Damn...I had no idea this letter would get posted so fast...I just sent it 2 days ago. Anyway...I am and always will be proud to be a 'card carrying member of the Sunnydale Saviors'. I'm glad to think he still thinks there is hope for Blondie Bear!

We need more letters guys. Keep the topic in the media's hands.

kathylovesspike | April 21, 15:53 CET

hello... Jennifer? Need more local members in the Sunnydale Saviors Club? :) I live in your town. Email me!!!!

edited to add: I hope you post here, and also, I'm not a crazy stalking loon (well, maybe I would be if Joss lived here), just a rabid Whedon fan.

[ edited by April on 2005-04-21 14:02 ]

April | April 21, 15:58 CET

Congrats Kathy.

Hmmmm, Jennifer and Sarah, there is an inherent danger in form letters. (Admittedly an assumption on my part. I have not done the research but...)

newcj | April 21, 16:13 CET

The letter was posted by a fan to a Spike group to help give other fans ideas on what to write - they weren't supposed to copy it verbatim.

[ edited by killinj on 2005-04-21 16:12 ]

killinj | April 21, 17:21 CET

Good on the fans for making their voices heard but the identical letters? Heehee. Oops.

Though it always bugs me when someone tries to do the possessive form of James Marsters' name and spells it Marster's. It's kind of like doing Gile's.

teenes | April 21, 20:00 CET

Has to be said that, as much as i think any kind of fan based initiative to get a Spike project happening should be applauded, it must harm the cause when a given target receives hundreds of emails saying the exact same thing.

It is well known that hand written letters are taken much more seriously than emails in the first place so if you want your email to be noticed and make a difference it is best to write a few words of your own, rather than copy an sample letter such as the one seen there. That shows that you really are invested enough in the Spike telemovie to take time out of your day to try help make it happen.

Koven | April 21, 20:27 CET

I'm just happy that other groups are pushing for this project to happen as we are. Given the flood of e-mails that are landing on The WB's and UPN's doorstep, I'm sure this matter is being considered. With the fact that neither of these networks had a break-away hit series or TV movie this past season, I'm thinking this idea is getting tossed around for the 2006 TV season. Keep those e-mails flowing, people. Just remember the form letters are an example, adding your thoughts will make a more powerful impact.

Madhatter | April 21, 20:36 CET

Mine was not a form letter...although I do know a lot of groups posted ideas that could have been used as an example. This has been done widely in the past and it seemed to spur a lot of folks to write in, even if they did use the example letters.
The intention was sincere and designed to help folks get the word out, but yes I understand that individual letters have a better effect.

I just happened to write my email when I saw the request to let some of the media know about the Spike movie. I simply wrote it and then sent it to as many media contacts as I could find.

If this approach is helping us to get noticed I am up for sending an email or cards whenever and wherever I need to.
The media seems to be very interested in this topic right now, and it would help if everyone who truly wants to see this movie happen would get involved and send an email. It really doesn't take a lot of time, and it doesn't have to be very complex. If nothing else, it DOES appear they are at least reading our letters.

Now if the networks will just do the same.

kathylovesspike | April 21, 21:23 CET

Kathy, Your letter did not come off as a form letter and I don't think the comments about form letters were pointed at you. It was the other two letters that should have been put into the senders' own words.

That said, everybody makes mistakes. We can be hopeful that seeing it displayed that way will help people realize that if they are going to take the trouble to send something to someone, they should put the in the extra effort of using their own words. This is especially important in this era of SPAM.

Although I'm sure everybody frequenting the sites encouraging campaigns has been told repeatedly, maybe someone can bring the problem to their attention again. Some people get it right off the bat, others need to see it a few times. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

newcj | April 21, 21:45 CET

One of the other two letters IS in the authors own words. Imagine the shock of being asked to share your letter with other fans to help them get ideas for their own letter only to find out that your own personal thoughts were simply copied by somebody else.

killinj | April 21, 22:00 CET

I'm thinking the statements in this thread were made towards the general public. Several good thoughts.

BTW, kathylovesspike, congratuations on your letter being published. You raised several fans to speak out. Outstanding job :)

Madhatter | April 21, 22:18 CET

I'm guessing that the Jennifer mentioned may well be our very own Killinj, in which case, sorry for the confusion. Must be a little annoying to not only have your words copied but then be accused of being guilty of copying them yourself!

Kathy, as has been said already, i don't think any of the comments here were directed at you. I know my previous post certainly wasn't.

Koven | April 21, 22:30 CET

There seems to be a disconnect here. In the hope of clarifying things: killinj is Jennifer. Jennifer wrote the letter, in her own words, and provided it to a fan group as a basis for writing other letters. At least one other fan copied it verbatim. killinj/Jennifer is not best pleased. Same page everyone?

ETA: As The Watcher correctly surmised above.

SoddingNancyTribe | April 21, 22:30 CET

Oh I realize the comments were not pointed at me guys...I was just trying to say that I can understand why a lot if folks feel compelled to use the examples, especially if in a hurry to get a message sent off. Also I can understand a lot of people are not that fond of writing letters period, and it makes it easier to just use a template and add your comments as well. I do remember during the Save Angel campaign a few drafts of letters being drawn up and people just used them as a starting point and maybe added some personal comments. I know that the postcards are pretty much all the same design, but we all write our own message on them. Honestly...I am just glad letters and emails ARE being sent...hopefully it will have an effect and wake the networks up.


By the way...thanks to everyone for the congrats, but I think Theresa and Jen from Support Spike deserve a hell of a lot of credit. They keep us inspired. Thanks to you guys we stay focused.....

kathylovesspike | April 21, 22:31 CET

Oooooooo killingj/Jennifer, that bites...in more ways than one. Sorry for the assumption, but there is really no way to know.

Maybe just listing points people should consider making when they write letters would work better. I don't know, just a thought.

newcj | April 21, 22:40 CET

OK, back to topic. Are these letters (either in e-mail or the handwritten variety) making an impact? I think they are and I encourage fans to keep beating the drums. By phone, by e-mail, by smoke signals, keep the demand there. 'nought said.

Madhatter | April 21, 23:05 CET

In a sane world where the networks actually cared about the minority of genre fans as much as they obviously adore those that lap up anything cheap and nasty with the reality label then these campaigns would already have been successful and we would have kept Angel on the air last year.

The problem is that the networks really don't care about us, we just don't matter at all because our programmes cost too much to produce and draw only mediocre ratings. With that in mind we could continue sending letters and emails from now until the sun burns itself out and we still won't get Fox or any of the other big four to consider a show set within the slayerverse. Even UPN won't go back there again anymore under the current regime. The WB might, possibly, be made to see the benefits of eating a little humble pie and admitting they were wrong but that still remains to be seen.

These campaigns will most likely make the most difference with the cable channels. As has been said here time and time again, the likes of HBO, TNT and Sci Fi are not only the most likely candidates to give a Whedon show a chance but they would also be the ones who won't cancel it before it has chance to prove itself. Even if we got a show onto the Fox schedule it would be cancelled before the fifth episode aired, therefore why waste time even trying.

All in all, i do think that these campaigns are helpful and beneficial to the cause, all i would say is focus your attention where it can do the most good and don't waste your time with the networks.

Koven | April 21, 23:20 CET

Must be a little annoying to not only have your words copied but then be accused of being guilty of copying them yourself!

Just a tad annoying. ;)

Maybe just listing points people should consider making when they write letters would work better.

I was specifically asked what I wrote in my email, so I obliged. In the context of the conversation there was no indiction that the person asking intended to copy it. I'll definately be more careful in the future.

Back to the topic at hand

Writing letters may not make a difference, but since they don't really hurt anything either, it doesn't hurt to try. The reason for writing the press is that these reporters have access to the executives at networks and cable channels. After all, it was Ausiello who asked Janollari about a Spike movie. So, if the people who cover television for a living get a bunch of email about Faith, Illyria, Spike or (insert name of whoever or whatever you want to see) then maybe next time they are at a press junket with those executives they'll mention it. Also, there's the chance people in the industry will actually read what's printed in the press, since they probably don't ever see the emails or postcards. I know the odds of success aren't very good, slim to none is an understandment, but I'd rather try and fail than do nothing.

killinj | April 22, 00:06 CET

Hear, hear, killinj. Well said.

Madhatter | April 22, 00:43 CET

I'd rather try and fail than do nothing.

Or as my hubby always says (paraphrasing) "You've already got nothing, might as well try for something."

Rogue Slayer | April 22, 01:15 CET

The only way to guarantee that you will not get what you want is to keep it to yourself.

*makes note to start writing*

brownishcoat | April 22, 02:35 CET