Your own TV network

Posting video is great, but how about your own network?

Throughout its history, the Sci Fi Channel has been an approximation of a real science fiction network. In addition to the inevitable infomercials, there'd be cheesy "reality" shows and other crap. Instead of super-serving — and building — its audience, they aim low. Going for a mass audience, rather than programming to its natural constituency of fans, geeks, nerds and the rest of the audience who loves science fiction and fantasy, has diluted it to the point of being a joke, despite Battlestar Gactica, Doctor Who and Stargate, and all the crappy self-made monster movies.

Could you imagine if someone who really loved the genre (and its variations) programmed it? Ron Moore. Joss Whedon. JJ Abrams. Chris Carter. Warren Ellis. Me.

A resourceful but frustrated fan aggregated a bunch of links to old SF movies and shows, and created his own "network." He could have gone even further, having a page embedded with each episode of each show, if he wanted to, but this is pretty damned good as is. And perfectly legal.

Of course, in a few years (or months or weeks), this may be be obsolete, like dial-up. But it's a wonderful illustration of how marketing is a democratic exercise.

Cloverfied Marketing — SPOILERS!

I saw Cloverfield the night before it was released at a funky promotional screening in South Miami. I'd had a general idea about the story (but not the beats), followed the viral stuff, and wrote about it twice: here and here.

Like most marketers, I admired the mix of "real" and "fake" websites, "clues" and other atmospherics. It was all quite engaging, and had piqued my interest to the extent that I HAD to see this movie, even though I scrupulously avoid gory monster movies and sadistic slasher flicks.

I enjoyed Cloverfield quite a bit. It was a lot of fun. But I think they blew it.

Not the film. The marketing.

In the days following its release, the term Cloverfield was among the most popular search terms on the Net. And new sites popped up overnight with speculation and sound clips about the story — the ending, in particular and the post-credit "dialog."

Some goof-ball even posted the last 8 minutes or so of the film on YouTube, shot from his phone (no doubt), replete with commentary and ambient sound (ha!) from the audience. Of course, it was quickly removed from YouTube

Interestingly, all that the viral stuff — and the resulting back-story — was completely unnecessary to the film.

But the opportunity to continue the game and keep people on the hook was wasted.

The day the film opened, a new photo appeared on one of the official movie sites. A new video appeared on another. Two of the other viral sites were "suspiciously" shut down. So far so good.

But then, nothing.

Later in the week, the two sites came back up, though there have been no new updates as of right now. Even the terrific Cloverfield Clues fan site slowed down, though posting has resumed.

Other fan sites were buzzing, but where was Paramount, the studio responsible for Cloverfield, and producer JJ Abrams and his Bad Robot production posse?

Mostly, it would seem, giving interviews to MSM outlets rather than extending the viral campaign. (They're all over the web, in print and on the air, so no links are needed from me!)

I'm baffled, frankly. The back-story, despite being mostly superfluous to the film, is still a fertile and sticky area for fan engagement.

And it looks like the second weekend grosses for the film have dropped by as much as 68% according to one report. So, keeping people engaged would have been a very good idea. It wouldn't have hurt, anyway, and might have encouraged a second (or third visit) from that first wave of ticket buyers. And I'm sure there will be at least one DVD release, too, though I expect several.

Kudos to JJ, Paramount and everybody else involved in the unprecedented multmedia marketing campaign. Great job!

But why go to all that effort and not keep it going?

Is it over yet? I don't think so...

Monday night update
According to Variety, Paramount expected the box office decline, referring to it as a "correction."