Whedonesque : Comments on 7383 : Official Serenity Poster.

I like it, actually.

Great background...the coloring actually looks, well, serene....until you notice River with the gun along with the words in the background. It's very Joss.

[ edited by Huntress on 2005-07-28 17:18 ]

Emma Frost | July 28, 19:17 CET

I agree, I much prefer this version. The floating heads looked like a bad Photoshop job – as much as I'd love to see an ensemble poster, I'd much rather see a good one. I prefer River's expression more on this one as well. I approve. Which is, of course, exactly what the Higher Ups were waiting to hear.

Jet Wolf | July 28, 19:22 CET

So they changed everything people had problems with. Cool.

eddy | July 28, 19:26 CET

Love it. Can't wait to get it. And River still has the gun, doesn't she? And yeah, the mug shots at the bottom didn't do much anyway. Man, I love the lighting on River here.

I do think the basic structure of the logo could have easily been incorporated into this though. Just the word Serenity looks a little cheaper. With the Serenity shirts I made for the comicon I made a blueish version of the logo for on the back and it worked fine. I think the poster would've benefitted from keeping the basic logo idea in there somehow.

By the way I could swear this is the version I saw hanging up at the Serenity booth at the Comicon. Is this the case?

[ edited by EdDantes on 2005-07-28 17:29 ]

EdDantes | July 28, 19:28 CET

Is it just me, or does River look more made up in this one?

[ edited by Serefina716 on 2005-07-28 17:35 ]

Serefina716 | July 28, 19:33 CET

Huh, I just realized for the first time that Summer Glau may be left-handed. In this poster anyway, her trigger finger appears to be her left forefinger. Hmmm. People who've been to cons -- does she sign her autographs left-handed? (I know Joss does!)

chickenbird | July 28, 19:39 CET

Nice :) *looks pointedly at chris and bob* :))

[ edited by zeitgeist on 2005-07-28 17:41 ]

zeitgeist | July 28, 19:41 CET

Much better.

gossi | July 28, 19:41 CET

Note to the wise: check out the named cast list. I can see the latest fan hysteria outbreak now.

[ edited by gossi on 2005-07-28 17:43 ]

gossi | July 28, 19:43 CET

Re:Chickenbird
Nope, she's right-handed.

johnsmusicbox | July 28, 19:46 CET

Well gossi, it's tough to actually see the named cast list, but zooming in a few times makes it look as if Nathan, Alan, Adam, and Summer are named, and the other five are not. Hmmm.

chickenbird | July 28, 19:47 CET

Thanks, johnsmusicbox. So I imagine they posed her like that for graphic design reasons, so that the gun barrel would point left (from our POV). Okey dokey.

chickenbird | July 28, 19:48 CET

Excellent! Hmm, I wonder if someone was listening to our complaints on the earlier version...

Madhatter | July 28, 19:49 CET

Marketing people do monitor the official Serenity forum.

gossi | July 28, 19:56 CET

I am slightly concerned how much Serenity looks like a flying penis. ;)

gossi | July 28, 19:59 CET

It is much improved! River's expression is a lot better, I'm glad the floating heads are gone, and I'm glad she still has a gun. It really looks polished!

On the abbreviated cast list: It's understandable, are they really gonna try and put NINE names in there?

Anyway, humorous note, did anyone notice that it looks like it says "ASS" next to her shoulder? (obviously it's assassin, but you can only see the first part...)

AnotherFireflyfan | July 28, 20:02 CET

You know the planet in the bottom right hand corner, by Serenity? Take a look at it. What does that look like, at a glance?

gossi | July 28, 20:04 CET

<Andrew-voice>Silly, silly gossi. Everything looks like a flying penis after you've over-analyzed it for a billion milliseconds.</Andrew-voice> ;-)

chickenbird | July 28, 20:04 CET

*grins at chickenbird's reply to gossi, raises eyebrow at deathstar looking planet* Ha!

zeitgeist | July 28, 20:10 CET

Does anyone else see a double image of River's gun? Wonder what that's about.

Willowy | July 28, 20:11 CET

^ cool factor, methinks.

gossi | July 28, 20:12 CET

Hmm. But it's nowhere else on the image. If it's not a mistake, then its a bad design decision.

Regardless, I think this is the best of all the versions I've seen.

Willowy | July 28, 20:20 CET

Wow River looks ummm different.

Simon | July 28, 20:21 CET

Still not loving it, but this is better than before. But still don't like it.

Chris inVirginia | July 28, 20:22 CET

Who are Special Ops Media btw?

Simon | July 28, 20:24 CET

Anyone else have a problem with "ass"? It is one of the more visible words on there too. [partial words, anyway]

AnotherFireflyfan | July 28, 20:29 CET

Oh, and I still think "The Future is Worth Fighting For" is a clumsy, awkward, and finally meaningless slogan.

Chris inVirginia | July 28, 20:35 CET

At least "You can't stop the signal" piques your curiousity about what they could possibly mean by that...

AnotherFireflyfan | July 28, 20:37 CET

Hmm. But it's nowhere else on the image. If it's not a mistake, then its a bad design decision.

Hm yeah hadn't noticed that. The double gun thing looks like a mistake more than anything else. Like they accidentally left a layer in Phothoshop visible that should've been deleted.

Seriously though, are there any Browncoats here from the Comicon Stand? Isn't this the version you guys had hanging there?

(PS I agree the slogan is not the best I've ever seen...)

EdDantes | July 28, 20:37 CET

It reminds me of that X-Files movie slogan "Fight The Future".

Simon | July 28, 20:39 CET

well, I don't like it at all... it doesn't do anything for me.

If I wasn't a fan already, this poster wouldn't make me want to see the movie at all, and isn't that the purpose of a movie poster? to pick your curiosity???

canvilella | July 28, 20:55 CET

I must be in sync with Universal's marketing. When I orginally saw it, I said get rid of the creppy floating heads and you'll be fine.

Unitas | July 28, 21:06 CET

The slogan does nothing for me either. I was waiting for "In the future...things still suck." Or something like that....
And a hint of a picture of a Reaver would 'pique' interest, I think. (Sorry Canvilella - I am anal/retentive that way)

Revello | July 28, 21:13 CET

Willowy, I noticed the double imaging of the gun as well when I was comparing the differences in the two posters. At first, I thought it was speed of motion. But, as you pointed out, it didn't fit the rest of River's image. Think EdDantes is right, that must be a mistake in the photo lay-out.

And I agree the slogan isn't the best. I also thought 'X-Files'.

However, River's appearance is a huge improvement as are the the more subdued use of text.

Madhatter | July 28, 21:22 CET

I wish I could tell you that I love it. I just don't. But it's better than before.

SoddingNancyTribe | July 28, 21:23 CET

I am slightly concerned how much Serenity looks like a flying penis. ;)

As if the new enhanced image of River is supposed to make firey penises fly?

Nebula1400 | July 28, 21:25 CET

This is a big improvement. I'm satisfied. Now, where can I buy one?

electricspacegirl | July 28, 21:26 CET

The double gun/hand/arm may be a mistaken concept, but I don't think it credible it was an oversight. I suspect the intent of the double image is to connote motion, much as the ship part of the image has been cleaned up to "pop" more, and the overall light/dark contrasts are sharper. The original poster was, IMO, very static.

jaynelovesvera | July 28, 21:29 CET

It's only slightly better than before. It still not does much for me. Like canvilella, if I wasn't a fan already, this poster, wouldn't make me want to see the movie.

The slogan reminds of X-Files, too. Which is a downside in my opinion, because I think, X-Files downfall, began at this movie, that was just an example of how not to bring a tv show to the big screen, which was just a normal tv episode with larger sceneries.

"You can't stop the signal", would be much much better.

[ edited by Numfar PTB on 2005-07-28 19:40 ]

Numfar PTB | July 28, 21:39 CET

I can't see it. The link is dead.

charisma | July 28, 21:40 CET

It's an improvement -- with a little added color in flesh tones, and a stronger contrast between Mal and River. And the floating heads are gone. It's more dramatic. But I'm still ambivalent about it. The double gun/double appendage thing is just odd. It does not really suggest motion, and it really looks like a mistake. (I wouldn't have noticed the "ass" bit without being prompted, but it could have been fixed. Surely someone looks out for such unintended issues in the final form?)

The thing I find very interesting is how many versions we have seen of the same basic formula, including the version for the novelization. Interesting to see the process.

palehorse | July 28, 21:41 CET

Yup, the link is dead. Can't see it either.

phlebotinin | July 28, 21:41 CET

It disappeared of the Universal site, too. Wonder what's up?

k8cre8 | July 28, 21:46 CET

can someone repost? anyone know of a mirror? the official site link is empty.

injust | July 28, 21:47 CET

Great. As soon as we get to fiery flying penises, there's nothing to look at. Just my luck.

lone fashionable wolf | July 28, 21:47 CET

Did anyone save it?

charisma | July 28, 21:47 CET

Maybe they took it down to fix the design flaw. Heh.

Willowy | July 28, 21:53 CET

The image is no longer up...is there another link to it online?

mchan | July 28, 21:54 CET

I saved it. But if they removed it from the Universal site not sure it'd be wise to post again. Maybe they put it up too early.

eddy | July 28, 21:54 CET

Maybe they are enlarging the fiery peni--- Serenity, maybe they are egorg-- enlarging Serenity... or removing the double-image stuff. I do wonder what they are up to, though; pretty excited about the prospect of new trailer. Its gossi's fault my post got all pervy.

zeitgeist | July 28, 22:03 CET

somewhere on the official site I noticed that the site admin had posted that they had taken it down to fix the "extra gun" glitch. It'll be put back up once that's done, apparently.

Znachki - great minds think alike? or something like that.

[ edited by greeneyes on 2005-07-28 20:22 ]

greeneyes | July 28, 22:17 CET

According to Serenity Leader - the double image of the gun was a "file problem" which is being fixed. They will re-link the poster as soon as it's corrected.

oops - looks like green eyes and I were posting about the same time

[ edited by Znachki on 2005-07-28 20:19 ]

Znachki | July 28, 22:18 CET

I just missed seeing the new poster, too. I will check around, though, to see if anyone else has it.

impalergeneral | July 28, 22:19 CET

AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!

I'm SO sorry for derailing the thread. Mods can feel free to yell or delete this, but despite the "How To" page, I don't understand (or have enough courage) to start a new topic.

I was checking my Yahoo! email account and started screaming. Guess what the main banner was at the top of the screen? The one put out by SciFi for FF and the Serenity trailer that we saw on IMDB earlier this week (was it this week?).
What a way to advertise! Can I just say how much I love SciFi? Honestly, so much better than F*X.

And to try to get back on topic (even though I still feel like jumping up and down), I think the poster is okay, but can use some improvement. I'm not too fond of Mal's picture, and the tagline is absolutely wrong for the movie (IMHO).

Edited to add: I'm keeping that Yahoo! page up all day... It makes me happy.

[ edited by obsessed on 2005-07-28 20:25 ]

obsessed | July 28, 22:20 CET

I put a copy of it up on my web site. It's on the front page.
www.canadianbrowncoats.com

hazyone101 | July 28, 22:29 CET

In the meantime, I've been thinking about the slogan. Though "You can't stop the signal" makes sense to us, I'm concerned what the non-fans would interpret that to mean. Most likely, with the subdue text, they may think this was another radio controlled cyber killer movie. Gosh, that would be so wrong.

Problem is, I can't think of a short, yet impacting statement to better describe 'Serenity'. Well, I did think of a few, but I won't mention them. Really bad, I'd be dodging thrown fruits and various meats for a week.

Madhatter | July 28, 22:31 CET

Thanks hazy. I dunno. THis is my first time seeing either the old poster and this new one and I don't like it. It looks fan made for some reason. I think they should incorporate more of the characters into the poster. THey should just start from scrap.

nychick | July 28, 22:34 CET

Been refreshing my Yahoo mail awhile, and still not seen it :(

"Can't stop the signal" ... yeah, actually when I saw the trailer I originally thought it was referring to some kinda catalyst that would set River off. Anyway, at least it would pique their interest a bit. Not that I love it either.

AnotherFireflyfan | July 28, 22:42 CET

I amended the subject line, someone let me know when it gets rectified. I have to say I'm not greatly enamoured of this situation. The poster goes up and then goes down again, little bit sloppy.

Simon | July 28, 22:49 CET

"Been refreshing my Yahoo mail awhile, and still not seen it :("

Sorry about that! After reading your post, AnotherFireflyfan, I decided to try and see if I got the ad again. When I refresh the inbox page, it comes up pretty often. Maybe every six times. I hope you get a chance to see it!

obsessed | July 28, 22:57 CET

Well, canadianbrowncoats.com did a good thing saving the poster for their website. I thank them for that. It's still there, if anyone wants to look

impalergeneral | July 28, 22:58 CET

I'd like to chip in with a request not to start linking to every banner and advertising you come across. Try to see our frontpage as a place to post the *best* of what's out there.

Caroline | July 28, 23:04 CET

My interest was piqued; but then, after peeking, it peaked. Guess I was engorged.

So, anyone else bored at work today?

SoddingNancyTribe | July 28, 23:04 CET

SNT -- right there with you :) Though I have a lot to do, I'm hyper and thus I don't have enough to do to that actually keeps my interest piqued :)

zeitgeist | July 28, 23:07 CET

If you could see me now, you'd know I'm blushing a deep shade of red. Sorry about bringing up the ad Caroline.

obsessed | July 28, 23:07 CET

Sorry, Caroline. Serenity_LEADER on the official board made it sound really official and final and "best", so I posted a link. I'm sorry. I won't do it again.

chickenbird | July 28, 23:12 CET

Some people suggested a couple of reasons why it may have been taken down. Just looking at the one on my web site.
If you look to the left just below her shoulder, it says ASS. The word ASSASSINS is cut off. Then in you look below, you see a shadow and her hand and the gun barrel are duplicated so it looks like she has two hands and two guns. I don't know, maybe it was something else all together but these are some of the theories out there. Don't mean to be spammy but if you want to have a look, it's at www.canadianbrowncoats.com

hazyone101 | July 28, 23:15 CET

WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY better, but it looks kinda Final Fantasy'ish.

Christopher | July 28, 23:17 CET

Its kinda interesting to see so many say that nonfans wouldn't be grabbed by this. Have any of you SHOWN IT to nonfans?

zeitgeist | July 28, 23:24 CET

Anyway back to Special Ops Media, are they the marketing people for Serenity? This sort of thing interests me.

Simon | July 28, 23:24 CET

Thanks for saving it, hazyone101, I'd been periodically clicking on the dead link for a while hoping to get a look.

To me, it's an improvement over the last version. It makes me feel like someone must be checking out the comments on this board, too, because there's definitely been some address of my primary complaint (not enough contrast of orange/yellow with the abundance of blue in the scheme -- now there's more of a balance). River looks more appealing to me here, and she's still got a gun to lure in the action fans.

I miss the other folks, though, and wonder if there might not be a third, even better version (yes, Uni designers, there really is no pleasing us) that includes the other players somehow. I'm just not sure what that would be, other than a variation on the strip running along the bottom like the other version. Maybe their heads could be faded into one another, in softer bubbles rather than following one another sequentially in a hard-edged strip?

I also generally like the slightly softened look of the whole thing; it reads as less a rip-off of the hard-edged sci-fi Terminator style. It's not ideal (I'd like to see the official Serenity logo in there, and abbreviating assassin as 'ass' certainly isn't the most effective subliminal wording they could have used), but at least it's clear they're trying.

Wiseblood | July 28, 23:32 CET

I think the poster is back up now at the Serenity movie site.

Simon | July 28, 23:35 CET

Simon -- Universal Pictures is on their clients list. Also note this from the browncoats.serenitymovie.com site:

This site ("Site") is hosted by FanPimp, LLC ("FanPimp") and maintained by Special Ops Media, LLC ("Special Ops") for your personal entertainment, information, education, and communication.

from: http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/?fuseaction=main.legal

[ edited by zeitgeist on 2005-07-28 21:44 ]

zeitgeist | July 28, 23:39 CET

Well, I like it. I liked the other too. I think I'll like anything that is public and promotes the movie Serenity!

Rogue Slayer | July 28, 23:51 CET

ahh but it actually says EBEL ASS and we all know what that means... we do?!? :)

zeitgeist | July 28, 23:59 CET

Willowy, they 'fixed' the gun. Good call, EdDantes.

Wiseblood, in this case, I feel less is better. Just can't think of a way to display all ten characters and maintain a good poster. It felt distracting with the head shots inserted in the draft. Need a bold image. Less is more.

Think you're right, there'll be another version.

Madhatter | July 29, 00:00 CET

I'm distracted by the "ASS." I can't believe nobody noticed that before going public with the poster. What were they thinking? It injects a laughable element into the art. Not good.

As for the rest of the poster, it's a definite improvement over the first one, although truth be told, I'm not crazy about it. But who am I to complain? We have a Serenity movie! I'm still pinching myself about that.

phlebotinin | July 29, 00:06 CET

I like it. I liked the first one too. Hard to see River's face though on this one but I think I like the darker look. I kind of miss seeing the other characters though.

Firefly Flanatic | July 29, 00:12 CET

I kind of miss seeing the other characters though.

That really only works if your already a fan, or if those other characters were being played by recognizable stars.

The One True b!X | July 29, 00:30 CET

I do not at all miss seeing the disembodied heads of the BDHs as I thought it was not the best way to go. Better to focus on a strong statement with fewer elements to confuse. Although the tag is kinda questionable as part of that as it feels a bit weak to me.

zeitgeist | July 29, 00:35 CET

On the draft, River struck me as a refugee in appearance. On the latest poster, her look is more appropriate to her role.

Madhatter | July 29, 00:41 CET

Chickenbird, I wasn't talking about this poster. Nothing wrong with your post. I was just talking in general, not to get carried away with posting bits and pieces to the frontpage. Posts scroll off the page before people have had the chance to see them, the rate we're going now and we've been deleting a LOT of extraneous posts.

I'm neither hot nor cold on this poster. Looks ok to me, maybe a bit too much airbrushing on River's face. I kind of thought 'what's Dark Angel doing there?'

Caroline | July 29, 01:04 CET

Oh, I see -- now it's a smokin' gun.

palehorse | July 29, 01:13 CET

River looks very different on this poster. The first draft, she was like Ripley for something... this draft she's like the winner of American Idol, armed. Overall, though, I like the poster... don't love it, but I like it.

Knuckleball | July 29, 01:30 CET

I'm happy with this poster. Very nice.

Josh_ | July 29, 01:35 CET

That looks great!

charisma | July 29, 01:52 CET

No, it still looks like a giant penis.... hahahah

Now the planet part is cleaned a bit or it's just me?
And there's still the ass word beside Summer's shoulder.

Numfar PTB | July 29, 01:55 CET

I think it's better than the floating heads. It's a shame that the rest of the cast don't feature on the poster, I think they could have been worked in better than they were before, but since that isn't going to happen this is the next best alternative. It's more basic, we have River, Mal, Serenity and the logo, so it's nice and clear. I like it.

Razor | July 29, 02:13 CET

I still don't really care for the poster, but I do like seeing the word "firefly" on it. Maybe it was there before, but I didn't notice it.

Angela | July 29, 02:27 CET

I see why they went with "Girl, Gun, Hero" on the poster. It's got to be a quick flash that is going to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Hey, knuckle-draggers fill seats too! ;)

Can I get a huzzah (I try very hard to work that word into daily use), for how stunningly handsome Nathan looks, though? Damn!

I would like to see an alternate poster incorporating the rest of the crew. I wonder what the actors feel when they see this one. As even-minded as I'm sure they all are, it must sting a bit.

Willowy | July 29, 02:29 CET

A huzzah a day keeps the Reavers away!

And speaking of posts scrolling out of sight before we can see them, is there a way to make the Friday night Firefly threads stick around a bit longer?

m'cookies actual | July 29, 02:37 CET

That would be great! It disappeared off the page that same night!

Willowy, here's a huzzah from me and a hubba hubba too!! Definitely a very handsome shot of Nathan! But he always looks stunningly handsome to me!

Firefly Flanatic | July 29, 02:43 CET

And speaking of posts scrolling out of sight before we can see them, is there a way to make the Friday night Firefly threads stick around a bit longer?

I agree. Last Friday after Firefly aired here I came back to post a comment, and that thread was already off the page.

electricspacegirl | July 29, 02:46 CET

My god, I am glad I am not the only one who sees a penis in this poster. Between the smoking gun, the word "ass" and the phallic ship, I'm starting to think this might be subliminal marketing. :)

I do like this one a lot, except for the tagline (too generic), the penis-Serenity, the "ass", and the over-air-brushing of Summer. Summer is a uniquely beautiful woman. Her image on the poster makes her look less unique. But I have to say, it is a pretty poster, and it makes a statement. Plus our cappy looks like a BDMovie star.

Dizzy | July 29, 03:46 CET

Huzzah! And my knuckles don't drag the ground.....much.

Willowy, I'm thinking there be several posters of 'Serenity' so everyone will find their flavor.

Madhatter | July 29, 04:07 CET

Fantastic!

The earlier one looked like an updated Star Trek. This is great, and really captures the human element that Joss brings to everything. I hope it ends up all over the place...

Ilana | July 29, 04:28 CET

I really like this one. River and Mal look incredible. Plus, the gun's smoke is much more evident, which I think adds to the image of River holding the gun.

MySerenity | July 29, 05:39 CET

Laughing at all the "penis" comments because I seem to remember a similar discussion awhile back regarding this either when the movie was first announced and there was a poster shown or when the DVDs were first announced. I've never been able to look at Serenity the same since!! Does anyone remember that thread way back when?

Firefly Flanatic | July 29, 06:14 CET

That vaguely rings a bell, FF. I think it was the Serenity promo poster a long while back.

electricspacegirl | July 29, 06:37 CET

Yup, found it here:

Teaser poster for Serenity!

Firefly Flanatic | July 29, 06:47 CET

Thanks, Blwessels. I'm cracking up at my own comment which I completely forgot I wrote!

electricspacegirl | July 29, 07:20 CET

LOL - just read it!

Firefly Flanatic | July 29, 07:27 CET

Much better than the previous version. Not so generic.

mnspnr | July 29, 08:12 CET

I LOVE it. Gorgeous.

Lunakitty | July 29, 08:27 CET

Anyone else think that blurry shadow to the right of River's head is a Reaver-figure?

Wiseblood | July 29, 08:43 CET

I think they should get this poster up on IMDb and the Apple movie trailers website already. On the latter site, Serenity is one of the 8 featured posters on the front page, but the poster is the Serenity logo against a black background with "In Theaters September 30th" and "This Film Is Not Yet Rated."

einral | July 29, 10:06 CET

Simon, Spec Ops Media run the Serenity site. Fanpimp wrote the software used, which is a generic ‘slot in’ fan pimping system. Universal basically contract these things out for $xxx amount of cash.

gossi | July 29, 13:08 CET

Cheers gossi, I'd just like to add that the cover of the official Serenity magazine will be the poster as well.

Simon | July 29, 18:38 CET

The slogan does nothing for me either. I was waiting for "In the future...things still suck." Or something like that....
Revello | July 28, 19:13 CET

I REALLY like that tag. Seems more Joss' humorlike!!

WilliamTheBloody | July 29, 21:45 CET

I need a copy (ASAP) of that version they took down due to the "file problem". Who has it?

Thanks.

The One True b!X | August 22, 22:59 CET

July 28 2005