In Depth
Sci Fi Fanning Out for Upfront
Wants Its Characters Across All Media
Sci Fi Channel is working to create the programming of the future.
Its new development process is aimed at developing intellectual property with characters and stories that can live not only on a cable TV channel, but in video games, comic books, movies and digital platforms, creating multiple streams of revenue.
At its upfront presentation in New York this week, the network will announce that a property jointly created with Virgin Comics, “The Stranded,” is being developed for a TV series. The network said it’s also looking for a video game publisher to handle “The Stranded,” a story of regular people who discover they’re aliens with extraordinary abilities.
“What we’re trying to do is not migrate away from the cable screen, but actually build a business which enables us to own the entire sci-fi/fantasy category,” said David Howe, who was promoted to president of Sci Fi Channel earlier this year. “What that means from a development perspective is we need to no longer develop TV shows, we need to develop [intellectual property] that can enable us to tell those same stories across various platforms.”
Many television networks are looking to generate revenue beyond ad sales and subscription revenue. Bravo, which like Sci Fi is owned by NBC Universal, is looking to cash in on the popularity of shows such as “Top Chef” with cookbooks, knives and other consumer products.
“I think the goal for both are the same, which is how can we expand our businesses beyond our channels,” said Jeff Gaspin, president and chief operating officer of the NBC Universal Television Group, who oversees the company’s cable networks.
“I’d like to see that happen at Oxygen, too,” Mr. Gaspin added, noting that doing it at a broad-based channel like USA Network “is a little trickier.”
Mr. Howe said developing properties for multiple platforms is more challenging than developing simply for TV, but not necessarily more expensive or time-consuming.
“What you do have to factor into the development process is a new skill set and new voices in the mix that can talk to some expertise in those other platforms,” Mr. Howe said.
But the payoff could be considerably bigger.
“We know for a fact that the audience that watches Sci Fi the TV channel is also the same audience that’s playing video games, that is downloading content on their iPhones, that is out there buying licensed products,” Mr. Howe said. “This surrounds the consumer with content that we know we can monetize in the various platforms outside the TV viewing experience.”
Under Sci Fi’s deal with Virgin Comics, jointly developed titles aren’t published until it’s clear the idea could work as a TV show, movie and animated series.
The network decided to go forward with the TV show “when we started to see how the characters came to life within the comic book,” Mr. Howe said. “The backstory, the mythology, the texture, the unraveling of plot points, the action, the drama and conflict, they’re all in there.”
The network is unsure when production of the series will begin or when it will air. It also said it’s early to talk about getting advertisers involved on a multimedia basis.
“The point at which you launch those elements is the point at which suddenly you have a cross-platform sell. But you may not have that from the get-go,” Mr. Howe said.
The process should be more fruitful than trying to retrofit comic book characters or video game stories into TV shows.
“We’ve looked at World of Warcraft, we’ve looked at all of the successful video games out there, and we’ve set about thinking how can we develop it as a TV show, and we’ve failed systematically with all of those titles because they weren’t designed with that in mind,” he said.
At the upfront, Sci Fi is expected to talk to ad buyers about other new series including “Revolution” and “Warehouse 13” that the network hopes might one day replace flagship show “Battlestar Galactica,” which is ending its adventures on the network.
Not Just for Geeks
Mr. Howe also will continue the network’s effort to convince buyers that science fiction is not a narrow genre enjoyed by young men in their parents’ basements.
“Our audience has never been geeks,” Mr. Howe said. During the fourth quarter in prime time,
Sci Fi was the No. 5 ad-supported cable network among adults 25 to 54 and No. 9 among adults 18 to 49.
The network also has new research showing that even though its tech-savvy viewers have digital video recorders and know how to use them, they still tend to watch commercials.
When they see the commercials, they also are likely to remember them.
“We have evidence that our audience is truly engaged in our content,” Mr. Howe said.
Data from IAG Research found when Verizon sponsored the miniseries “Tin Man,” recall of its ads in that show was higher than when the same ads appeared on any other broadcast or cable channels.
“That plays to the fact that our audience is committed to us as a brand, committed to our content, and therefore has an openness to advertisers and an ability to recall advertisers’ brands within the ad break in a way that sets us apart from other networks,” Mr. Howe said.
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Comments 8
P. Lee
Stop thinking of marketing drek; build and promote good content...BTW, get that wrestling crap off Sci fi for starters.
SGfan
Hey, here is a thought. Why not continue to promote a show that just pulled in over 2.1 million viewers for their Season "4" finale, Stargate Atlantis. The show does well on little if any advertisment. The show has a strong fanbase that has maintained it's audience from last season and could of also likely surpassed them as well.
Attila
You want a show that can 'cross platforms'? How about a show that has 1) a successful book series, which has a new book coming out THIS APRIL ; 2) that has a comic, byt the Dabel brothers compnay, based on the book series, ALSO coming out in April 3) that has had posters issued by the same company doing the comics 4) that, when aired last year BY THE SCI FI CHANNEL, got good ratings, that on a few occaisons SURPASSED those of 'Battlestar Galactica' and the various 'Stargates', but was not renewed 5) that is VERY popular amongst women and families, across a wide age-range and in multiple countries 6) whose fans are practically panting for show-based merchandise to buy --- RENEW THE DRESDE FILES!!!!
patru
The Dresden Files is the perfect example of the type of program that can be developed on several platforms. The program is based on a series of books written by Jim Butcher, there is a comic book series in development and the potential for vidio games is endless. There is also the merchandising side, fans of the series would willing purchase posters, mugs, tee-shirts and memorbilia.
Bringing back The Dresden Files would be a wise move on the part of Sci-Fi, there is alread a fan base that has continued to grow in spite of the fact that the series has not been renewed. When the DVD of the first season hit the market the fans responded. We are hopeful that the 2 hour pilot will also be released on DVD (we are waiting money in hand).
The Dresden Files is representative of the quality programming that the Sci-Fi channel needs to embrace. There are very few programs that appeal to the whole family the way The Dresden Files does. A wizard and police office fighting demons is a great concept for vidio games.
The fans of The Dresden Files hope that Mr. Howe will recoginze the potential of the program and renew it.
Tsui Snark
Finally! The cynicism toward the SciFi audience, unveiled. PS, love any sentence that starts with: "We know for a fact." Hey, everyone is playing video games, downloading content for their iPhones, and buying licensed products. A 'Hail Mary' launch is useless and costly if the core property ... sucks. What's amusing here is that Mr. Howe doesn't seem to view his role as serving the audience, but in figuring out ways for the audience to further serve his needs. Memo to the Howester: This is the kind of talk best left to internal memos. And have you spent any time in your web forums lately? After tormenting your core audience by killing Battlestar Galactica and Dresden Files and more, in favor of truckloads of unspectacular dreck (you know who you are), your audience isn't exactly committed to your brand anymore. Time to cash that reality check.
Addled Alchemist
Here's a revolutionary though...why not start with quality programming and let the rest take care of itself?
And if this mutiple platform route is really the way they want to go, why did they cancel The Dresden Files? A success book series, new comics...ah, the possibilities. Instead we get reality and wrestling. WTF? You just mentioned the quality of the scifi viewer. How about a little respect...like something intellectually stimulating for those of us who've left our parent's basements behind?
Zarina
Sci-Fi, like every other business on earth, wants to make more money. To do that they want to place content across platforms and to reach viewers beyond the regular science fiction fan.
Then why have they not yet renewed the Dresden Files??
* The Dresden Files brought in non-scifi viewers and is considered by many to be their 'family' show - one that everyone in the family can sit down to watch & enjoy.
* Sci-Fi wants comic books. The Dresden Files is will have it's own comic book series starting next month.
* Sci-Fi wants video games. There's already a Dresden Files RPG in testing, and how cool a game would a Wizard fighting demons, ghosts, and vampires in CHICAGO be??!
* Sci-Fi didn't mention books, but they're another platform & the Dresden Files is based on an established, extremely popular book series.
* The Dresden Files had better than average ratings and thanks to the DVD's the viewership has continued to grow!
Series with pretty young people being the only thing going for them aren't what keep viewers - Flash & PKJ are proof of that! Flashy special effects aren't always necessary, either. Look at Torchwood & Dr. Who - no giant flashy special effects, but the audience loves them.
Viewers STAY because of content and quality, characters and chemistry, and great stories and plots. The Dresden Files has ALL of these and they're the reasons its viewership grows!
Sci-Fi wants/needs to make money - We get it, in fact we viewers are more than happy to HELP them. Give us quality entertainment, and we WILL watch it! You can start by listening to your viewers - your customers - and renewing the Dresden Files!
raven
I'm another Dresden Files fan. Loved the series. Totally freaked that it wasn't renewed. The books are awesome and are quite popular among a diverse readership. And as others have mentioned, the material is great fodder for video games. I'm sure that a lot goes into the decision whether to renew a series or not that fans are unaware of. But your fans' (or potential ex-fans') feedback should be an essential part of that decision. And it sounds like the Dresden Files is one that a lot of people want to see return. Fox made the same mistake with Firefly. Now looking into bringing back Firefly to a network that would appreciate it would be something for Sci-Fi to consider as well!!! Check it out...