Buster
2006-05-16 03:53:02 UTC
Here is an interesting post from the HBO forums by W. Earl Brown (who
plays Dan Dority on Deadwood)-
It has nothing to do with pregnancies. It has nothing to do with
conservative watchdogs.
It has everything to do with money.
Chris Albrecht, HBO CEO, is in danger of losing his job. The network is
bleeding red ink. His production side lost a ton of money. They sunk
120-million into ROME. They are committed contractually to another
season, plus they have 120 invested already.
On DEADWOOD, they did not get foreign rights. Paramount had a deal with
Milch to work for them. In exchange for them releasing him to HBO, they
got foreign rights to our show. So for three years, HBO has not seen
that money from around the world.
While we are the second biggest show on HBO, we are the 2nd most
expensive to make (half of what ROME costs, mind you). Chris has
shareholders to answer to and is panicked to cut the bottom line. Never
mind the fact, that in 2004 he posted a 1-Billion dollar profit (the
most for ANY network. Ever.) You might've won the Super Bowl last year,
but if you go 0-16 this season, you're looking for another coaching job.
We had been given word of season four. They trumpeted the announcment
of the season to the press in March. Chris, obviously having not been
raised the way I was where a man's word is his bond, reneged on us. He
offered Milch the opportunity to wrap up the series with either a 2
hour movie or an order of six episodes. David refused, feeling that to
conclude with anything short of a full season (which we'd already been
given word of) would demean all the work we'd done prior. I agree.
The shitty part of this is David's Paramount deal is over this year.
Starting with season four, HBO would own the show outright. All world
monies would be theirs. BUT... that doesn't help Chris with the
shareholders today. He is cutting off his nose to spite his face.
Write HBO. Call HBO. Email HBO. It amounts to the bottom line. If the
are overun by subscibers and the threatened cancellations are enough of
an issue to seriously cut into their cash flow, they might change track.
Bottom line matters. CARNIVALE only had a weekly viewership of 2-3
million. SOPRANOS, on the opposite end, has 10-12. DEADWOOD drew 5-6.
ROME has a comparable draw, although their viewership dwindled as the
show went on. However (this is solely my opinion having constantly
encountered fans on the street, in airports, etc. who are only now
getting into the show via dvd of season 1) DEADWOOD is (was) still
ascending.
We've been cut off at the knees.
Read this. Memorize this. I'm afraid some Monitor from Big Brother will
soon delete it and I will never work for HBO again... at least while
Albrecht is at the helm.
-----
ok, let's do what Dan says, let's make an attempt to save Deadwood.
Below is a url for HBO's Deadwood contact page, use it!
http://www.hbo.com/apps/submitinfo/contactus/submit.do?title=Deadwood&questiontype=HBOdeadwood
plays Dan Dority on Deadwood)-
It has nothing to do with pregnancies. It has nothing to do with
conservative watchdogs.
It has everything to do with money.
Chris Albrecht, HBO CEO, is in danger of losing his job. The network is
bleeding red ink. His production side lost a ton of money. They sunk
120-million into ROME. They are committed contractually to another
season, plus they have 120 invested already.
On DEADWOOD, they did not get foreign rights. Paramount had a deal with
Milch to work for them. In exchange for them releasing him to HBO, they
got foreign rights to our show. So for three years, HBO has not seen
that money from around the world.
While we are the second biggest show on HBO, we are the 2nd most
expensive to make (half of what ROME costs, mind you). Chris has
shareholders to answer to and is panicked to cut the bottom line. Never
mind the fact, that in 2004 he posted a 1-Billion dollar profit (the
most for ANY network. Ever.) You might've won the Super Bowl last year,
but if you go 0-16 this season, you're looking for another coaching job.
We had been given word of season four. They trumpeted the announcment
of the season to the press in March. Chris, obviously having not been
raised the way I was where a man's word is his bond, reneged on us. He
offered Milch the opportunity to wrap up the series with either a 2
hour movie or an order of six episodes. David refused, feeling that to
conclude with anything short of a full season (which we'd already been
given word of) would demean all the work we'd done prior. I agree.
The shitty part of this is David's Paramount deal is over this year.
Starting with season four, HBO would own the show outright. All world
monies would be theirs. BUT... that doesn't help Chris with the
shareholders today. He is cutting off his nose to spite his face.
Write HBO. Call HBO. Email HBO. It amounts to the bottom line. If the
are overun by subscibers and the threatened cancellations are enough of
an issue to seriously cut into their cash flow, they might change track.
Bottom line matters. CARNIVALE only had a weekly viewership of 2-3
million. SOPRANOS, on the opposite end, has 10-12. DEADWOOD drew 5-6.
ROME has a comparable draw, although their viewership dwindled as the
show went on. However (this is solely my opinion having constantly
encountered fans on the street, in airports, etc. who are only now
getting into the show via dvd of season 1) DEADWOOD is (was) still
ascending.
We've been cut off at the knees.
Read this. Memorize this. I'm afraid some Monitor from Big Brother will
soon delete it and I will never work for HBO again... at least while
Albrecht is at the helm.
-----
ok, let's do what Dan says, let's make an attempt to save Deadwood.
Below is a url for HBO's Deadwood contact page, use it!
http://www.hbo.com/apps/submitinfo/contactus/submit.do?title=Deadwood&questiontype=HBOdeadwood