Inside Out Marketing

Sell the cart before the horse.

Used to be that it took years for movies to come out on video. First came a theatrical release, then premium cable, then either network TV — back when there were three (really!) network) — then maybe video.

The DVD boom accelerated the process. Feature films show up on DVD within months or weeks of their theatrical release (at least officially. Torrent sites and terrestrial pirates offer copies of "screeners" even faster.)

But the new series, Caprica, a spinoff and prequel to Battlestar Galactica, is set to debut on TV in early 2010. However, the DVD of the movie that begins the series came out this week.

It's an interesting twist. It allows the studio to begin recouping their investment almost immediately, sure, but it also serves as a powerful marketing tool for the new series. Even if it leaks out for free downloading — and it has — it's being watched and if it's any good, serves as a device to attract attention and interest for the series.

It's kind of like releasing a single prior to the album, in ancient music biz terms.

Good idea, imho.

Best TV series ever

The Wire? The Sopranos? Hill Street Blues? The Twilight Zone? The Honeymooners? Star Trek? Seinfeld?

Nope. SCTV.

Writers' Strike?

Let's hope not, but we'll see.

(More info here.)

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.

The world is fat

Love Ricky Gervais. Discovered his podcasts and old XFM (London) radio shows, picked up the DVDs of The Office, which he co-created (with Stephen Merchant) and Extras, the finale of which was one of the darkest "comedies" ever shown on TV.

Really wanted to see him on his American tour but no dates nearby. Also wanted the tour video, Fame, but it's not been released in the U.S.

But I want it. Why can't I have it? It's a global market. This guy has been on Alias and The Simpsons, in A Night at the Museum and For Your Consideration, and has two or three other movies in (as they say) various stages of production.

So I watched Fame last night and will have the live videos, Animals and Politics shortly. BitTorrent, but I would have gladly purchased them, as I did with everything else, even the podcasts through Audible.com.

The world is flat? Piracy is killing your business?

Get a clue.