Buffy Sing-A-Long SHUT DOWN!!

[gorn]

It's a very, very sad day ...

http://uncoolkids.com/buffy/

I've heard so many good things about this and was planning to go the end of November, but it looks like it's not going to happen now. Please check out the above site and sign the petition. We really need to bring this back.

[taralicious]

I signed the petition.
They can take our OMWF but they can never take our freedom.
No wait, sorry, that's "Braveheart" but still...

[jessicamelusine]

Signed petition too...I can't believe this, I just got the sad email from the Avalon in DC. Here's hoping things go well and I'll pass along anything if I hear it.

(is it time for DIY singalongs a la the Whos in Whoville if this keeps up? Hell, I'll sing.)

[WebWarlock]

And these people are suprised???

Anyone actually READ the FBI warnings on videos? They are lucky that Fox didn't come in and sue them all to high hell and then demand some form of back pay.

Tim

[Devi Crystalseeker]

Doesn't mean it isn't sad. So much for my dream of one day organising a singalong in my vicinity. :( Haven't those Fox people heard of "free advertising"?

[kisstheviolets]

And these people are suprised???

Anyone actually READ the FBI warnings on videos? They are lucky that Fox didn't come in and sue them all to high hell and then demand some form of back pay.

Tim

They actually had permission to screen the episodes and paid fees for the rights, I believe. The company that licenses them from Fox has pulled all authorizations on this and other Whedon related screenings while they work out new licensing agreements. Maybe you should get your facts straight before you run your mouth.

I saw one of the original shows in Boston and it was amazing. I'm sure the companies will work things out (though we'll probably end up paying a higher ticket price, I'm sure) and the show will go on. Do yourself a favor and check it out when that times comes. It's so much fun.

[Ben Varkentine]

I have absolutely no inside information so this is only a guess. But it wouldn't surprise me if this had something to do with the strike or strikes that many people feel are coming in the entertainment business. As I understand it, payment for screenings, etc in other mediums such as this is one of the key issues.

Maybe this is something Fox is doing to show (or be seen to be showing) good faith with the writers and others. Who feel-quite rightly, in my opinion-that they should be paid when their work is screened in venues other than that for which they were first paid.

BTW, according to E! News, kisstheviolets seems to be correct:

http://tinyurl.com/2w88xv

[Hemiola]

Surprise! This is actually a big enough story to be a featured item on the 22-minute cycle of my local 24-hour newsradio channel (WINS--it's owned by Viacom). They even played a few snippets from the show!

They pointed out that it is in fact 20th Cent. Fox that shut the screenings down. I can't believe that they won't surface again, since:

1) This provides activity for a basically moribund product, which serves to keep it in the public mind which must be in Fox's interest and...
2) It brings in a little bit of cash.

I'm sure that any distribution/exhibition difficulties will be ironed out.
[/u]

[Shaucker]

The story made this week's Entertainment Weekly (magazine).
Full page with pictures, not just a blurb. It's really gaining some momentum now....

[Ben Varkentine]

Maybe. But I wouldn't base that conclusion just on the fact that EW covered it. They're such bitches for Buffy an issue rarely goes by without their mentioning it or something related to it somewhere.

This time, they didn't even have to stretch.

[helpfulinformationperhaps]

it looks like the license these folks had did not cover the screenings so they got shut down

http://www.pollstar.com/news/viewnews.pl?NewsID=8468

[So who's the Big Bad in this story? The Screen Actors Guild started the trouble. Although McClung and the cast weren't necessarily making a profit, they were charging a nominal ticket price in order to cover the cost of materials and travel. And as anyone in Hollywood can tell you, when there's money involved, the Guild pays attention.

SAG sent 20th Century Fox Television a hefty bill for unpaid actor residuals, causing Fox to take a closer look. The studio had been unaware of how big the sing-alongs were and got in touch with Criterion Pictures, which had been granted a license to exhibit "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and in turn gave McClurg permission for the Buffyokes, and revoked its license.

A Fox spokesman told MTV News Criterion never had the legal right to allow the Buffyokes to take place, because screening "Buffy" theatrically or commercially was not part of the agreement.

Criterion issued a statement blaming McClung for the misinterpretation of the license that, like most seemingly hopeless situations in the Buffyverse, offers a glimmer of hope.

"Due to the terms of its license agreement with Fox, Criterion Pictures granted Clinton McClung only the non-theatrical distribution rights to Buffy," the company said. "As this event has expanded beyond the rules and regulations of the non-theatrical market, Criterion Pictures must restrict the screenings of this episode until such time as it has secured the theatrical rights which it is now diligently pursuing."

Several options are being considered to allow the shows to rise again in the best "Buffy" tradition, including the waiving of residuals by the cast and crew of the episode or screening it as a benefit show and asking for donations for admission.

[Hemiola]

Hmmmm......I would think that the "donation" option is probably the best one, since I imagine it would be unlikely that one could get the entire cast and crew (think of all those dancers!) to renounce their residuals!