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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2020 20:23:31 GMT
I have been thinking of late about how the core ranges have been affected by the passing of many key actors:
Gareth Thomas Paul Darrow Jacqueline Pearce Caroline John Elisabeth Sladen Mary Tamm Deborah Watling Nicholas Courtney Trevor Baxter John Hurt
All were key contributors to Big Finish Doctor Who and Blakes 7, either as Chronicles or Full Cast drama's. Their passing has to my eyes, limited the range of key participants of both ranges and led to a narrowing of what can achieved in terms of future releases.
There seems to be a divided outlook from forum posters in terms of accepting recasts and also a certain fatigue where remaining companions are concerned who are always open to participating, leading to complaints of overuse and an over expansion of certain eras.
With the likes of William Russell effectively retired at long last and Richard Franklin AWOL, even Carol Ann Ford is now 80 and many of the remaining Classic series Doctor Who cast way past retirement age, it seems we are on borrowed time. I feel that the retirement of the Monthly Range is precipitated by this fact.
Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor story arcs seem to take longer to assemble than a deagostini model part work these days, whilst the new series commission has been largely restricted to guest star spin-offs due to the unavailability of the actual Doctors. Only David Tennant is on board and he is a very busy chap still, so is a very occasional contributor.
Nothing can last forever and it seems to me that the core releases that always appealed to myself are reaching a natural conclusion.
My question is, what are other forum members thoughts regarding this and what you think the future hold for Big Finish? Are spin-offs and recasts too niche? Can they get Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Christopher Eccleston on board in the not too distant future? Will the company shrink or expand? Quite interested to hear peoples thoughts.
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Post by Digi on Jul 18, 2020 20:52:21 GMT
< obligatory demand for more Frobisher >
Doctor Who / Whoniverse aside....
I'm actually surprised that they ended up doing so little with the Originals range. At the time they were announced, the half-dozen or so titles that we got really felt to me like they were feeling out where they might find the most sales for new properties. And then they would continue from there, while at the same time commissioning new Originals to continue testing the waters for potential new original series.
Instead, three years on, all we've got is ATA Girl 2--only half as long as its predecessor, and released on IWD in what felt (to me) more like a marketing move than anything resembling a vote of confidence (I loved it, FWIW, it just didn't feel like it was much commitment on BF's part)--and a rush to greenlight a second release for the boss's pet project, which many on here (myself included) were rather underwhelmed with the first time around. Even if none of the other Originals sold well enough to warrant another revisit, where is the next round of Originals? Why are they not actively looking for their next Confessions of Dorian Gray?
I'm similarly confused about the way they've just let their Classics range die, too. The run of H.G. Wells adaptations was high-profile, starred well-known actors, was extraordinarily high quality, got plenty of awards attention, were in public domain so there was no licensing cost, and I've never heard anything about it selling poorly. So where's their next run of Classics releases? It's been three years since these came out, four since they were announced. Where are the next run of Shakespeare or Verne or (whoever) classic adaptations? Why is this range being allowed to languish?
What about Sherlock Holmes? I'm assuming that's in the public domain too and that's why they've been making it. They seem to be selling well enough to warrant having revisited it a number of times, so why is it that they seem to approach Sherlock on a 'yeah yeah we'll do more when we get around to it' basis? This isn't a range that I have any great investment in personally, but I genuinely don't understand why this is not being driven as a regular range.
And what ever happened to Survivors? I understood that they wanted to take a breather, but it's been nearly two years since the last box set was recorded (December 2018). They'd announced that the series would be taking a different form in the future but....nothing has happened, and it's been more than a year since that last box set was released (June 2019). It obviously sold well enough to warrant nine box sets, so there's clearly a market. Why is this not being followed up upon?
There are a number of areas where I feel like Big Finish is just leaving obvious money on the table. Their business strategy completely eludes me.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2020 21:12:20 GMT
< obligatory demand for more Frobisher > Doctor Who / Whoniverse aside.... I'm actually surprised that they ended up doing so little with the Originals range. At the time they were announced, the half-dozen or so titles that we got really felt to me like they were feeling out where they might find the most sales for new properties. And then they would continue from there, while at the same time commissioning new Originals to continue testing the waters for potential new original series. Instead, three years on, all we've got is ATA Girl 2--only half as long as its predecessor, and released on IWD in what felt (to me) more like a marketing move than anything resembling a vote of confidence (I loved it, FWIW, it just didn't feel like it was much commitment on BF's part)--and a rush to greenlight a second release for the boss's pet project, which many on here (myself included) were rather underwhelmed with the first time around. Even if none of the other Originals sold well enough to warrant another revisit, where is the next round of Originals? Why are they not actively looking for their next Confessions of Dorian Gray? I'm similarly confused about the way they've just let their Classics range die, too. The run of H.G. Wells adaptations was high-profile, starred well-known actors, was extraordinarily high quality, got plenty of awards attention, were in public domain so there was no licensing cost, and I've never heard anything about it selling poorly. So where's their next run of Classics releases? It's been three years since these came out, four since they were announced. Where are the next run of Shakespeare or Verne or (whoever) classic adaptations? Why is this range being allowed to languish? What about Sherlock Holmes? I'm assuming that's in the public domain too and that's why they've been making it. They seem to be selling well enough to warrant having revisited it a number of times, so why is it that they seem to approach Sherlock on a 'yeah yeah we'll do more when we get around to it' basis? This isn't a range that I have any great investment in personally, but I genuinely don't understand why this is not being driven as a regular range. And what ever happened to Survivors? I understood that they wanted to take a breather, but it's been nearly two years since the last box set was recorded (December 2018). They'd announced that the series would be taking a different form in the future but....nothing has happened, and it's been more than a year since that last box set was released (June 2019). It obviously sold well enough to warrant nine box sets, so there's clearly a market. Why is this not being followed up upon? There are a number of areas where I feel like Big Finish is just leaving obvious money on the table. Their business strategy completely eludes me. Interesting thoughts - i had overlooked some of the wider originals and 'long milers'. Just an idea - is it plausible that BF may have an aspiration to one day entice Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman to do Sherlock on Audio? Like you say, there are many other franchises out there with available original casts. Highlander, Stargate, Sapphire & Steel, The Tomorrow People - they used to have quite a range in the past.
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Post by timegirl on Jul 18, 2020 21:51:31 GMT
I have been thinking of late about how the core ranges have been affected by the passing of many key actors: Gareth Thomas Paul Darrow Jacqueline Pearce Caroline John Elisabeth Sladen Mary Tamm Deborah Watling Nicholas Courtney Trevor Baxter John HurtAll were key contributors to Big Finish Doctor Who and Blakes 7, either as Chronicles or Full Cast drama's. Their passing has to my eyes, limited the range of key participants of both ranges and led to a narrowing of what can achieved in terms of future releases. There seems to be a divided outlook from forum posters in terms of accepting recasts and also a certain fatigue where remaining companions are concerned who are always open to participating, leading to complaints of overuse and an over expansion of certain eras. With the likes of William Russell effectively retired at long last and Richard Franklin AWOL, even Carol Ann Ford is now 80 and many of the remaining Classic series Doctor Who cast way past retirement age, it seems we are on borrowed time. I feel that the retirement of the Monthly Range is precipitated by this fact. Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor story arcs seem to take longer to assemble than a deagostini model part work these days, whilst the new series commission has been largely restricted to guest star spin-offs due to the unavailability of the actual Doctors. Only David Tennant is on board and he is a very busy chap still, so is a very occasional contributor. Nothing can last forever and it seems to me that the core releases that always appealed to myself are reaching a natural conclusion. My question is, what are other forum members thoughts regarding this and what you think the future hold for Big Finish? Are spin-offs and recasts too niche? Can they get Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Christopher Eccleston on board in the not too distant future? Will the company shrink or expand? Quite interested to hear peoples thoughts. I am hoping that BF get more new who Doctors on board🤞That would be the most exciting thing I think BF could do. Maybe it could be more likely that they could get some of them right now with lockdown going on if they could have them record remotely. Maybe they might be less busy than what they are normally and would welcome the work🤔I think Peter and Matt are more likely, but it would be cool if Chris wanted to do it too. I think if they do expand on the new who eras with their original casts I think they need some enticing story arches and character explorations that haven’t been done yet or need expanding. I love that David Tennant comes back occasionally but sometimes his audios seem too inconsequential. Don’t get me wrong some of them are very good but I think what I am trying to say is I want any new who ranges to feel special and innovative. I think BF should really roll out the red carpet for the New Who Doctors, don’t just do monster of the week audios. I think that would be key for them to get more new Who Doctors on board as well, really give them a reason to want to be a part of BF (Sort of what they did with Colin and Paul)! I would love if they did deep character studies or expanded on character traits, major time gaps. For example, I think if they get Peter on board they should expand on and reinterpret 12’s rocker side, give him multiple full musical episodes and explore more seriously him being the rock star Doctor. Also explore 11’s long time in the town of Christmas. New Who ranges should have real weight to them and really try to surprise us with unexpected directions for characters. BF should get more experimental like in their early years and take risks. They don’t need to constantly do space operas though(although the occasional one is fun), Stranded while flawed was a step in the right direction. So I think they could get more new Who Doctors on board sooner or later, there just needs to be a real feeling of purpose to them coming back, in order to entice both the actors back and listeners to listen to them.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2020 22:16:10 GMT
I am hoping that BF get more new who Doctors on board🤞That would be the most exciting thing I think BF could do. Maybe it could be more likely that they could get some of them right now with lockdown going on if they could have them record remotely. Maybe they might be less busy than what they are normally and would welcome the work🤔I think Peter and Matt are more likely, but it would be cool if Chris wanted to do it too. I think if they do expand on the new who eras with their original casts I think they need some enticing story arches and character explorations that haven’t been done yet or need expanding. I love that David Tennant comes back occasionally but sometimes his audios seem to inconsequential. Don’t get me wrong some of them are very good but I think what I am trying to say is I want any new who ranges to feel special and innovative. I think BF should really roll out the red carpet for the New Who Doctors, don’t just do monster of the week audios. I think that would be key for them to get more new Who Doctors on board as well, really give them a reason to want to be a part of BF (Sort of what they did with Colin and Paul)! I would love if they did deep character studies or expanded on character traits, major time gaps. For example, I think if they get Peter on board they should expand on and reinterpret 12’s rocker side, give him multiple full musical episodes and explore more seriously him being the rock star Doctor. Also explore 11’s long time in the town of Christmas. New Who ranges should have real weight to them and really try to surprise us with unexpected directions for characters. BF should get more experimental like in their early years and take risks. They don’t need to constantly do space operas though(although the occasional one is fun), Stranded while flawed was a step in the right direction. So I think they could get more new Who Doctors on board sooner or later, there just needs to be a real feeling of purpose to them coming back, in order to entice both the actors back and listeners to listen to them. Spot on - I agree with regards to David Tennant's tales so far. Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor seems to offer so much untapped potential that fits in well with what we saw on screen but of which can be opened out into a deeper character study and narrative exploration that was restricted within the TV episode format. Of all the Doctors, Capaldi has the acting chops and vocal talent to do a single handed narrative (internal monologue) in the most captivating way. Oh - and Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts has to be one of the best talent scout finds of the whole history of Doctor Who. Second only to to Matt Smith, really. Bill and Nardole (Matt Lucas) really need more adventures with 12 - unlike Clara, they certainly never outstayed their welcome!
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Jul 18, 2020 22:23:25 GMT
< obligatory demand for more Frobisher > Doctor Who / Whoniverse aside.... I'm actually surprised that they ended up doing so little with the Originals range. At the time they were announced, the half-dozen or so titles that we got really felt to me like they were feeling out where they might find the most sales for new properties. And then they would continue from there, while at the same time commissioning new Originals to continue testing the waters for potential new original series. Instead, three years on, all we've got is ATA Girl 2--only half as long as its predecessor, and released on IWD in what felt (to me) more like a marketing move than anything resembling a vote of confidence (I loved it, FWIW, it just didn't feel like it was much commitment on BF's part)--and a rush to greenlight a second release for the boss's pet project, which many on here (myself included) were rather underwhelmed with the first time around. Even if none of the other Originals sold well enough to warrant another revisit, where is the next round of Originals? Why are they not actively looking for their next Confessions of Dorian Gray? I'm similarly confused about the way they've just let their Classics range die, too. The run of H.G. Wells adaptations was high-profile, starred well-known actors, was extraordinarily high quality, got plenty of awards attention, were in public domain so there was no licensing cost, and I've never heard anything about it selling poorly. So where's their next run of Classics releases? It's been three years since these came out, four since they were announced. Where are the next run of Shakespeare or Verne or (whoever) classic adaptations? Why is this range being allowed to languish? What about Sherlock Holmes? I'm assuming that's in the public domain too and that's why they've been making it. They seem to be selling well enough to warrant having revisited it a number of times, so why is it that they seem to approach Sherlock on a 'yeah yeah we'll do more when we get around to it' basis? This isn't a range that I have any great investment in personally, but I genuinely don't understand why this is not being driven as a regular range. And what ever happened to Survivors? I understood that they wanted to take a breather, but it's been nearly two years since the last box set was recorded (December 2018). They'd announced that the series would be taking a different form in the future but....nothing has happened, and it's been more than a year since that last box set was released (June 2019). It obviously sold well enough to warrant nine box sets, so there's clearly a market. Why is this not being followed up upon? There are a number of areas where I feel like Big Finish is just leaving obvious money on the table. Their business strategy completely eludes me. Business strategy and Marketing strategy for sure.
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Post by timegirl on Jul 18, 2020 22:25:07 GMT
I am hoping that BF get more new who Doctors on board🤞That would be the most exciting thing I think BF could do. Maybe it could be more likely that they could get some of them right now with lockdown going on if they could have them record remotely. Maybe they might be less busy than what they are normally and would welcome the work🤔I think Peter and Matt are more likely, but it would be cool if Chris wanted to do it too. I think if they do expand on the new who eras with their original casts I think they need some enticing story arches and character explorations that haven’t been done yet or need expanding. I love that David Tennant comes back occasionally but sometimes his audios seem to inconsequential. Don’t get me wrong some of them are very good but I think what I am trying to say is I want any new who ranges to feel special and innovative. I think BF should really roll out the red carpet for the New Who Doctors, don’t just do monster of the week audios. I think that would be key for them to get more new Who Doctors on board as well, really give them a reason to want to be a part of BF (Sort of what they did with Colin and Paul)! I would love if they did deep character studies or expanded on character traits, major time gaps. For example, I think if they get Peter on board they should expand on and reinterpret 12’s rocker side, give him multiple full musical episodes and explore more seriously him being the rock star Doctor. Also explore 11’s long time in the town of Christmas. New Who ranges should have real weight to them and really try to surprise us with unexpected directions for characters. BF should get more experimental like in their early years and take risks. They don’t need to constantly do space operas though(although the occasional one is fun), Stranded while flawed was a step in the right direction. So I think they could get more new Who Doctors on board sooner or later, there just needs to be a real feeling of purpose to them coming back, in order to entice both the actors back and listeners to listen to them. Spot on - I agree with regards to David Tennant's tales so far. Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor seems to offer so much untapped potential that fits in well with what we saw on screen but of which can be opened out into a deeper character study and narrative exploration that was restricted within the TV episode format. Of all the Doctors, Capaldi has the acting chops and vocal talent to do a single handed narrative (internal monologue) in the most captivating way. Oh - and Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts has to be one of the best talent scout finds of the whole history of Doctor Who. Second only to to Matt Smith, really. Bill and Nardole (Matt Lucas) really need more adventures with 12 - unlike Clara, they certainly never outstayed their welcome! Yes, yes, and yes! Although I wouldn’t mind if they expanded on 12 and Clara’s relationship more as well (there’s a few more things I would like to see with them)😉 Side note: BF could give 12 his own single person rock opera!😀🎸
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shutupbanks
Castellan
There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,661
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Post by shutupbanks on Jul 19, 2020 0:44:46 GMT
< obligatory demand for more Frobisher > Doctor Who / Whoniverse aside.... I'm actually surprised that they ended up doing so little with the Originals range. At the time they were announced, the half-dozen or so titles that we got really felt to me like they were feeling out where they might find the most sales for new properties. And then they would continue from there, while at the same time commissioning new Originals to continue testing the waters for potential new original series. Instead, three years on, all we've got is ATA Girl 2--only half as long as its predecessor, and released on IWD in what felt (to me) more like a marketing move than anything resembling a vote of confidence (I loved it, FWIW, it just didn't feel like it was much commitment on BF's part)--and a rush to greenlight a second release for the boss's pet project, which many on here (myself included) were rather underwhelmed with the first time around. Even if none of the other Originals sold well enough to warrant another revisit, where is the next round of Originals? Why are they not actively looking for their next Confessions of Dorian Gray? I'm similarly confused about the way they've just let their Classics range die, too. The run of H.G. Wells adaptations was high-profile, starred well-known actors, was extraordinarily high quality, got plenty of awards attention, were in public domain so there was no licensing cost, and I've never heard anything about it selling poorly. So where's their next run of Classics releases? It's been three years since these came out, four since they were announced. Where are the next run of Shakespeare or Verne or (whoever) classic adaptations? Why is this range being allowed to languish? What about Sherlock Holmes? I'm assuming that's in the public domain too and that's why they've been making it. They seem to be selling well enough to warrant having revisited it a number of times, so why is it that they seem to approach Sherlock on a 'yeah yeah we'll do more when we get around to it' basis? This isn't a range that I have any great investment in personally, but I genuinely don't understand why this is not being driven as a regular range. And what ever happened to Survivors? I understood that they wanted to take a breather, but it's been nearly two years since the last box set was recorded (December 2018). They'd announced that the series would be taking a different form in the future but....nothing has happened, and it's been more than a year since that last box set was released (June 2019). It obviously sold well enough to warrant nine box sets, so there's clearly a market. Why is this not being followed up upon? There are a number of areas where I feel like Big Finish is just leaving obvious money on the table. Their business strategy completely eludes me. Business strategy and Marketing strategy for sure.
Big Finish are the only ones who know how their product sells. They alone know how many UNITS they’ve sold (sorry). For all we know the changes may well be a reaction to those sales. We know that they’ve got a tonne of Fourth Doctor stories banked for future release: I’m assuming that the change to the monthly releases is a similar thing, to stretch out the material they’ve got to maximise returns. Let’s face it, for all of the high profile that BF currently has (and a lot of the news stories I’ve seen on the internet are largely expressing surprise that it exists, let alone for 20+ years), it is a niche company. All the Original stories and adaptations might, for all that we love them, not sell well in regards to actual profit. And with so much free entertainment out there with podcasts and YouTube, or cheap streaming services - a month of Netflix is about half of the cost of a Monthly Adventure - means that they are facing some really tough competition. And with the world facing the problems that it is at the moment, as well as the natural attrition that time takes on the original performers of these shows, cash flow and profit may mean some hard decisions have to be made.
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Post by coffeeaddict on Jul 19, 2020 0:45:15 GMT
I am hoping that BF get more new who Doctors on board🤞That would be the most exciting thing I think BF could do. Maybe it could be more likely that they could get some of them right now with lockdown going on if they could have them record remotely. Maybe they might be less busy than what they are normally and would welcome the work🤔I think Peter and Matt are more likely, but it would be cool if Chris wanted to do it too. I think if they do expand on the new who eras with their original casts I think they need some enticing story arches and character explorations that haven’t been done yet or need expanding. I love that David Tennant comes back occasionally but sometimes his audios seem to inconsequential. Don’t get me wrong some of them are very good but I think what I am trying to say is I want any new who ranges to feel special and innovative. I think BF should really roll out the red carpet for the New Who Doctors, don’t just do monster of the week audios. I think that would be key for them to get more new Who Doctors on board as well, really give them a reason to want to be a part of BF (Sort of what they did with Colin and Paul)! I would love if they did deep character studies or expanded on character traits, major time gaps. For example, I think if they get Peter on board they should expand on and reinterpret 12’s rocker side, give him multiple full musical episodes and explore more seriously him being the rock star Doctor. Also explore 11’s long time in the town of Christmas. New Who ranges should have real weight to them and really try to surprise us with unexpected directions for characters. BF should get more experimental like in their early years and take risks. They don’t need to constantly do space operas though(although the occasional one is fun), Stranded while flawed was a step in the right direction. So I think they could get more new Who Doctors on board sooner or later, there just needs to be a real feeling of purpose to them coming back, in order to entice both the actors back and listeners to listen to them. Spot on - I agree with regards to David Tennant's tales so far. Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor seems to offer so much untapped potential that fits in well with what we saw on screen but of which can be opened out into a deeper character study and narrative exploration that was restricted within the TV episode format. Of all the Doctors, Capaldi has the acting chops and vocal talent to do a single handed narrative (internal monologue) in the most captivating way. Oh - and Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts has to be one of the best talent scout finds of the whole history of Doctor Who. Second only to to Matt Smith, really. Bill and Nardole (Matt Lucas) really need more adventures with 12 - unlike Clara, they certainly never outstayed their welcome! I feel like I am the only person who thought Bill Potts was a terrible character - I'm still not sure if that was due to poor writing, bad acting or a combination. It's a toss up between Bill and Donna for the the new series companion I hate the most. I'm on board for some rock star 12 stories - always support bringing an axe to an axe fight!
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Jul 19, 2020 1:00:56 GMT
Business strategy and Marketing strategy for sure.
Big Finish are the only ones who know how their product sells. They alone know how many UNITS they’ve sold (sorry). For all we know the changes may well be a reaction to those sales. We know that they’ve got a tonne of Fourth Doctor stories banked for future release: I’m assuming that the change to the monthly releases is a similar thing, to stretch out the material they’ve got to maximise returns. Let’s face it, for all of the high profile that BF currently has (and a lot of the news stories I’ve seen on the internet are largely expressing surprise that it exists, let alone for 20+ years), it is a niche company. All the Original stories and adaptations might, for all that we love them, not sell well in regards to actual profit. And with so much free entertainment out there with podcasts and YouTube, or cheap streaming services - a month of Netflix is about half of the cost of a Monthly Adventure - means that they are facing some really tough competition. And with the world facing the problems that it is at the moment, as well as the natural attrition that time takes on the original performers of these shows, cash flow and profit may mean some hard decisions have to be made. As a whole, in general, I agree with you. However i keep coming back to.. How long does it take to cut/copy/paste info that's posted on "almighty" twitter and transpose it to facebook and their web page. Literally a couple minutes. It's almost becoming a case of "arrogance" - u don't purchase the product from the twitter page, u buy direct from their website which quite simply, has to be the 1st to be up to date on any new product news/current product news.
Just my opinion.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2020 1:38:17 GMT
Business strategy and Marketing strategy for sure.
Big Finish are the only ones who know how their product sells. They alone know how many UNITS they’ve sold (sorry). For all we know the changes may well be a reaction to those sales. We know that they’ve got a tonne of Fourth Doctor stories banked for future release: I’m assuming that the change to the monthly releases is a similar thing, to stretch out the material they’ve got to maximise returns. Let’s face it, for all of the high profile that BF currently has (and a lot of the news stories I’ve seen on the internet are largely expressing surprise that it exists, let alone for 20+ years), it is a niche company. All the Original stories and adaptations might, for all that we love them, not sell well in regards to actual profit. And with so much free entertainment out there with podcasts and YouTube, or cheap streaming services - a month of Netflix is about half of the cost of a Monthly Adventure - means that they are facing some really tough competition. And with the world facing the problems that it is at the moment, as well as the natural attrition that time takes on the original performers of these shows, cash flow and profit may mean some hard decisions have to be made. You are right about the cost comparison. I have been looking at getting 'The Twilight Zone' on Blu-Ray for £45 (Amazon offer). 150 episodes remastered. No comparison, especially when I have not got it in any other format and its years since it was on UK TV. It is only the fact that I have two cars to run and one 'in dock' as Sarah would say, for its test, and quite a few £100's expected (its a Jag, natch) due to parts availability, that makes me realise that these things have a lot of competition on your wallet. Perhaps the download model cuts out artwork and CD manufacturing costs, but as you say yourself, there is so much other material unheard or unwatched for pennies or cents, literally.
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Post by theillusiveman on Jul 19, 2020 1:43:21 GMT
David Bradley, Tom Baker, Colin Baker, Michael Jayston, Sylvester McCoy and even Peter Davison are getting on in age and i know that Big Finish is banking on recording as much as they can in case of Retirement and other reasons but there might be another albeit extremely controversial way of continuing stories with their doctors without the need of recasting and that's A.I Generated Voice prints (There was an interview with Tom Baker back i think around 2010/2011 where Tom Baker recording 70 hours of his voice for a mobile company which allowed its users to send voice generated messages to anyone example: Wedding Proposals, Happy Birthdays, etc www.youtube.com/watch?v=REtsbhaIbQk Time Stamp @6:25- 7:49) Another less Controversial issue is that maybe Big Finish and The BBC look into Revitalizing The UNBOUND Range and introduce New Doctors into the fold maybe even introducing them alongside the Main Doctors to establish them (i know one actor i would love to play The Doctor) and there are still other doctors like The Shalka Doctor and The Curse of Fatal Death Doctors that Big Finish hasn't considered asking to return We do Have Paul McGann, Tim Trelore and David Tennant as The 8th, 3rd and 10th Doctors but David in particular is really hard to get due to how popular he is in the film/TV industry, Paul is another busy actor but Tim might be able to record more as The 3rd Doctor (which i think Nick accidentally hinted at the previous podcast by saying Volume 8 instead of 6) Eccleston, Capaldi and Smith are still to join big finish (though Eccleston might or might not already be joined up but then agian he might never return) so yeah hard to say what the future of Big Finish will be
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Post by timegirl on Jul 19, 2020 2:03:24 GMT
Spot on - I agree with regards to David Tennant's tales so far. Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor seems to offer so much untapped potential that fits in well with what we saw on screen but of which can be opened out into a deeper character study and narrative exploration that was restricted within the TV episode format. Of all the Doctors, Capaldi has the acting chops and vocal talent to do a single handed narrative (internal monologue) in the most captivating way. Oh - and Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts has to be one of the best talent scout finds of the whole history of Doctor Who. Second only to to Matt Smith, really. Bill and Nardole (Matt Lucas) really need more adventures with 12 - unlike Clara, they certainly never outstayed their welcome! I feel like I am the only person who thought Bill Potts was a terrible character - I'm still not sure if that was due to poor writing, bad acting or a combination. It's a toss up between Bill and Donna for the the new series companion I hate the most. I'm on board for some rock star 12 stories - always support bringing an axe to an axe fight! While I disagree with you about Bill, out of curiosity what kind rock star stories would you want with 12? They definitely need to incorporate his singing in at least a few releases 🤔🎸😊
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Post by sherlock on Jul 19, 2020 10:31:46 GMT
I guess we have to assume the Originals just didn’t sell well. I didn’t see any of them get bad reviews, but if there’s been barely any follow-up it’s probably just sales. I am surprised they haven’t pushed Sherlock Holmes more. That’s some instant brand recognition available there. Keeping that range so low key seems a missed opportunity. The rest of Big Finish’s licences are very niche. Even the Gerry Anderson stuff seems to be limited to the very niche ones, the really iconic series are not in their catalogue (well aside from that brief wave of releases for Captain Scarlet’s 50th).
I’d assume the restructuring of the Main Range will enable them to start recording far in advance with the classic Doctors, as they already do for Tom Baker. I don’t think they’re likely to get more new series Doctors onboard anytime soon though. The spin-offs and recasts may have to be the future, whether we like it or not.
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Post by project37 on Jul 19, 2020 11:49:56 GMT
I guess we have to assume the Originals just didn’t sell well. I didn’t see any of them get bad reviews, but if there’s been barely any follow-up it’s probably just sales. I am surprised they haven’t pushed Sherlock Holmes more. That’s some instant brand recognition available there. Keeping that range so low key seems a missed opportunity. The rest of Big Finish’s licences are very niche. Even the Gerry Anderson stuff seems to be limited to the very niche ones, the really iconic series are not in their catalogue (well aside from that brief wave of releases for Captain Scarlet’s 50th). I’d assume the restructuring of the Main Range will enable them to start recording far in advance with the classic Doctors, as they already do for Tom Baker. I don’t think they’re likely to get more new series Doctors onboard anytime soon though. The spin-offs and recasts may have to be the future, whether we like it or not. When it comes to the Originals, the price keeps me from wanting to jump in. I've tried the free episodes for Sixpence, ATA Girl, etc. All incredibly well-made, but many of them were just not for me.
Then Transference came along.
An interesting premise, two major names as the leads, an extended episode count, intriguing promotional images that would hold their own against other Netflix banners, and a strong creative team to anchor the whole thing together. This caught my attention.
Then they gave away episode 1 for free. I was hooked and ready to hear more. I thought it was one of the best things they've done in ages. It's so different than anything else I'd heard from BF and it held my attention from start to finish. It really felt like listening to a modern television miniseries drama (in the best ways).
But the price pushed me away. $34USD. Sorry, not for me. Yes, I can appreciate the production costs involved, etc., but as it's been pointed out many times, I can stretch my entertainment dollar a lot further elsewhere. As much as I enjoyed it, I personally wasn't able or willing to continue at that price point.
Then I saw it pop up on Audible and waited for a promotional offer. I bought it for $7 and *loved* it. Then I realized that it seemed like not a lot of people had checked it out. Who can say if it was the concept, the cast, the price, etc.?
Sadly, I've never seen it pop up in any of the sales since then. It never even got licensed out to radio or anything. Which is a shame, because it's a remarkable production and a fantastic accomplishment for all involved. I know people would love it. It deserves a much wider audience than it got. But the price (and volume of other titles) means that this incredibly strong and unique offering from BF (and all the hard work involved in making it happen) is seemingly lost. It doesn't need a sequel, but I'd love more titles in this vein and it's sad to see that the market just isn't there.
I don't know how many people are jumping with the Originals that aren't already purchasing Doctor Who. My uninformed guess is that it's not very many.
With DW as the main driver and the sad thought that the leads will not be around forever, I agree that spin-offs and recasts are the future. Neither are really for me personally.
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Post by Digi on Jul 19, 2020 12:32:16 GMT
I guess we have to assume the Originals just didn’t sell well. I didn’t see any of them get bad reviews, but if there’s been barely any follow-up it’s probably just sales. Right.... these Originals, but it doesn't make any sense to do a handful and walk away. They have (well, had) a perfectly functional "pilot" range, like a TV network searching for its next big hit. You make a few minimally-budgeted pilots, see what sells, keep that and drop the rest. Then you make a few more, see what sells, keep that and drop the rest, repeat ad nauseum. Even if these Originals didn't sell well (and we don't really know one way or another), them having made half a dozen and then going back to status quo just doesn't make any sense. How do they find their next big original/unique range if they aren't willing to experiment? It's baffling.
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Post by elkawho on Jul 19, 2020 14:18:00 GMT
I guess we have to assume the Originals just didn’t sell well. I didn’t see any of them get bad reviews, but if there’s been barely any follow-up it’s probably just sales. Right.... these Originals, but it doesn't make any sense to do a handful and walk away. They have (well, had) a perfectly functional "pilot" range, like a TV network searching for its next big hit. You make a few minimally-budgeted pilots, see what sells, keep that and drop the rest. Then you make a few more, see what sells, keep that and drop the rest, repeat ad nauseum. Even if these Originals didn't sell well (and we don't really know one way or another), them having made half a dozen and then going back to status quo just doesn't make any sense. How do they find their next big original/unique range if they aren't willing to experiment? It's baffling. I agree with you heartily regarding the Originals and Classics ranges. I loved trying new titles and I was hoping for a few more releases from some of these. I got the bundle when it was first announced, so when Transference came out the price wasn't an issue for me. But yeah, it was a perfect place for them to test and try new things, and take the company into new places.
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Post by elkawho on Jul 19, 2020 14:19:29 GMT
Spot on - I agree with regards to David Tennant's tales so far. Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor seems to offer so much untapped potential that fits in well with what we saw on screen but of which can be opened out into a deeper character study and narrative exploration that was restricted within the TV episode format. Of all the Doctors, Capaldi has the acting chops and vocal talent to do a single handed narrative (internal monologue) in the most captivating way. Oh - and Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts has to be one of the best talent scout finds of the whole history of Doctor Who. Second only to to Matt Smith, really. Bill and Nardole (Matt Lucas) really need more adventures with 12 - unlike Clara, they certainly never outstayed their welcome! I feel like I am the only person who thought Bill Potts was a terrible character - I'm still not sure if that was due to poor writing, bad acting or a combination. It's a toss up between Bill and Donna for the the new series companion I hate the most. I'm on board for some rock star 12 stories - always support bringing an axe to an axe fight! Interesting how people see things. Donna and Bill are my top 2 modern Who companions.
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Post by captainpugwash on Jul 19, 2020 15:21:13 GMT
What does the future hold for BF ? Hmmm well, with business head on and not fan, I can see a period of uncertainty. Obviously the foundation of their business is the Doctor who licence. That's their biggest seller and brings in the most cash. So problem no 1 is aging classic Doctors, which they have already addressed by starting to Bank stories. Problem no2 dead actors. Answer recast. This has already been done and I would expect lots more in the future. Problem 3. What to do with new who? The actors are still very busy/not interested. This problem won't be solved for another 10' years. Tenant will be 60 by thenand a sad fact is that older actors get less work, so I could see Chris, David and Peter doing more but not for about 10 years. Problem 4 attracting a bigger audience. This is something that bf really need to do. The ones who buy most of their products are DW fans, with the exception of the Gerry Anderson products. How to attract a new non Who audience, that is key. They gave it a stab with the originals, but the execution of the originals was a failure. By having a high price point it put ones off. The market for audio drama is growing vastly, especially in USA. So how to grab a slice of that market? It's not by charging £30 for an original series. It's by looking how ones are getting new audio drama and the answer is podcasts. BF need to seriously and quickly turn into a drama provider in a podcast format. There are a number of ways to do this, either by patron support (One leading U.K. Drama podcast is currently getting $6000 per episode from patron sypport) or by using the Sticher format and have the podcasts behind a paywall (this is the format used by Marvel who so far have created 3 full cast audio drama podcast series which are placed on sticher for 12-18 months first). Drama podcasts are attracting bigger and bigger names and this is the route bf need to go down. I would like them to place the originals and create more drama podcasts and let them be supported by patron.
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Post by timegirl on Jul 19, 2020 16:25:28 GMT
What does the future hold for BF ? Hmmm well, with business head on and not fan, I can see a period of uncertainty. Obviously the foundation of their business is the Doctor who licence. That's their biggest seller and brings in the most cash. So problem no 1 is aging classic Doctors, which they have already addressed by starting to Bank stories. Problem no2 dead actors. Answer recast. This has already been done and I would expect lots more in the future. Problem 3. What to do with new who? The actors are still very busy/not interested. This problem won't be solved for another 10' years. Tenant will be 60 by thenand a sad fact is that older actors get less work, so I could see Chris, David and Peter doing more but not for about 10 years. Problem 4 attracting a bigger audience. This is something that bf really need to do. The ones who buy most of their products are DW fans, with the exception of the Gerry Anderson products. How to attract a new non Who audience, that is key. They gave it a stab with the originals, but the execution of the originals was a failure. By having a high price point it put ones off. The market for audio drama is growing vastly, especially in USA. So how to grab a slice of that market? It's not by charging £30 for an original series. It's by looking how ones are getting new audio drama and the answer is podcasts. BF need to seriously and quickly turn into a drama provider in a podcast format. There are a number of ways to do this, either by patron support (One leading U.K. Drama podcast is currently getting $6000 per episode from patron sypport) or by using the Sticher format and have the podcasts behind a paywall (this is the format used by Marvel who so far have created 3 full cast audio drama podcast series which are placed on sticher for 12-18 months first). Drama podcasts are attracting bigger and bigger names and this is the route bf need to go down. I would like them to place the originals and create more drama podcasts and let them be supported by patron. I agree with most of what you say except I am optimistic that BF could get more New Who Doctors sooner than in 10 years if they entice them with the right material. If they promised them something new and unconventional for them to preform in, rather than just monster of the week audios. I think another think that would help BF grow more is if in addition to their wonderful regular pool of writers, they had an increase of new writers too. This would increase the variety of stories and aspects explored. Perhaps if in addition to the Paul Spragg competition they had more opportunities and openings for new and emerging writers as well, both for DW and other ranges. I love the writers BF has but if in addition to them they had a consistent incoming pool of new writers ( from all different countries, cultures, backgrounds, ages, View points, and writing styles ) there might be an increase of new ideas that could give BF a new lease on life. Perhaps for BF originals they could use it as both a springboard for new emerging writers as well as have the occasional celebrity writers come in and write something. Imagine if they got say Neil Gaiman or Stephen Moffat to write something original for them! People would love it! Another thing they could do to get people excited about BF (both DW and non DW) is if they had regular fan art and cosplay contests online. Perhaps they could even have contests for fans to recreate scenes from their favorite audios! This would be in a post COVID world (although they could do a virtual rather than in person version of this now as well) but I think, another thing that could get people interested is if they had casts of their audios either new audios or old favorites do live in person readings and then they film it and live stream it up on the BF YouTube channel for those who can’t go in person. For those who attend the live versions they could have audience participation (like how they do with Rocky Horror). For example imagine a live reading of The Chimes of Midnight where the audience does something every time “Mrs . Baddeley’s plum pudding” comes up! Then they could also have a post show q and a and bf could have a souvenir booth. People love these kinds of things and it would make people feel a sense of fun and community with BF and attract more people to their audios if they hear how much fun BF is.
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