieutenant Green
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A correction and an update to the item on the website about the
overseas sales of New Captain Scarlet:
The series will be seen in Japan on Animax which is Sony's own
animation network. NCS's addition to the Animax Japan lineup
could well mean that the series will also soon be seen on
Animax in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, India,
Latin America and South Korea.
In the United States, the series will not be shown on
Nickelodeon after all. Instead it will be broadcast in High
Definition for the first time on Animania HD, one of the Voom HD
Networks.
Chris
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shadokp
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It may be that Sony failed to get a major Japanese broadcaster interested in buying the series, and therefore concluded, "Oh, well, if no one is interested in the series we might as well show it on our own network"
The same situation could have occurred in the States which led to them having to go down the Animania route.
This is similar to what happened to the Dan Dare CGI series a few years back. Sony had been assigned as distributors of the series, and must have failed to get a US broadcaster interested which led to them selling the series to Animania, albeit 3-4 years after the series had been completed.
The only way Sony can possible pull something out of this is for them to do a massive publicity campaign in the US and Japan in order to get the public aware of NCS. After all, they stand to make money out of it themselves, and so it is in their interests that they ensure that many viewers are aware of it. Perhaps if it proves successful on these channels, other broadcasters in both countries could then begin to show interest, as it is not unusual to have more than one channel showing the same series.
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Lieutenant Green
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My questions to you guys are "What should I include in this letter?" I am basically asking for info but want to emphasize the strengths of the series and sort of talk about its potential if promoted correctly. I don't want to come off as being an intense fan (Browncoat) but instead, in a professional manner, try to coax information on the mentality behind the series plan in America.
I am not expecting any answer but I figured I would try.
Am I going about this the wrong way?
Any ideas?
Want to see my rough draft??
My final question is about Sony - anyone know where I can find an e-mail for the promotions or customer service (I looked around and found a mailing address only). Should I just call them??
Thanks
Intense Fan KP
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shadokp
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I wouid encourage you to go ahead with your letter to Sony. You don't have to make the letter too long, but I would suggest you include the following;
1. Plans for the series after Animania (which you already plan to mention).
2. What plans, if any, for the promotion of the series on Animania?
3. Did they have difficulty getting other US broadcasters interested in buying the series, and if so why?
If you can't find an email address, just send them a letter in the post. You are more likely to get a response that way.
Might be an idea for us to see the draft before you send it.
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Lieutenant Green
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Maybe your letter will have more results than my e-mail to Granada... Maybe I should transfer this into a letter myself!
Keep us posted on whatever results you'll have.
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chrisbishop
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I plan on including my e-mail address and phone number but should I also include web site info for the new Skybase as well as this forum? I had given this forum info to Mark Sherwood by his request as I believe he wanted to see what people thought about the series and its handling but I don't beleive he ever joined. Should I at least mention it, perhaps if an open dialog occurs?
Thanks again
KP
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shadokp
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shaqui
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To Whom it may concern,
I am interested in finding out more information about the United States broadcast and distribution of a British made animated TV series called “The New Captain Scarlet.” This show came out in the U.K in 2005 and despite being under promoted and buried within a kid’s variety show on Saturday morning the series has managed to garner many positive reviews from people who have seen it. The first season of 13 episodes was released on DVD in the U.K, again, with little fanfare and sold a respectable amount of units. Having seen these episodes, I was pleasantly surprised to see that not only is the animation top notch and exciting to the eye, but that the stories are action packed and thrilling. I see a lot of potential for this series and feel that if promoted correctly and placed in the right schedule and channel, that people would watch this and enjoy it.
I have read that Sony Pictures Entertainment has the distribution rights in America and am excited at the possibilities of experiencing The New Captain Scarlet on TV and seeing the series develop a fan base in this country. I have also heard that the series will get limited distribution on a High Definition satellite channel Animania HD from the HD network of Voom. Do you have any information you can share with me about the distribution plans on this channel and what kinds of promotion is in the works? I am very curious in learning about The New Captain Scarlet and its impact on U.S. TV.
While it is great to hear that the series will receive an HD broadcast, I am wondering if there are plans for a more widespread distribution of the series to tap this potential. The U.K. broadcast was very limited and didn’t reach its full potential. Is the program too expensive or are companies afraid of promoting or picking up this series for some reason?
I have compared The New Captain Scarlet to the other underrated TV series, Firefly, which was not promoted and handled well on its initial run but gained a healthy new life on DVD and on a repeat showing a couple of years later. I feel that The New Captain Scarlet can achieve a renewed and better life in the States than it has received in the U.K. and was wondering if Sony felt the same way?
Thank you very much for your time in reading this letter and I look forward to further correspondence about The New Captain Scarlet TV series.
There - much better - I hope I don't forget to include the letter in the envelope!!!
KP
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shadokp
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I do think that it is a good idea to mention the Skybase website, as well as this forum. This would show Sony that there is already a worldwide fanbase who are interested in the series, some of whom have already seen it, whilst others are dying to see it but cannot do so (apart from via DVD Region 2) because the series has not yet reached their part of the world.
You might also want to add to the line in the third paragraph -
that it is scheduled for a repeat run in the UK from March on ITV's new Kids Channel, and that according to ITV it should be in a more family orientated timeslot.The U.K. broadcast was very limited and didn’t reach its full potential
Finally, I say 'Yes' to your suggestion about Mark Sherwood. I feel that you might as well throw-in all the necessary 'bombs' in the letter in order to hit the 'target'.
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Lieutenant Green
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