Yeah, I seem to recall back before DH started some publication (Rolling Stone? That seems a little big-time to have a Joss article, but it's the name that leaps out to me) claimed that however the show ended up, he wanted to make an internet studio. And I said, "That's the coolest!"

I'll help fund you, Joss!

Jobo | September 23, 03:19 CET

This is GREAT news!! Woo Hoo!!!! I've got my fingers crossed!

4!!! That's 3 more than I had hoped for!!! Yowza!!!

whedon is GOD | September 23, 03:21 CET

Cool! Go Whedon, go.

Emmie | September 23, 04:07 CET

Fascinating. Great post.

phlebotinin | September 23, 04:14 CET

From the article:


Maybe she'll turn up like a bad penny.

.
.

Thank you very much, I'll be here all week . . . don't forget to tip your waitress.

StinkyCats | September 23, 04:16 CET

Why Hollywood? I think Amazon should take Joss up on this. I also really like the sound of Google Joss.

I remember reading that during the writer's strike, Joss shopped Silicon Valley for backing but got rejected. I hope he can succeed there instead of backing from a major Hollywood studio. It seems more independent that way.

Succatash | September 23, 05:01 CET

Note it says "including" studios, not "only" studios. It would be sort of daft to not approach them at all.

The One True b!X | September 23, 05:12 CET

I have lots of plasticy money.

Anonymous1 | September 23, 06:00 CET

Could we band together and have Whedonesque be a backer? I bet among all of us we could fund, like, 0.5% of a studio...

miri47 | September 23, 06:00 CET

I already kind of fear the sense of entitlement fandom sometimes has. I can't imagine what it would be like if fandom was actually bankrolling something. (Which is not to say such models don't have a place. There are musicians who use it. But I'm skeptical about its scalability, let alone its appropriateness for all cases.)

[ edited by The One True b!X on 2009-09-23 06:03 ]

The One True b!X | September 23, 06:02 CET

Yea, I've got to agree with b!X on that one. Xena was a good example of the insanity that ensues when you listen too much to your fanbase. The show became wildly uneven and constantly emphasized different aspects depending on which fan group they appeared to be listening to at the time.

Besides, it's much easier to come to an understanding with a small group of financiers as to what a show is supposed to be. A large mob is going to involve far too much discord.

azzers | September 23, 06:09 CET

Fans having any say at all over creative works or direction is terrifying and would only lead to badness. That being said, I'm very excited to see where this "rumor" goes.

TamaraC | September 23, 06:48 CET

I thought Dr Horrible cost far more than that?



The games industry may be going down that road.

Link:

Simon | September 23, 07:18 CET

I think the Dr Horrible figure of $200,000 may have come from an interview with Joss. That said, he did pull in many favours for it. I think if everybody had been paid upfront, and the locations etc had been gotten through normal means it would have cost more. Still would have profited.

gossi | September 23, 07:29 CET

Man, the games industry know what they're doing. So we pay for it and help them design it ? Maybe they need their cars washing too ?

I thought Dr Horrible cost far more than that?

It's consistent with what we heard (which, IIRC, was "low six figures"). $250,000 rings a bell from somewhere so it's in the right region.

Nonetheless, it's surely true that Dr H II would cost a lot more than that even if it was made for the same budget (if you get what I mean) since Joss has said a few times that they only made it for that money because a) people mostly worked for nothing (i.e. a share of the profit) and b) he asked a lot of favours (e.g. using the Universal back-lot for basically nothing).

"Rolling Stone" had an article from near the start of 'Dollhouse' production wherein Joss talked about how that was his last TV show (we can't know whether he meant it, he might well have said it out of weariness when the network craziness/reshooting was at its height) and that and a few other articles quote him as saying how much easier and more enjoyable filming Dr H was compared to studio work. Some sort of independent setup has been on the cards for a while now, whether it's true I guess time will tell.

Saje | September 23, 07:31 CET

Ignore the Rolling Stone article. Joss was misquoted and spun in a horrible way in that article.

I do think Joss could and should look into some sort of mainstream indy deal, though.

gossi | September 23, 07:36 CET

Very, very, very exciting

Let Down | September 23, 10:06 CET

Ignore the Rolling Stone article. Joss was misquoted and spun in a horrible way in that article.

Aha, interesting. I remember there was some wailing and gnashing at the time (didn't really bother me, so long as he's making stuff - and letting us see it obviously - then i'm happy). No offence BTW gossi but i'm assuming that's actual knowledge and not "just" your read ? If he was actually misquoted then that's good intel (and terrible journalism).

And yep, mainstream indie is definitely the way to go - I too am bored of spacetime's unrippedness and dull insistence on non-contradictions in terms ;).

Saje | September 23, 10:21 CET

Saje, Joss said in a later interview that the Rolling Stone interview misrepresented things. In particular, he said that the writers had a preconceived idea of what they wanted to show (Joss is a genius surrounded by network idiots) and made the interview fit that. That said, I don't remember Joss saying he was actually misquoted about anything

Let Down | September 23, 13:49 CET

Penny-bot?! ugh.

caring hands | September 23, 22:11 CET