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Bring Back MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000

Created by Joel Hodgson & Team MST3K

You did it: you brought back MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000! Thanks to you, MST3K will be able to shoot FOURTEEN NEW EPISODES next year, including a new holiday special!

Latest Updates from Our Project:

LESS THAN 12 HOURS TO GO: It all ends TONIGHT at 10 PM PST, and we're 95% FUNDED! Now it's time for Joel's FINAL CHALLENGE.
over 10 years ago – Fri, Dec 11, 2015 at 10:29:39 PM

Good Morning, Team MST3K!

It's me again – Joel Hodgson – back with another update.

And actually, you know, this is probably the last update I'll get to write before "the end"... because our Kickstarter to #BringBackMST3K ends tonight at 10:00 pm PST! This morning, I've just got a couple more things to tell you… but they're really important, so let's get to it.

First, let me share some incredible news:

With less than 12 HOURS LEFT in our Kickstarter to #BringBackMST3K, our combined total* is almost at $5.2MM! That means we're 95% of the way to our goal of making TWELVE all-new episodes of MST3K!

*Now remember, that's our combined total, so you won't see all of it here on Kickstarter. That's because we've also raised OVER $400,000 IN ADD-ON REWARDS over at our official website. Take a look:

How amazing is that? We've got less than 12 hours and $300K left to go – and we raised more than that yesterday! So, I don't wanna jinx us, but if we keep up that pace, it looks like we'll be able to make a full season of MST3K next year – and we might even get there before the end of tonight's "FINAL COUNTDOWN" LIVESTREAMING TELETHON!

Oh, I almost forgot to share another cool milestone:

Since we've raised more than $4.5MM, we've now passed Super Troopers 2 on Indiegogo, which means we're now the second most-funded Film & Video crowdfunding project on any site, ever!

And here's the really crazy part:

We still have time to pass Veronica Mars and become THE BIGGEST FILM & VIDEO CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN OF ALL TIME!

Now, I want to explain something to you. This isn't a contest: if it weren't for Veronica Mars and Super Troopers 2, I might not have believed that we could all work together to bring back MST3K. But like I told you a month ago, this isn't just about making one new season: it's about convincing a "conference table full of executives" to give our show a home, so that we can make a lot more seasons.

And man, if we can break that record, I just think it'll do so much to help keep MST3K alive. Just think: from now on, anytime people talk about crowdfunding, they'll discover Mystery Science Theater 3000 and what you did to bring it back. Then, maybe they'll watch a couple episodes to find out what the big deal is!

Also, I think maybe it would get us into the Guinness Book of World Records? That's still a thing, right?

So yeah, it's like I've said before: we're not just talking about Mystery Science History anymore... we're talking about actual history. And we've still got 12 hours left to do something everyone will hear about.

Now, getting to $5.5MM will be hard enough… but you know, if we can get there before 10pm tonight, we'll be really close to breaking that record… and if that can help us get more new seasons of MST3K, I feel like we've gotta try. Plus, we've already got this whole live telethon planned, and all of these guests coming over, so I want to make sure there's a really good reason to keep going until the very end.

So listen up MSTies, because I've got one final challenge for you… and I've thought really hard about this, because it's a big one:

If we pass $5.9MM before our Kickstarter ends at 10pm PST tonight, we'll make it a very Patrick Swayze Christmas with a thirteenth new episode: a brand-new MST3K HOLIDAY SPECIAL!

(Quick note: I’ve always loved holiday TV. It was such a great tradition to look forward to, back in the day: watching specials like The Bing Crosby Christmas specials, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and of course, the Rankin/Bass holiday specials. That's why I was so glad that MST got to add to the tradition in our own small, sincere, yet twisted way... by riffing cheesy holiday films like Santa Claus Conquers the Martians and – of course – Santa Claus. And if we're able to make another one, I've got the perfect movie picked out for Jonah and the bots.)

Anyway, that means that our updated progress meter now looks like this:

So there you go, MSTies. We're in the Red Zone. Everyone is watching to see what'll happen next, and we've got just 12 HOURS LEFT to take our place in the crowdfunding history books.

Right after I send this update, I'll send another short update, explaining a few final ways you can help us reach our goal by 10pm tonight. I want to make sure everyone sees that. 

But then, I'll be busy preparing for our FINAL COUNTDOWN events, so don't forget to join us at:

  • 2 PM PST for our final MST3K DOUBLE FEATURE, and 
  • 5 PM PST for our live "FINAL COUNTDOWN" TELETHON!

If you want to join the fun, you can find our livestream right here on Kickstarter, the MST3K Final Countdown site, our MST3K YouTube channel, or any of the platforms supported by our friends and hosts at XSN.

And until then, don't forget:

KEEP CIRCULATING THE URL.

Cheers and Thanks,

 Joel

You heard the man! A NEW HOLIDAY SPECIAL, and a place among the gods! If you won't do it for me, do it for your fellow man. Do it because it's right. Do it for Joel! But whatever you do, do it quick, because we're almost outta time.

Just post this message to Twitter & Facebook right now:

Just 10 HRS LEFT to #BringBackMST3K! If we hit $5.9MM, we get a BONUS EPISODE: a brand new @MST3K HOLIDAY SPECIAL! http://mst3k.com/kickstarter/update21

36 HOURS LEFT and We're At 87%!!! Find out who's offering to CAMEO on the next MST3K!
over 10 years ago – Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 11:37:22 PM

Up and at 'em, everyone!

We've got just 38 HOURS LEFT in our Final Countdown, which makes today the last full day of our Kickstarter to #BringBackMST3K. 

When we're this close to the end, every hour matters... so let's use 'em wisely!

But I've gotta tell you, I'm feeling great this morning. I've been so excited to see your responses after yesterday's big announcements about all of the talented folks who have offered to jump in and help with the next season of Mystery Science Theater 3000. And I still haven't told you about the amazing performers who have agreed to join us for cameos... but we'll get to that in a second.

First, let's take a look at where things stand:

With just over 36 hours to go, our combined total has passed $4.77 million, which means we're now almost 87% of the way to our final goal!

That's right: we've now raised OVER $375,000 IN ADD-ON REWARDS. That's a lot of MIMOBOTS®, COFFEE TABLE BOOKS, CALENDARS and ART PRINTS!

And when you add that to what we've raised here on Kickstarter, it looks like this:

See that? We just passed $4.4MM on Kickstarter alone, and we're moving faster than ever. 

Plus, we've still got just over 36 hours to reach the end, so who knows... maybe we can even set a new record!

In fact, just in case we do reach $5.5MM and unlock all twelve episodes before our Final Countdown ends, I've got one last "stretch goal" in mind… but I'll tell you more about that later. Because right now, I've got something really exciting to tell you.

Who Might Appear for Cameos in the New Episodes?

Yesterday, I introduced you to some of the incredible writers and brilliant artists who have offered to help out and join us "behind the camera" for the next season of MST3K.

Today – to kick off the last 36 hours of our Kickstarter – I wanna share the names of a few more super-talented folks I've been talking to, who are interested in helping us out in front of the camera!

Now, listen: there's no way we can 100% guarantee this stuff, because these nice folks are all really busy… but they're also really big fans of MST3K, and they've each said that if we can fit into their schedules, they'd love to do a cameo in one of our new episodes!

So, here are a few performers who are interested in appearing on MST3K next season:

  • JACK BLACK, the brilliant comic actor and musician, star of everything from the Kung Fu Panda films to the wonderful School of Rock… though to some people, of course, he's better known as one-half of Tenacious D. So, I don't wanna tell you anything about what I'm planning for his character… but I think it would be a lot of fun to have him perform a song.
  • JOEL MCHALE, who I first knew as the hilariously dry host of The Soup, and who has been expanding his acting career into television (as the star of Community) and film (the Ted movies). I met Joel at a friend's wedding last year, and we became fast friends. He's a really nice guy, so even though he's in demand for big-time revivals like The X-Files, he says he's up for joining us too!
  • BILL HADER, the incredible changeling/actor/impressionist who has appeared in everything from SNL to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs to Trainwreck. I’ve always been amazed by Bill's talents, and was finally introduced to him backstage at SNL by a mutual friend.
  • NEIL PATRICK HARRIS is a true renaissance man whose career spans film, TV, the broadway stage and the internet, where he appeared opposite our own Felicia Day in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Funny enough, though, I actually met Neil through mutual friends at the Los Angeles Magic History Conference, where we geeked out on magic together. Also, I'm honored to point out that Neil has always been a MSTie. In fact, he was included in first MST documentary – This is MST3K – all the way back in his Doogie Howser days! 
  • JERRY SEINFELD, my long time friend, and of course, one of our most brilliant stand-up comedians. Jerry was also the co-creator of Seinfeld, and the creator and host of my favorite concept for a talk show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. You know, I’ve known this guy for over thirty years. I actually remember him from when he only had one car.

Incredible, right? 

We'd be lucky to have any one of these comedians stop in for a cameo… and if everything works out, our next season will have cameos from all of them!

Finally, there's one other person who I've been talking to about a cameo, and it sounds like he's up for it… but before I tell you his name, there's something else I wanna mention.

I forgot to put this in my updates last week, but over the summer, when we weren't sure when -- or if – we'd be able to bring back MST3K, Crow and Servo went on a few auditions. Last week, one of those tapes "leaked":

First Star Wars, and now MST3K? I guess Tom and Crow are really working the revival circuit these days.

Anyway, speaking of Star Wars, you might remember a few weeks ago – not long after we launched our Kickstarter campaign – that this happened:

And you know, once it did, I had to follow up on it. 

I was able to connect with Mark through someone we both know, and when we talked last week, I asked if he would be up for doing a cameo on Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Guess what, everyone?

MARK HAMILL is up for doing a cameo on Mystery Science Theater 3000!

And you know, when we finally spoke, and Mark told he me was a MSTie from way back, I was simply knocked out. Like a lot of other people in my generation, seeing Star Wars in theaters back in 1977 was a profound experience. For me, it was the equivalent of seeing the Stones play. But since then, I've also admired Mark's incredible work as a voice actor, especially as the Joker in the Batman animated series and video games. Mark just gives these unbelievable performances in all of his roles, so I'm excited to find a really fun, unexpected role for him on MST.

Now, those are just some of the amazing and talented performers who have offered to stop into the show. But you know, as much as I love all of these guys, let's face it: it's a little bit male-centric.

I've gotta tell you: that wasn't intentional. I guess I just have a harder time meeting women these days? But listen, if any female celebrities are reading this, and happen to be fans of MST3K, please let me know! And if your names happen to be Tina Fey, Lily Tomlin or Amy (Poehler and Schumer) – a few of my current comedy heroes – call me! We're bringing back MST3K and would love for you to do a cameo!

Now, I don't wanna promise anything just yet, because I haven't started talking to most of these guys about the characters we'd create for them, but I'm just gonna put this out there... if we can get Bobby Lopez to write a new duet for Felicia Day and Neil Patrick Harris?

I mean, come on: how cool would that be?

And you know what? If we can get to a FULL TWELVE EPISODES, I bet we could make it happen. We've got less than $750,000 to go, and a little more than 36 hours to get there, so let's make it all count, MSTies. I know you can do this. 

Just remember: 

KEEP CIRCULATING THE URL.

Cheers and Thanks,

 Joel

Crow T. Robot, here. Today's going to be a real hamdinger of a day: we've got work left to do, and we're going to need all hands on deck. We've got just over 36 hours to reach our final goal, so that we can shoot a whole season of MST3K next year. If we don't, I might have to go back to auditioning for robot parts again. I just can't do it anymore! So, help out your fellow robot this one last time?

Just post one (or all) of these messages to Twitter & Facebook right now: 

  • 36 HRS LEFT to #BringBackMST3K & @JoelGHodgson’s got an all-star line up of cameos… but @tinafey @amypoehler @lilytomlin: please call!

48 HOURS LEFT: 84% and Climbing. More on MST3K's New Season: 11 New Artists! One Last Add-On Reward! PLUS: Telethon Meetups!
over 10 years ago – Wed, Dec 09, 2015 at 11:39:40 PM

MST3K Revival Leaguers,

It's me again: Joel. I'm back with more good news and a late-night update.

With just under 48 hours to go, our combined total is now over $4.6MM, putting us at 84% of our final goal.

Now, I know I'm burning the midnight oil here, but it's like I told you: there's a lot to cover this week, and we don't have much time left. 

Don't worry: if you need to sleep, this update will go really great with your morning coffee. But for anyone who's still awake and reading me... let's keep moving.

ARTISTS, CREATORS & MAKERS

In this morning's update, I introduced you to some of the amazing writers who will be pitching in to help with the next season of MST3K. But, you know, before our writers come up with great riffs, we first need people who are going to pitch in and help bring the world of MST3K to life – both the places and the characters that inhabit this world.

So, making MST3K requires all sorts of creative jobs: drawing storyboards and concept art, designing sets and costumes, fabricating props and robots, creating visual effects with makeup and stage magic, engineering and operating puppets… the list goes on and on.

In this update, I want to introduce you to a few of the wonderful artists, creators and makers that I've met over the years who have offered to lend their talent for the new season.

When I met these people, they shared their love for MST3K, and said that if the show ever came back, they'd want to be a part of it. Thanks to you, I finally get to take them up on those offers!

Now, I want you to remember that a lot of these folks already have really busy careers, so it's not like they're all going to work on MST3K full time. Some of them will, and some of them will be more like special "guest artists," who we call in when we need their particular skills.

But I wanted to introduce you to them, and show you some of their wonderful work, because I think it might help you understand where I think MST3K is going next season.

Here are just a few of the people who have already offered to help:

WAYNE WHITE, one of the genius designers behind Pee-wee's Playhouse (and star of the documentary Beauty Is Embarrassing) is going to some design some cool-ass stuff for us... maybe even a spaceship or two!

Wayne White's sketches from Pee-wee's Playhouse.
Wayne White's sketches from Pee-wee's Playhouse.

PENDLETON WARD, creator of the magical Adventure Time, will be creating some special animation for us – and he'll be offering a few special rewards during our Final Countdown Telethon!

Pendleton Ward's "Adventure Time"
Pendleton Ward's "Adventure Time"

REBECCA SUGAR, the creator of Steven Universe AND a creative juggernaut from Adventure Time is doing a specially designed piece for us, while her brother…

Rebecca Sugar's "Steven Universe"
Rebecca Sugar's "Steven Universe"

STEVEN SUGAR, the ingenious background designer of Steven Universe, has already started work imagining cool ideas for the interior of the SOL and the Mads' new lair.

Steven Sugar's background designs for "Steven Universe"
Steven Sugar's background designs for "Steven Universe"

And GUY DAVIS, the incredible comic book artist behind Sandman Mystery Theatre, writer and illustrator of award-winning series The Marquis, and frequent character and concept designer for Guillermo del Toro on projects like Pacific Rim and The Strain turns out to be a longtime MSTie too! Who knew? 

A sample of Guy Davis' comic book work
A sample of Guy Davis' comic book work

Pretty incredible, right? Now, just imagine what these folks will create for the MST3K alternaverse!

And actually, there are a few more artists to add to this list, and they've already started working on ideas to help us return to Mystery Science Theater. 

Now listen, I don't want to explain anything about what you're looking at in these images yet… but if you promise not to ask any questions, I'll show you some cool stuff we're already working on.

FRENDEN, the brilliant digital brush designer and graphic artist supreme, has already started designing some characters and costumes ideas.

Here’s his latest work-up on a concept for Professor Bobo:

JOSHUA PRUETT, an exceptional storyboard artist and creator, who has worked as a story artist on The Croods, and writer on Book of Dragons, and as both on Disney’s wildly popular Phineas & Ferb, has already started work on storyboards for the next opening and closing of the show:

GARY GLOVER, a long time friend of MST3K, and top concept designer who’s done concepts and art for all manner of films and toys, has already begun to work his magic doing some beautiful illustrations for us. Here’s his latest take on a spacesuit for Jonah, and some new features for Tom Servo and Crow:  

MARTY BAUMANN has been busy on concept art too. You already know Marty's work from these updates: he’s the man who designed both our Mission Patches and the "Satellite of Love" Art Print available as Add-On Rewards, and he's famous for his work on animated films like Toy Story 3 and Big Hero 6. Here's Marty's pass at a new look for the "Bridge" on the SOL:

BRETT 2D BEAN, a wonderful visual development artist and conceptual designer for all sorts of projects and companies, has done designs for big companies, like Disney, Nickelodeon and Jim Henson's Creature Shop... and also little ones, like MST3K. He's been working on some character designs, including this idea for Kinga:

And, of course, there's one other artist who will be helping out:

STEVE VANCE, our favorite MST3K poster artist, is gonna help me "seam it all together" visually. You've already seen plenty of Steve's work, but I thought this might be a good excuse to show you how the OFFICIAL POSTER is coming along:

It's still not 100% final, but I think we're getting pretty close… and it's been a lot of fun to watch Steve work. As you can see, the finished poster is gonna look just incredible… and remember, it's also gonna be exclusive to this Kickstarter campaign!

So, if you want to make sure you'll have one of these for yourself, just be sure to get a reward package that includes the Official Poster (EXPERIMENTS 150 and above), or get the poster or signed poster as an Add-On Reward.

Anyway, that's just a little of what we've been up to. And I hope you'll agree with me: thanks to all of these people, the new season of MST3K oughta look pretty amazing!

But you know, the show needs more than just visual art. That's why I'm glad some talented, creative minds have also offered to help us out with other parts of production, including... 

PRACTICAL EFFECTS

As you might remember, "practical effects" are one of my favorite subjects, and I've gotta tell you: the new MST3K is gonna be lousy with them. So, we're planning to bring in an expert:

ADAM SAVAGE, from Mythbusters, has agreed to consult on some of the more ambitious "in camera" effects we're planning for these new episodes. With the help of people like Adam, I feel like we'll be able to pull off just about anything we can think of.

PUPPETS

And of course, MST3K wouldn't be MST3K without our many robot friends, so I wanted to save this for last: I've been waiting for the right time to introduce two guys who have been helping "beneath" the scenes – literally! – for over a year: Grant and Russ, who have been operating Crow and Servo since Turkey Day '14 and did all of the puppeteering for our Kickstarter, have agreed to tackle even bigger challenges as MST3K's official puppet producers.

Now, I first became aware of GRANT BACIOCCO through his funny musical act, "Throwing Toasters," but even though we've been friends for a lot longer, I still didn't know how great his puppeteering skills were until about four years ago, when I saw him perform live as part of Henson Alternative's Puppet Up! Uncensored.

Then, Grant introduced me to RUSS WALCO. In the puppeting world, Russ has done just about everything you can imagine: building and operating puppets for The Jim Henson Company, The Muppets, the puppet episodes of The Simpsons and Community, the Pee-wee Herman Stage Show… it's really pretty amazing, and we're lucky that Russ will also act as our team's puppet mechanic and builder.

So, now you've met more of the people who are going to help make your new episodes of MST3K… and with talent like this, it would be a crime if we didn't get to make a full season of TWELVE NEW EPISODES, am I right?

Fortunately, we've still got 48 hours to get the rest of the way there. And to keep moving us closer, we've got one last amazing Add-On Reward to announce:

Making the Next MST3K: The Coffee Table Book

That's right, I said it: a coffee table book!

To me, coffee table books are so good at representing an environment and a mood. So, I think it would be really cool to finally make one that shows you all the wonderful stuff happening behind the scenes of MST3K. There's all kinds of amazing stuff that you almost never get to see... But, you know, if you look at all of the images in this update, I think you'll get it. The whole thing just starts to come to life.

We're planning to make sure this is a beautiful, collectible hardcover edition. In fact, I actually think this is going to be one of the coolest things we make for this Kickstarter. And you know, if you keep it sitting around, it'll give you a perfect excuse to tell your friends, "Oh, what? This old thing? Why, it's just some art our team did for this little show I helped bankroll."

If you want to get one – and help us reach our final Kickstarter goal before time runs out – you can reserve yours now as an Add-On Reward. Plus, for the true art collectors among you, we're also offering a very small number of these books signed by all of our artists.

Or, if you're not the coffee table type, we'll include some of the best artwork as part of another exclusive Add-On Reward: our Art of MST3K - Wall Calendar for 2017.

One last thing: don't forget to join us tomorrow and Friday as we continue celebrating the final week of our Kickstarter to #BringBackMST3K, with more livestreaming special events!

Tomorrow: The DOUBLE FEATURE COUNTDOWN

We've got just two days left in our Kickstarter, which means we've also got just two nights left in our MST3K Double Feature Countdown! We've got two more great episodes for you tomorrow at 4:00 and 7:00pm PST, and then a final Double Feature with my favorite episodes ever on Friday at 2:00pm PST.

Then, when that ends at 5:00pm PST, we'll kick off...

The FINAL COUNTDOWN: A Live Telethon to #BringBackMST3K!

We want to spend the final five hours of our Kickstarter campaign with the people who have done the most to help #BringBackMST3K… all of you!

We'll be hosting our live "Final Countdown" telethon from Meltdown Comics in LA, from 5-10pm PST, and now we've got even more surprises and special guests lined up for you. It's gonna be nuts, so you won't want to miss it. And actually...

WHERE TO WATCH ONLINE 

...thanks to our friends at XSN, you won't have to! 

Our FINAL COUNTDOWN TELETHON will be livestreaming on over 20 different platforms – including our Final Countdown site and the MST3K YouTube Channel, as well as Twitch, Ustream and DailyMotion – so you've got no excuse to miss it. Tomorrow, I'll share a list of links to all the places you can watch online.

WHERE TO WATCH OFFLINE 

And if you want to spend Friday night watching the telethon and helping us countdown to the end live with other MSTies, you should also take a look at our growing list of MST3K FAN MEETUPS! 

There are already big parties planned in lots of cities, including NYC, Atlanta, Chicago and Portland, but if there's not a meetup planned near you, why not start one yourself? All you need is some space, a large screen and an internet connection. Then, just send the details, and we'll do the rest!

Anyway, it's getting really late, and I've got another big set of announcements to prepare for tomorrow morning, so I'll wrap things up. 

Remember: we've now got less than 48 HOURS LEFT to finish this thing, and we can't do it without each of you, so be sure to...

KEEP CIRCULATING THE URL!

Cheers and Thanks,

 Joel

60 Hours Left: 81% FUNDED… And We Passed $4.4MM! We've Got NINE EPISODES, All-Star Guest Writers, New Rewards & More!
over 10 years ago – Wed, Dec 09, 2015 at 11:32:57 PM

  • WE'VE HIT OUR THIRD GOAL and PASSED $4.4MM, so... 
    - Now we can make at least NINE new episodes of MST3K! 
    - We're in the Red Zone: ALL Bonus Rewards are unlocked!
    - LESS THAN 60 HOURS to reach our final goal: 12 NEW EPISODES!
  • FOUR Types of Writers Riffing in the Next Season of MST3K
    ..including our cast, our next staff writers, special guests including showrunners, comedians, bestselling authors, an MST3K Veteran, an EGOT winner and you!
  • THREE Amazing New Rewards Added!  
    - EXPERIMENT 498-499: Voicemail Greetings from Special Guests!
    - EXPERIMENT 2001: Group Dinner with Joel and Friends! 
    - EXPERIMENT 18K: We'll Riff YOUR Video For You!
  • TWO DAYS LEFT until the Final Countdown Ends...
  • ONE Final Goal: A FULL SEASON OF 12 EPISODES

Buckle your seatbelts, everyone!

Our Kickstarter page now shows our time left in hours instead of days, which means it's time to "kick(start)" things into high gear. And to get us started, I've got some exciting news to share with you:

Our combined total just passed $4.4MM, putting us at over 80% of our final goal… and guaranteeing we can make at least NINE NEW EPISODES of MST3K!

That's right: we've now raised OVER $300,000 in ADD-ON REWARDS, which means we're in the Red Zone! And I hope you all know what that means…

 That's right, team: now things are getting really exciting. There's not even time to list all of the Bonus Rewards you've unlocked – including a free short from our friends at RiffTrax – so we updated our Reward Grid:

CLICK TO SEE A LARGER VERSION
CLICK TO SEE A LARGER VERSION

But here's the most important part:

Everyone pledging for EXPERIMENT 085 or higher will get at least NINE new episodes plus TEN free classic episodes of MST3K!

Actually, you know what? Nineteen is kind of a weird number, so let's throw in another classic episode.

EXPERIMENTS 085+ now get TWENTY total episodes of MST3K.

Yeah. That just feels better, doesn't it?

Anyway, there's no time to stop there. I've been promising to give you more news about the next season of MST3K, and to share the names of some of the talented new people I've been talking to.

And in fact, there are so many people that I wanna tell you about, that I'm going to spread them across three updates, starting with some names that have agreed to come help us write our new riffs.

Who's Going To Write the New Episodes of MST3K? 

First, let me tell you how we used to write MST3K, back in the day. We usually had about eight people in the Writers’ Room at a time. Then, we also had about four remote writers, who would send in their riffs from all over the country. So, I’m gonna try to stick with those numbers – about 12 writers for each episode. 

That might sound like a lot, but you know what they say: "It takes a village to riff a movie."

OK, actually, I don’t think anyone says that. 

But anyway, having 12 writers on each new episode gives us a lot of room to bring in great writing talent, even if it's just to help out with an episode here and there.

We’ll have four groups of writers contributing riffs for the new season: 

1. OUR CAST 

Naturally, all of our performers are going to write, as is the custom on our show… So, you’ll be hearing riffs from Jonah, Hampton, Barron, Felicia and Patton. 

2. OUR BACKERS 

For the first time, we’ll also have a Kickstarter backer – one of you! – helping writes riffs for each new episode. Most of those positions have been filled, but if you want to join us, we’ve just added a final set of “EXPERIMENT 10K” rewards, for Episodes 10-12! Get 'em while they're hot!

3. OUR STAFF WRITERS

Now, unlike most shows, most of our regular MST3K writers aren’t going to be professional television writers. But remember: none of our original writers had a lot of "pro" experience, except maybe in Minneapolis... and look how that worked out! 

So, our next staff writers are mostly people I’ve met in my travels, who I thought were funny and who have a knack for movie riffing. They come from all walks of life: 

  • One is a teacher at a Montessori school,
  • One works in a bookstore,
  • One does graphics for a college,
  • One is in advertising,
  • One writes for a women’s online magazine,
  • One has a local public radio show,
  • One does IT for a design firm… 

 See what I mean? It’s all over the place! 

4. OUR GUEST WRITERS 

But remember, now that we’re doing somewhere between 9 and 12 episodes, I’m happy to report that a lot of our amazing friends have agreed to come join us as guest writers. Here’s a list of writers who have already agreed to come help out:

  • DAN HARMON, the incredible mind who created Community, hosts the Harmontown podcast, and co-creator of the very funny Rick & Morty.
  • JUSTIN ROILAND, the other creator of Rick & Morty, as well as a very talented voice actor/comedian/artist, and a huge MSTie. 
  • ROB SCHRAB, an original remote writer for MST3K, co-founder of the seminal Channel 101… and now, director of the next Lego Movie.
  • NELL SCOVELL, a long-time collaborator and friend, will be “in the house” too. She’s currently writing on the The Muppet Show but has worked on The Simpsons, Newhart and It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, among others.
  • ERNIE CLINE, the New York Times best-selling author of Ready Player One, which will soon be a movie from Steven Spielberg! If you’ve read RP1, you know how good Ernie is with cultural references.
  • PAT ROTHFUSS, the New York Times best-selling author of The Name of Wind, has offered to have a “story breakfast” with me and go over “story beats” for the next series… and a few of you can join us! 
  • PAUL & STORM, the hilarious musical act, W00tstock founders and stars, musical contributors to Despicable Me 2, my good friends and the hosts for Friday’s live “Final Countdown Telethon” will be contributing riffs and some special music!
  • DANA GOULD, the brilliant comedian and former Simpsons writer, who will also probably appear on camera as well for a cameo or two. But actually, that gets into the area of our Guest Cameos, which is a topic I want to save for tomorrow.
  • ROBERT LOPEZ, the EGOT-winning songwriter from Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon and Frozen, has offered to write some original songs for us!

Pretty cool, huh? I'm excited to have so many new faces and voices helping out. But I also want to make sure it's not "too" new – you know, even as the show changes, I want to make sure we're honoring MST3K's past.

So, like I said, we've now made offers to all of MST's original writers. While it seems like most of them won't be available to join us, at least for now, I still hope they’ll decide to join us later. We'll always be glad to have them back, even if it's just for an episode or two when they can spare some time.

And actually, I'm happy to tell you that a few MST veterans have agreed to come back and “Pitch” in – not just as writers, but in other creative departments too – to make sure MST3K still has the spirit of the little cowtown puppet show you know and love:

  • CHARLIE ERICKSON,or, as he’s now known in the international DJ scene, Chuck Love, was the musical genius behind the original MST3K theme song, as well as the arranger of the haunting “MST3K Love Theme.” Charlie will be back to work on some new arrangements for us… and hopefully some new music, too!
  • BEEZ McKEEVER, MST3K’s original “Prop Diva,” will return to design special costumes for the bots. (Watch for her special line in the credits: “Robot Fashions created by Miss Beez of Duluth!”)
  • CRIST BALLAS, our original MST3K hair and makeup designer – and a long time friend – will also be joining us in that department, as well as plying his real trade: creating Academy Award-winning special effects makeup!

And finally...

  • PAUL CHAPLIN – old “Pitch” himself! – the veteran writer (over 144 MST3K episodes!) will be back demonstrate his mastery of “the craft we call riff”… and more important, to show the newer MST3K writers how we did it back in the day!

Pretty incredible, huh? 

So yeah, I hope seeing the names of some of the talented people who are excited to help create the next season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 will give you a better sense of where we're going... and help explain why it's so important that we reach our final goal, and make a full season of TWELVE NEW EPISODES.

Of course, we've still got to hit our last goal, so...

I'm also excited to announce that some of our future team – and a few other friends – have volunteered their time and talent to let us add a few more big-ticket reward packages!

So, we've just added these new rewards...

  • EXPERIMENTS 498-499: VOICEMAIL GREETING from SPECIAL GUESTS
    Just like the personalized voicemail greetings in EXPERIMENT 400, only now you get to pick between JUSTIN ROILAND (Rick & Morty) and DANA SNYDER (Aqua Teen Hunger Force). See the reward descriptions for more details.
  • EXPERIMENTS 2001: JOIN A DINNER w/ RICK & MORTY
    Just like the dinner invitations from our cast in EXPERIMENT 1500, only for these dinners, you'll join Joel and special guests DAN HARMON & JUSTIN ROILAND(co-creators of Rick & Morty). 2 dinners, limited to 10 pairs of backers each... you know, so we can really talk.
  • EXPERIMENT 18K: WE'LL RIFF YOUR VIDEO! 
    This one was actually Patton's suggestion: for a few people, we'll have our team riff a short video you send us, just like we'll do on the new episodes. Our writers will come up with riffs. Jonah and the Bots will sit in their seats and riff your video. Joel might even sit in and join them. Then, we'll send you the video to keep. It's like having a short, private episode of MST3K. And if you want, we might even share it on the MST3K YouTube Channel. There are a couple restrictions, so be sure to read the description before pledging!

Anyway, lots to do, so I'd better get back to work. More this afternoon!

And remember: less than 60 hours left to hit our final goal, team, so...

KEEP CIRCULATING THE URL

Cheers and Thanks,

Joel

Crow again! Good work, everyone! We did it! We got to our final Crow-Funding goal, which means... oh. What? We've still got another 2 days and 20% to go? Awww, man. Okay, well, I guess we still need your help then.

Just post one (or all) of these messages to Twitter & Facebook right now:

3 DAYS LEFT. 77% Funded. Bonus Upgrades Unlocked, Challenge Extended, and rewards from MIMOBOT & RiffTrax!
over 10 years ago – Tue, Dec 08, 2015 at 11:02:38 PM

  • THREE DAYS LEFT: We're 77% funded and picking up speed!
  • Red Zone Challenge & Bonus Reward Update
         • We've upgraded the POSTER and SIGNED POSTER rewards!
         • The RED ZONE CHALLENGE is extended until tomorrow at 10am PST!
         • PLUS: if we hit $4.4M, all backers get a download from RiffTrax!
  • A Sneak Peek at our USB DRIVE REWARD(S)… from MIMOBOT!
  • BOX SET UPGRADE: now includes #BringBackMST3K Documentary!
  • DOUBLE FEATURE COUNTDOWN continues tonight at 4 & 7pm PST.
  • Another BIG UPDATE coming this afternoon!

Listen up, team!

Now we've got just THREE DAYS UNTIL THE END OF OUR KICKSTARTER, and the crowd is getting excited. There's only one question on everyone's mind: can they go all the way? Can the Backers win the Superbowl?

Well, you know, it's gonna be close... but we're not done yet. We're almost into the Red Zone, and that's where things get really good. So, let's make these last three days count!

Also, I'm really encouraged this morning, because…

We're picking up speed! With 3 DAYS LEFT, our total from Kickstarter and our Add-On Reward Site has passed $4,235,000... so now we're 77% of the way to our final goal of 12 new episodes!

I know, I know: our counter here on Kickstarter isn't at $4.23MM yet. That's because we're also counting the $255,000 we've raised through our Add-On Reward Site. Here, this makes it easier to understand:

That purple part is the money you've contributed for Add-On Rewards… so it might not show up here on Kickstarter, but it still counts toward our goal of raising the full $5.5MM we need to make 12 episodes!

Now, that also means you've also unlocked three of the five Bonus Rewards in the Red Zone Challenge:

See? We're speeding up – now we're almost at the next goal, and today's just getting started!

And, since you've passed $4.18M, that means you've unlocked another BONUS REWARD:

We've upgraded the OFFICIAL POSTER REWARD to feature different art on each side. It's like getting TWO POSTERS IN ONE!

And remember, this isn't a cheap little rinky-dink poster. This will be a nice, full-sized theatrical poster. It'll measure about 27" by 39", and it'll look really nice in a frame. And now it'll have two designs, so if you get tired of looking at one side, you can just turn it over. (Or, I guess you can also get a second poster as an Add-On.)

But actually, if you're a careful reader, you might have noticed three new details that I put in the reward list. You know, just to keep you on your toes. Did you catch them all?

Here, we don't have a lot of time. I'll just tell you:

1. We're also upgrading the SIGNED POSTER REWARD: now you'll get both a signed poster and a second, unsigned poster, so you can see both sides.

This seemed pretty important: what if we sign your poster on one side, but you like the art better on the other side? Which side do you hang? That would be a real dilemma! We don't want that to happen.

So if you're getting EXPERIMENT 300 or higher, or got a signed poster as an Add-On Reward, you'll get two copies of our two-sided poster. And if you're not, it's not too late: you can still upgrade your pledge level or get the Signed Poster Add-On.

2. I'm extending my Red Zone Challenge until tomorrow at 10am PST!

Now that we're speeding up, I really think we still have a chance to take this thing all the way. So, I'm going to extend the Red Zone Challenge – and Bonus Rewards – as long as I can: until tomorrow morning at 10am PST!

That's when we'll have exactly 60 hours left, and I think we'll need it to go the last 20 yards -- or, you know -- raise the last $1.1MM we need for a touchdown. And by touchdown, I mean twelve new episodes.

And to help us reach the Red Zone, some old friends are stepping in to help us out.

3. If we reach $4.4MM by 10AM tomorrow, our friends at Rifftrax will throw in another bonus reward: a downloadable riffing short for all backers!

For those of you who don't know Rifftrax yet, I've got good news: after MST3K got canceled in 1999, three of our very talented alumni – Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett – didn't get discouraged.

Instead, they started a new riffing operation and since then, they've riffed a bunch of titles, including some more mainstream cheesy movies that MST3K never got a chance to focus on. So if you want more riffing in your life – and who doesn't? – you should check them out.

And if we reach $4.4MM by 10am tomorrow, it'll be easy to check them out, because Mike, Kevin and Bill will throw in another bonus – a Rifftrax downloadable short – to reward you!

And even better, this reward will be available to all Kickstarter backers, even those who pledge just $1!

So, yeah: if we can enter the Red Zone by tomorrow morning, just think how much free stuff you'll be getting. It's actually kind of crazy. If I think about it too much, I might get dizzy. And since there's a lot more to tell you, maybe we better just keep going.

A Sneak Peek at our COLLECTIBLE USB DRIVE(S)

Now, if you've looked at all of our Kickstarter rewards, maybe the idea of a "Collectible USB Drive" didn't sound that cool. There are a lot of boring USB drives out there… but hey, I'd never do that to you!

To tell you the truth, our COLLECTIBLE USB DRIVE is actually one of the the rewards I've been most excited to get, because we're working hard to make sure this one is really collectible!

If you've ever been to a Comic Con, maybe you've seen all of those cool little cartoon character USB drives that look like characters from different movies and TV shows. I asked around, and it turns out they're called MIMOBOTS. And you know, once I heard that, I knew what we had to do. So, I'm excited to tell you that...

Our COLLECTIBLE "MIMOBOT" USB DRIVE will come in two different designs, created exclusively for this Kickstarter by our friends at Mimoco:

That's right: if your rewards include the COLLECTIBLE USB DRIVE, you'll be able to have your own tiny robot friend! How cool is that?

Anyway, before you get too excited, I should tell you two things:

1. There's no way to pick which Mimobot you want... I know some of you will prefer one of these designs over the other, and while I actually would be curious to know whether you like Servo or Crow more, I don't think we can do it. It would cost us a lot more to offer the choice, and we need to use your pledges to make new episodes!

...but you can get BOTH DESIGNS if you get another as an Add-On Reward! This is one time I'm really glad we have Add-On Rewards, because I'm planning to get one of each. (It just doesn't seem right to separate the guys, you know?) If you want to be sure you'll get your favorite robot, you can upgrade and GET BOTH MIMOBOTS as an Add-On Reward for just $40 more.

We might not be able to fit 3 full HD episodes on your MIMOBOT…
You know, it's never cheap to look this good, so getting MIMOBOTS is costing us a little more than if we got boring USB drives. Right now, we think each MIMOBOT will hold 8 GB, which might not be enough to include the first three new episodes in full HD. So, we're changing things up a little, and we're going to put something else on the drive instead.

...but if you ask nicely, we'll also send you the first three episodes.
We promised that getting a COLLECTIBLE USB DRIVE would mean you didn't have to download the first three episodes. And you know, even though I bet most of you are OK downloading them, I don't want to break a promise. So, if you need us to, we'll figure out another way to get those episodes to you.

Of course, if we can't fit the new episodes on your MST3K MIMOBOT, I bet you're wondering what we are going to put on them instead.

Well, I've got a few ideas for fun things we can give you, but I want to leave that a surprise. Like an episode of MST3K, I think it'll be more fun if you don't know what to expect. So, you'll just have to wait and see!

Finally, since we're updating so many of our rewards with extra bells and whistles, there's one more fun "upgrade" I want to tell you about: 

Our COLLECTOR'S BOX SET reward will also include a new documentary all about the return of Mystery Science Theater 3000!

All month, I've been telling you that we're making Mystery Science History.

(But actually, we might be making actual history too: if we get to a full 12 episodes, we'll be the first television show ever brought back to life for a full season through the magic of crowdfunding. And if we manage to beat Veronica Mars and become the most-funded Film & Video Kickstarter ever? Hat trick!)

Anyway, whatever happens, you've already changed the course of Mystery Science History. That's why I'm really happy to tell you that we're planning to make an entire behind-the-scenes documentary about this experience – our Kickstarter, the creative process of making the next season, and -- most important – about all of you!

Even better, we've hired Daniel Griffith and Ballyhoo Motion Pictures – long-time friends of MST3K, and the folks behind all of the great behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews in the MST3K DVD box sets – to direct it. Over the last few years, we've gotten so many compliments about those bonus materials, and you can really tell that Ballyhoo are true MSTies and great documentarians.

And you know, we can't tell the story of bringing back MST3K without all of you, so if your rewards include set visits or premiere tickets, you might meet Daniel and get interviewed for the documentary too. We're going to make sure he's around to capture as much as he can.

Of course, you'll also be getting regular updates from me, and the creative team, all the way through the process. Daniel will just be there to help us tell "the whole story" of what happened – and if you pledge for EXPERIMENT 200 or higher, or get THE COLLECTOR'S BOX SET as an Add-On Reward, you'll get the documentary to keep.

So, what do you think, sirs? If you want to help us make sure we get to a full twelve episodes, I hope you'll consider increasing your pledge level or treating yourself to an Add-On Reward.

Remember, we've upgraded almost all of our reward packages! So now, backers at..

  • EXPERIMENTS 035+ get 6 CLASSIC EPISODES and a SOUNDTRACK ALBUM,
  • EXPERIMENTS 050+ get a choice of 2 T-SHIRT DESIGNS and 2 STYLES,
  • EXPERIMENTS 085+ get their NAMES IN THE CREDITS OF A NEW EPISODE,
  • EXPERIMENTS 150+ get a 2-SIDED POSTER with 2 DIFFERENT DESIGNS, and
  • EXPERIMENTS 300+ get 2 POSTERS: one signed and one unsigned.

Plus, if we reach $4.4MM before 10am PST tomorrow, you'll get even more: we'll be able to make NINE NEW EPISODES of MST3K, plus we'll throw in another FOUR CLASSIC EPISODES and a downloadable short film from our buddies at RiffTrax.

Oh, one last thing: I've got some more news to share with you, including the names of some more people who will be joining us when we get started on the new season. More on that later.

Until then...

KEEP CIRCULATING THE URL.

Cheers and Thanks,

 Joel

P.S. Don't forget! Tonight at 4pm or 7pm PST, join me for the second night of the MST3K Double Feature Countdown. I've got two more classic episodes – and more new fan mail – waiting for you. 

A-HA! Crow T. Robot, reporting for duty. I bet you were expecting Servo, right? But I think he's said just about enough. It's my time now! And remember, soon I'll get to decide who lives and who dies. So, you probably wanna get on my good side. Don't worry, it's easy! All you have to do is help us get the word out. 

(And did you hear? I'm gonna be a MIMOBOT!)

Just post these messages to Twitter & Facebook right now:

(What, that's too much work? Fine, just share any of the posts on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.)