Back to Earth… Back in HD

[thomasaevans]

http://www.charlesarmitage.com/

“Grant Naylor Productions is producing new episodes of Red Dwarf for the first time in a decade, in High Definition.

DVD sales to date: 7,200,000 units. Launching on iTunes in April.”

Its all out there, you just gotta look hard enough.

Topic

[Jonathan Capps]

How interesting. I assume this is basically a future proofing and overseas selling step, though, as Dave doesn’t broadcast in HD (not even on Sky or Cable, I believe) and I would guess releasing a DVD and Blu-Ray version of the episodes would be a needless extra expense.

Maybe we’re just getting to a point where everything new will be using HD cameras and tape even if it’s going to be downsampled?

[pfm]

Ace. Blu-ray here we come! 7.2m DVD sales is pretty darn impressive. I’m assuming Dave/Worldwide’s decision to take on Dwarf was largely down to that figure. In yer face, TV!! Also, in yer face, iTunes haters. Dwarf will be a success in those quarters, and that caters for more NEW Dwarf audience (existing fans having, of course, already converted all the DVD episodes into their own suitable media player format for free…)

[pfm]

> overseas selling step

Exactly, didn’t think of that. Though with 7.2m DVD sales there is at least some incentive for a Blu-ray release. It’s certainly what I would buy.

[Jonathan Capps]

> Exactly, didn?t think of that. Though with 7.2m DVD sales there is at least some incentive for a Blu-ray release. It?s certainly what I would buy.

I’d have to buy them both. By then I’d probably have a Blu-ray drive on my PC, but that’d probably be it, so I’d need a DVD copy for the living room.

Of course, it’s also likely that it’s being shot in HD but downsampled to SD (which would give better picture quality than stuff shot on SD, I believe – I may be wrong, though) with no intention to sell HD versions.

I guess we’ll see.

[Tarka Dal]

He’s good this kid guy isn’t he?

[thomasaevans]

Kid Guy?

[hummingbird]

Pan?

[James]

Scan?

[Carlito]

7.2m DVDs? The DVDs were usually at least ?15 a pop when released, most places closer to ?20.

Now I don’t know whether GNP were paid a flat rate for the DVDs, or a percentage of sales, or whatever… don’t know what is standard, not my area of expertise so I won’t pretend it is… but even if we round the price of the these DVDs down to just ?15 each, for the sake of not knowing the score and taking into account discounts and offers and international sales et al…. that’s at least ?100m in shop tills around the world generated by Red Dwarf.

Obviously I know the costs of printing, packaging, distribution etc must be taken into account but if GNP got even 5% of that figure, that’s ?5m. Coupled with the various other sources of income, including television rights nationally and internationally, you got yourself a movie budget right there.

Remind me again why the movie never happened?

[Carlito]

Figures are hugely speculative of course, but 7.2m DVD sales must have put a fair old whack into the GNP company coffers.

[hummingbird]

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that after the retailers, distributors, manufacturers, et al have taken their cut GNP probably get little more than a few pence per unit.

More profitable, I think, would be the royalties from the re-runs.

[Carlito]

A few pence per unit would be scandalous and surely incorrect?

I mean, I know (or rather already assumed) that despite GNP’s property being the irreplacable nucleus of the entire product, those greedy bastards(the distribution/retail companies et al) involved in the DVD hitting the shelves will have stuck their grubby little fingers into the tin and snatched all the choc nut caramels in the purple wrapping, leaving GNP little more than a handful of unwanted coffee creams… but a “few pence” is taking the piss.

[Jonathan Capps]

> Remind me again why the movie never happened?

> don?t know what is standard, not my area of expertise so I won?t pretend it is

[pfm]

> Remind me again why the movie never happened?

Because it probably wouldn’t have made it’s investors much profit. End of line.

[Carlito]

My point was that the show must have brought a LOT of money in to GNP in the decade since Doug started trying to get the film funded. Probably enough to make a movie, even if it meant perhaps compromising on the budget a little bit.

[Jonathan Capps]

So, either you’re right and GNP just didn’t notice they had the money for a movie all along…

Or you’re wrong.

[Mr Flibble]

Not at all. GNP is a tiny piece of the pie – pence also have to find their way to the cast, some of the crew, writers, directors.

So after the shop, distributor and DVD producer have stuck their fingers in the pot, along comes the cast and crew and then GNP get the money.

5 INT. DVD STORE – DAY
A MAN in A Dwarf t-shirt walks into a shop and picks up a copy of one of the Dwarf DVDs. He hands it over to the CASHIER, along with two ?10 notes. The CASHIER takes one for himself, and gives the other to a BBC MAN. The BBC MAN gives Doug 20p. He looks at it in disbelief.

[JamesTC]

Where did you get a script of the Red Dwarf Movie from?

[Carlito]

Obviously it went elsewhere, or they got shafted on their cut of DVD sales. But where, or why?

You know, just trying to stir up a bit of debate, or learn a few little interesting snippets along the way… no need to jump down my throat.

You know what, Capps, you’ve changed.

You’re tetchy.

[Seb Patrick]

Where did you get a script of the Red Dwarf Movie from?

http://www.ganymede.tv/files/downloads/tmynyn/deleted.avi

Not at all. GNP is a tiny piece of the pie – pence also have to find their way to the cast, some of the crew, writers, directors.

Yup. I’m not sure why people always seem to forget this factor.

[pfm]

> Probably enough to make a movie, even if it meant perhaps compromising on the budget a little bit.

If you’re gonna cut the budget you might as well just do a TV special. And only people like George Lucas throw all their own money into a movie. George Lucas is insane. Doug, presumably, is not.

[ChrisM]

George Lucas is very very rich.

[locusceruleus]

>Doug, presumably, is not.

I know a dinosaur named Pete who begs to differ.

[Carlito]

So the man is prepared to put his career on hold for an entire decade in a fruitless wild goose chase to get the movie made, but not to put his own money into it?

And you presume he isn’t insane why?

[JamesTC]

Doug tried to make Series IX of Red Dwarf in 2002 but the BBC were not interested – http://www.ganymede.tv/files/downloads/wallpapers/art/dwarf-tvlicence-800.png

[Danny Stephenson]

My first attempt at satire, there.

[Ian Symes]

So the man is prepared to put his career on hold for an entire decade in a fruitless wild goose chase to get the movie made, but not to put his own money into it?

I’m pretty certain that Doug Naylor is not a multi-millionaire.

[pfm]

Calling it a ‘wild goose chase’ is definitely unfair. It DID nearly get made. I’m sure one day we’ll know the full story about the Movie. They could probably make a movie about trying to make the Movie. An audio of the screenplay would be ace as well.

[Jonathan Capps]

> They could probably make a movie about trying to make the Movie

What a shit idea.

[Carlito]

They could probably spend the next ten years trying to find funding to make a movie about trying to make the movie.

[Carlito]

They could probably spend the next ten years trying to find funding to make a movie about trying to make the movie.

[Jonathan Capps]

See you in ten minutes?

[Ian Symes]

Nah, you can make a movie about trying to find funding to make a movie for the cost of some false beards and a bottle of baby oil.

[Dave]

>I?m pretty certain that Doug Naylor is not a multi-millionaire

But he is the Duke of Manchester

[Jonathan Capps]

I’m the Duke of Manchester, and so is my wife!

[Danny Stephenson]

I?m the Duke of Manchester, and so is my wife!

Would the wife be Kylie?

[Jonathan Capps]

No, that’s Karl’s wife. My wife is KT Tunstall. Or maybe Michelle Ryan. Or Jewel Staite. Or Julie Benz.

[Mr Flibble]

I’m wiggling my arse as I say this.

[pfm]

> Or Julie Benz.

This. I got a slap off the girlfriend for drooling during the bit in the first episode of Dexter series 2 where she strips!

[Ben Paddon]

You need a new girlfriend. Mine is constantly pointing out cute and hot girls to me.

[Dave]

But will she slap you off?

[Ben Paddon]

I have no idea what that means. But, probably.

[Ian Symes]

You need a new girlfriend. Mine is constantly pointing out cute and hot girls to me.

Yeah, but she doesn’t like audience sitcoms.

[Tarka Dal]

> No, that?s Karl?s wife. My wife is KT Tunstall. Or maybe Michelle Ryan. Or Jewel Staite. Or Julie Benz.

Correction. I have access to Jewel every other weekend and Michelle Ryan every 3rd Saturday.

> You need a new girlfriend. Mine is constantly pointing out cute and hot girls to me.

Go on, you’d be better off with her. Then I won’t feel so guilty when I tell you I’ve been sleeping with your brother/father/cousin …actually all of them.

[thomasaevans]

http://ganymede.tv/forum/2009/02/doc-who-now-also-in-hd#comment-140480

Who follows the trend. Lol. I know Its not a trend, its the future.

BTW someone at work was telling me that in a few years, HD will be replaced with 3dTV without glasses. Any truth in this?

[Mr-Stabby]

Bobby has just mentioned on his new Youtube video, that the new show is being filmed on a 4k Red camera!!!! That’s f*cking amazing!

[JamesTC]

Could you please explain what the fuck a 4k red camera is please? Not to watch the latest WLW.

[Danny Stephenson]

the new show is being filmed on a 4k Red camera!!!!

Woo! i think.

[JamesTC]

Oh I see, a higher definition HD camera.

[Mr-Stabby]

>Could you please explain what the fuck a 4k red camera is please? Not to watch the latest WLW.

It’s a very high quality digital camera. Matches the quality of 35mm film, and as Bobby said some people even prefer the quality of 4K red to 35mm. It certainly will put it on a par quality wise with any U.S drama.

[Author]

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