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:
3 DAYS LEFT. 77% Funded. Bonus Upgrades Unlocked, Challenge Extended, and rewards from MIMOBOT & RiffTrax!
over 8 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:
3 DAYS LEFT to #BringBackMST3K: check out the USB REWARD from @mimobot w/ exclusive new Crow AND Servo designs! http://mst3k.com/kickstarter/update17
3 DAYS LEFT to #BringBackMST3K & @Rifftrax are offering us ALL a free reward if we reach 9 EPS by 10AM tomorrow! http://mst3k.com/kickstarter/update17
3 DAYS LEFT to #BringBackMST3K & @JoelGHodgson's Double Feature Countdown continues LIVE at 4 & 7pm PST tonight. http://mst3k.com/thefinalcountdown
(What, that's too much work? Fine, just share any of the posts on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.)
75% Funded. 4 Days Left. PLUS: join for our LIVE "FINAL COUNTDOWN" TELETHON, this Friday at 5pm PST.
over 8 years ago
– Mon, Dec 07, 2015 at 11:34:06 PM
JUST FOUR DAYS LEFT, and we're over 75% of the way to 12 episodes!
T-SHIRT UPGRADE! Now you can pick from 2 designs and 2 styles!
FRIDAY @ 5pm PST: Join us as we livestream THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! • LIVE TELETHON with Joel & Friends to Help #BringBackMST3K • Featuring our next cast, special guests, live music, magic & much more!
OK, MST3K Revival League:
We've got JUST FOUR DAYS LEFT and you know what that means!
Or maybe you don't know what that means. That's OK, I'll just tell you.
First, it means there will be SHORTER updates this week, because there's so much left to do before time runs out… and if you think these updates take a long time to read, think how long they take to write!
But it also means there will be MORE updates this week, because there's so much left to tell you. I don't want to bother you with too much email, though, so I promise not to go crazy or anything.
Anyway, right now, here's where things stand:
We've started the FINAL COUNTDOWN in our Kickstarter to #BringBackMST3K, and with 4 DAYS LEFT, we've passed $4.12MM... which means we're now 75% of the way to our final goal of 12 new episodes!
And in case you've forgotten, now that we've passed $4.07MM that means you've also unlocked two of the Bonus Rewards I promised for the Red Zone Challenge:
Great hustle, team! (That's something coaches say in sports when you're doing well.)
And you know, to thank you for pushing us even closer to the Red Zone, I'm actually going to add something extra to the Bonus Reward you just unlocked:
We're upgrading the OFFICIAL T-SHIRT REWARD to give you more options: pick from two designs and your choice of Men's or Women's shirts!
This isn't something I had thought about much until now, but a lot of our female backers have written this month to ask if we could offer "Ladies' Cut" t-shirts. Our team looked into it, and it's possible – it just takes a lot of extra time and work. But you know what? You deserve it, team. You're killing it out there.
Also, Crow tends to wear women’s sizes.
Anyway, anyone who gets EXPERIMENT 050 or higher – or who gets one or more t-shirts as Add-On Rewards – will now get two designs and two styles to pick from. You'll like the way you look in your MST-shirt… I guarantee it!*
If you want to get BOTH designs, be sure to grab a second shirt as an Add-On Reward... and when you do, you'll be helping unlock the next Bonus Reward!
And if you're having trouble keeping track of all the neat rewards that come with each of our Reward Packages, here's an updated version of our chart for you:
That's a lot of stuff, man. But I think you deserve it. Isn't it time to treat yourself to something nice?
OK, now let's talk about something even more exciting...
Our DOUBLE FEATURE COUNTDOWN starts tonight at 4pm and 7pm PST!
You know, I was about to write something new about this week's Double Feature Countdown… but if you read Friday's update, then you already know what this is about. And if you didn't, then here, we'll use the power of television magic to catch you up with reruns!
(That was from Friday, so I changed it to say "this" week.)
Anyway, this whole DOUBLE FEATURE COUNTDOWN is going to be a lot of fun, and I've picked two great episodes get us started tonight.
So, I hope you'll join me in just a few minutes, at either 4pm or 7pm PST.
And if that's not enough for you, well, we've got something even crazier planned.
As you know, our Kickstarter ENDS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AT 10pm PST, and everyone has told me that it will all come down to the very end – that the last 5 hours will be the ones that matter most.
Anyway, I thought we should do something special... maybe have a party, play some music, invite some friends over? Then we started talking about it, and things got a little out of hand. So...
This Friday, Dec 11th, please join me for MST3K: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, a live-streaming telethon with special guests, comedians, musical acts, magic and more, live at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles.
Here's what I think is gonna happen on Friday:
At 2 PM PST, we'll start our final MST3K DOUBLE FEATURE, and I'll show you my two all-time favorite episodes of MST3K. You know, just to warm you up.
Then, at 5 PM PST, we'll get together for THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, and spend the last five hours of this crazy month having a big party, and live-streaming the whole thing so you can be part of the fun online.
Our GUEST HOSTS will be PAUL & STORM, my musician/comedian friends, who will keep the telethon moving, and might even play us a few songs.
Our NEXT CAST will join us to help celebrate, with visits or video chats from cast members including…
So, I think it's going to be a pretty exciting week. And since our first DOUBLE FEATURE is starting in less than 30 minutes, I'd better go finish getting ready!
I'll have more news for you all week long, but remember: we've got just 4 DAYS LEFT to reach out final goal, and we're less than $300K from the Red Zone.
We can do this, MSTies. Just relax, take a deep breath, and...
KEEP CIRCULATING THE URL.
Cheers and Thanks,
Joel
___ *Not an actual guarantee, just a reference to an advertisement.
We've got 5 DAYS LEFT, we're 74% FUNDED and Joel answers 3 BIG QUESTIONS about the new episodes. Plus: bonus reward unlocked!
over 8 years ago
– Sun, Dec 06, 2015 at 11:27:14 PM
We've got 5 DAYS LEFT before the end of our Kickstarter!
We're at 74% OF OUR FINAL GOAL: almost halfway to the Red Zone!
BONUS REWARD UNLOCKED:Songs in the Key of MST album download!
Plus: ANSWERS TO 3 BIG QUESTIONS about the new episodes:
• What will the new episodes look like?
• Will the new episodes be in HD? (And why does it matter?)
• What kinds of movies will the new episodes riff on?
Happy First Night of Hanukkah, Everyone.
There might be eight nights in the Festival of Lights, but we don't have that much time, Revival Leaguers. Now we've got just 5 DAYS LEFT.
But first, let me start with some good news:
You've already made great progress on the Red Zone Challenge!
Since Friday's update, we've raised another $75K from Add-On Rewards, for a total of $225K in Add-Ons. (From now on, we'll keep updating that in the picture at the top of our page, where it's easy to find.)
But if you do the math, it's pretty encouraging!
We've now raised $4.05MM, putting us almost 74% of the way to our goal!
Oh, and just like I promised, here's an updated version of our progress meter –
And you know what? We might not be in the Red Zone yet, but we're getting there – and since Friday afternoon, you've already unlocked the first new Bonus Reward, and you're just 20K from the next one:
That's right, team! You've unlocked the next Bonus Reward! So now...
Everyone who pledges for EXPERIMENT 035 or higher will also receive a digital collection of ballads and ditties we’re calling Songs in the Key of MST.
Yeah, it’s getting pretty late.
But, it does feature over an hour of your favorite songs from the old seasons of MST3K, including such crowd-pleasing classics as "My Creepy Girl," "The Waffle Song," and "Hired: The Musical!" This downloadable album will also include the "MST Love Theme" and all of the versions of our main theme. And you know what? We'll even throw in Ashley's lovely updated version of the theme from the Turkey Day '15 Marathon. It's like having an MST-a-Palooza at Bridgeman's.
And now, you're just $20K from unlocking the next Bonus Reward!
If we pass $4.08MM before Tuesday at 8am PST, I'll make sure that anyone getting the OFFICIAL T-SHIRT REWARD gets two designs to choose from.
You've already seen one of the designs we're working on, but the second one will be a surprise. A coooooool surprise, Daddy-O.
So, if you want to be sure you'll get both designs and help unlock the Bonus Reward even faster, now's a great time to upgrade to EXPERIMENT 050, or get a few extras using the Official T-Shirt Add-On Reward.
OK. Now that we've got all that official Kickstarter business out of the way…
I thought the weekend would be a good time to answer a few more questions and tell you a little more about how I'm imagining the next season of Mystery Science Theater.
And hey, you're not the only ones with questions...
Like I said to those guys, some of the questions you're asking might already be answered on our Kickstarter page… but even more of them are probably answered in the new FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS section we've added to MST3K.com!
We're updating those every day or two, so if you've still got questions, be sure to look there.
Anyway, I'm actually glad Crow and Servo asked those questions, because I think the technical and creative details are one of the coolest parts of bringing back MST3K. So, if you're curious, how about I share a little bit more about what you can expect in the new episodes?
What will the new episodes of MST3Klook like?
One of the big questions you've been asking is what the episodes will look like, and whether we'll still use the "miniature golf" aesthetic you came to know and love in our original episodes.
The answer is “Yes!” We’re just going to use modern techniques to do it.
I love how the old episodes look, because I think you can tell how much fun we had making all of that stuff. But, just like MST3K wasn't meant to have the same cast forever, it also wasn't meant to permanently look like it was made in the ‘90s! So, I think it's really important not to "carbon-freeze" the look of MST3K by trying to make the new episodes some kind of tribute to the way we made things back then.
Truth be told, we weren't trying to make the show look tacky -- we just didn't have a lot of experience or budget, so I guess our show didn't look like something Hollywood pros would make. But, I think the reason that look worked so well is because it was genuine: we were just trying to make the best show we could, with whatever we could get our hands on. If we did that now, we'd be faking it, and I think you'd be able to tell the difference.
At the same time, I think there were some conscious decisions we made back then, and those have stayed with me. So, I think the easiest way to describe the design parameters for the next season is that we will try to do as much as we can "in camera" and using practical effects. That's pretty much how we did it back at Best Brains, and it worked great, so I think the plan will still be to design Mystery Science Theater as a show that can be performed live… or live on camera, anyway.
Crow was made out of Tupperware, a plastic bowling pin, a soap dish and a lacrosse mask. And by god, it worked!
One other thing we did a lot back then was our own version of "rapid prototyping."
For example, when we made the robots, we never went through all of the extra steps some shows prefer: having a concept artist sketch it, then having a sculptor make a clay maquette, and then having some expensive craftsman manufacture them for us. We just collaged the robots together out of found objects, because it was the fastest way to get to our ideas.
Twenty years later, we're in a totally different world.
For instance, I'm starting to mess around with some new ideas for robots that may (or may not) visit the world of MST3K. And the way I'm doing it in 2015 is pretty much the same as the way we made Tom and Crow and Gypsy: by collaging found objects together with a glue gun.
The big difference is that now, once the character is there, I have a few more options. I can do a 3D scan of the robot and bring it into the computer. I can scale each model up or down to better suit each robot's purpose, or better fit its character. I can try lots of different paint jobs in the computer, and experiment with animating different parts, like moving eyes, winkers, blinkers and nods. And then, using a 3D printer, I can output the robots in different sizes to fit our needs.
By the way, 3D printers also make it a lot easier to create the exact parts we need for puppets. When I made the first Servo and Crow, their mouths were made out of rubber bands, string, PVC tubing and a coat hanger! So even if we're not planning to use computer graphics and editing, we can use a lot of the cool stuff that exists now to get closer to building the stuff we always imagined.
We'll still do the best we can with what we've got. We just have a lot more freedom now.
So, I guess maybe the best way to summarize my design philosophy for MST3K – then and now – is, "We will endeavor to use what works." And, "If it's not fun, we probably aren't doing it right."
Are cheesy old movies any better when we riff them in HD?
This is kind of a philosophical question, huh?
Actually, I'm pretty excited that television technology has come such a long way, because I think HD will let us make MST3K even better. ("We have the technology!")
The first big change you'll notice about the new episodes is that the screen is just bigger. The original show needed to fit onto TV screens in the ‘90s, which were more square than they are now. To help you imagine the difference, the aspect ratio of the original MST3K was 3 squares high by 4 squares across. Now, it's different. Most TVs and phones have an aspect ratio of 1 by 1.85, which is much wider than before.
Here, let me show you:
So, in the new episodes, you will see a full 1/3 more of the screen. This is good news for those of you who like to see things.
Another big change is that, back in the ‘90s, a lot of televisions would cut off the edges of the picture, due to a process some TVs used called “overscanning.” So anything really important had to be closer to the middle of the frame, in what was called the “TV Safe” area. For MST3K, that meant the silhouettes – our host, bots, and even the theater seats – had to be bigger.
In fact, if you've seen any of the original episodes from KTMA, you might have noticed that the silhouettes started to get bigger. Here's a comparison from Gamera vs. Zigra, which we riffed at KTMA and then again, three years later, on Comedy Central:
See how much space we ended up using by 1991?
Yeah, well, that was a huge waste of MST's visual playground. Sure, it’s good to see the silhouettes, but then they ended up covering more of the screen image! The whole thing made me crazy!
Fortunately, all of those problems are behind us now, so when you watch the new episodes, you won't have to worry about your TV cutting off the bottom half of the theater seats, or the top of Mitchell's head when he's dreaming about beer. You'll be able to see exactly what we make.
So anyway, putting MST3K on a wider screen means we won't lose as much of each movie we riff. See, many of the films we riffed back then were shot in widescreen, but to show them on smaller televisions, they had to be put through a process called "pan and scan." That basically means that, since the whole widescreen didn't fit, someone tried to pick the most important part of the frame in each shot. But that means that you never actually saw almost half of the movie!
Let's use Hercules Unchained as an example. The film was originally twice as wide as the version you saw on MST3K, so you actually never saw half of the original film. That's why there are so many scenes where someone is having a dialogue with someone who isn't even on the screen!
The poor schlub that ran the camera had to decide who we should look at during the conversation, and the effect is kinda eerie. So, think about this: we could probably do a completely new riff based just on the parts of Hercules Unchained you never even saw! Finally, we'll be able to show you these films exactly as the director intended, however misguided he might have been.
Oh yeah, and speaking of misguided films...
What kinds of movies will we riff in the new episodes?
So, you know, I think this is probably the question I've gotten the most this month.
Well, no … the real question is usually, "What specific movies will you riff?" And hey, I guess I understand why some of you are asking. Maybe you wanna know what to expect from the new episodes, or try to decide if we're gonna do something different than before. Like, maybe something you wouldn't like as much. But I've gotta tell you...
I don't want to tell you the specific movies in advance!
It's not because I don't think you'll like them. (Believe me, the movies we're hoping to riff in our next season are just as cheesy as ever.) But if I tell you the movies now, it'll spoil a lot of the fun that comes from discovering the movie when you watch it for the first time.
In today's media-dense world, we rarely – if ever – see a film we don't already know pretty much everything about. It's de rigeur (a French word) to be pre-sold a film before we ever step foot in a theater or see it at home. We see the whole film laid out days, weeks, or months ahead of time, in trailers, or interviews, or news stories, because that's supposed to make us want to see it.
MST3K works like that, only in reverse: the less you know about what's about to happen, the better!
See, I've always felt that MST3K took advantage of what I’ll call "The Haunted House Theory." Watching a really good episode of MST3K is like exploring a haunted house at the edge of town with three companions.
I just think that if you know what's coming, it can't be nearly as good. So, I won't be announcing the films ahead of time, or trying to say, "Oooh, just imagine all the fun we're going to have with this clunker of a movie! Start dreaming about how funny it's gonna be!"
Still, if you wanna try to draw some conclusions, that also probably means I'm less interested in featuring movies everyone's heard of. So, I doubt we'll be riffing big blockbusters or franchise movies any time soon, no matter how bad they are. (And even if we wanted to, I don't think we could afford the rights!)
Here's the last thing I'll say about this: ever since we started MST3K back at KTMA, I've really felt that movie riffing can work with any kind of movie, and I still feel that way today.
So actually, I guess there aren't really any "rules" on what kind of movies we can riff.
It's getting pretty late, so this is probably a good place to stop. If you've been wondering what you can expect from the next season of Mystery Science Theater, or whether it would be the same or different from the old show, I hope this gives you some peace of mind.
I guess now we can all go back to worrying about science facts!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and remember: just FIVE DAYS LEFT until it's all over, so please…
KEEP CIRCULATING THE URL.
Cheers and Thanks,
Joel
Tom Servo, high-definition robot … of the future! Or, I don't know, maybe in the future we're called droids. So look, I bet you're expecting me to give you some messages to post on Twitter and Facebook, right? Yeah? You think you know me, huh? Well fine, let's spice things up and do something different tonight.
Here's a new way to help, suggested by one of our backers:
Oh. He's right: that is a good idea.
So? You heard John: get out there! Convince four MST-curious friends, co-workers or total strangers to give just $1 each! I know there are bunch of people that are wondering what we’re up to, and just a dollar gets them on the mailing list and gets them updates for a whole year!
And if you won't do it for MST, do it for your fellow backer. Do it for John!
Okay, fine, you want a tweet too? Here you go:
5 DAYS LEFT & we're at 74% of our final goal to #BringBackMST3K. @JoelGHodgson reveals more about the new episodes! http://mst3k.com/kickstarter/update15
70% FUNDED with ONE WEEK LEFT! Football Metaphors + A New Challenge. Plus: ADD-ON REWARDS!
over 8 years ago
– Fri, Dec 04, 2015 at 10:48:22 PM
JUST ONE WEEK LEFT! It's time to move into "the Red Zone."
We'll add FIVE BONUS REWARDS if we reach 80% before Tuesday at 8am.
Next week, we'll also have BIG UPDATES to share every single day.
Check out our ADD-ON SITE … including new EXCLUSIVE ADD-ON REWARDS!
PLUS: next week, livestreaming MST3K Double Features EVERY NIGHT!
All right, Team:
To start, let me share some good news about where we stand.
As of this evening, we've raised $3.85MM... which means we're 70% of the way to our final goal!
I know, it doesn't look like the number has moved that far… but see the meter at the top of our Kickstarter page? Hold on, I'll show you again – Cambot, can we put the progress meter on Still-Store?
Okay. See that purple area?
All of that is money that we've raised from our ADD-ON REWARD SITE outside of Kickstarter: so far, over $150K in extras! We're not sure if we can make that number show up in our official Kickstarter total, but it still counts toward our goal and helps us make more episodes!
Now, with that in mind, we're also just ONE WEEK from the end of our Kickstarter. Seven days! The last act!
That makes this the part of the movie where the coach comes out and gives a big, moving speech that changes everything, puts it all in a new light, and drives his underdog team to victory. So I guess that means I'm the coach, you're a lovable group of misfits with ill-fitting uniforms, and it's speech time. Gulp!
You know, I've never done anything like this before. I'm a creative type, so I'm not very competitive! But this is really important, so I'll try to channel my inner Vince Lombardi here.
So, are you ready for some FOOTBALL.. metaphors!?
Ok, I know a lot of us MSTies are geeks and movie nuts who may shun the idea of "sportsball." That's why we enjoy our Turkey Day Marathon so much, right? We don't have to watch the Lions play!
But, as you might know, I grew up in Wisconsin, and mostly in Green Bay. (In grade school, prayer wasn't mandatory, but cheering for the Packers on Friday was.) So, for better or worse, football is in my blood.
And with just ONE WEEK LEFT in our Kickstarter to #BringBackMST3K, that's how I'm starting to see things: this whole Kickstarter campaign is actually like a football field!
We've got seven days to go, and our campaign is 70% funded, so that means we're at the 30-yard line. The 30-yard line is 70% of the way down the field – see what I did there? – and it's a pretty good place to be. But the real excitement happens in the last 20 yards, or what's called the Red Zone.
It's not very fancy, but I made a graphic to try to show you what I'm thinking:
The Red Zone is really where the game gets most intense, because it's when everyone focuses on giving their all. It's the most exciting time in the game, and it makes everyone sit up in their seats and pay attention. We need to go just another 10 “yards” – that's $550K – to make that happen...and if we can do it by Tuesday morning, we'll have a real shot at reaching our final goal.
So, huddle up, team, because here's the play.
We need to raise $550K and get the ball into the Red Zone… so it's time for our biggest challenge yet.
You know, every time I've given you a challenge, you've beaten it with time to spare -- and this time, we just need to raise $138K each day -- which is less than you've raised for each of the other challenges! I really think we can do this.
Now, it's gonna mean focus. It's gonna mean work. It’s also gonna mean, at the end of the campaign, that I’ll drop this whole football thing. But since I wanna keep you motivated, it's really gonna mean that we've got some more crazy BONUS REWARDS if we can go the distance.
Each time we pass one of these goals before Tuesday morning at 8 am PST, we'll unlock another bonus reward:
And of course, on top of all of the bonus rewards, as soon as we hit $4.4MM and enter the Red Zone, it also means we'll be guaranteed at least nine new episodes of MST3K and have a real shot at a full twelve!
You know, before we even launched, the folks at Kickstarter warned me that the biggest days of the campaign would happen at the very beginning and very end. I guess that's how all Kickstarters work. So, I don't really know what's going to happen next week, but I believe that if we can get to the Red Zone by Tuesday, we'll have the momentum to go all the way.
In fact, we're already the second most-funded FIlm & Video Kickstarter ever, and people have been talking about that. If we get into the Red Zone, who knows? Maybe that gives us a shot at going after Veronica Mars. Yeah, I said it. Maybe we could still be the biggest Film & Video project in Kickstarter history!
But hey, I don't want to get ahead of myself: first we need to get into the Red Zone. So, let's get there by Tuesday morning, and if we do, I'll give you a whole bunch of extra stuff to say thanks.
Now, if unlocking all of those bonus rewards and getting nine new episodes of MST3K isn't enough to get us into the Red Zone by Tuesday morning, maybe this'll help.
We've launched our official #BringBackMST3K ADD-ON REWARD SITE, where you can get individual reward items, extras, and some new exclusive rewards that aren't included in any reward package!
If you've never seen Add-On Rewards before, let me just explain this real quick:
1. Getting an Add-On Reward is just like ordering something from any other online site...
You can pick the exact rewards you want, pay for them now, and we'll bundle them in with your Kickstarter rewards when we send them to you. If you want to get an extra t-shirt, or some more postcards, or add the Collector's Box Set so you can find out what the mystery gift will be, you can! Or if you wanna get some gifts for your MSTie friends, you can do that too. With Add-On Rewards, you get just what you want… but remember that most of these rewards won't be sent until at least next summer!
2. Whatever you donate to get Add-Ons counts toward the Red Zone Challenge and reaching our final goal!
Again, I don't want this to be confusing: the money you pledge at MST3K.com won't show up on the Kickstarter counter, or show up on Kickstarter right away… but it will be added to our "progress meter" at least once a day, so you can see how we're doing. Remember this?
Whatever you donate to get Add-On Rewards will be added to that purple bar, and we'll share the total at the top of our Kickstarter page.
But, one important thing:
3. Getting Add-On Rewards doesn't change your pledge amount or reward package on Kickstarter.
When you get Add-On Rewards, our site will ask for the email address you used on Kickstarter. That's so we can put all of your rewards together later – but it won't change anything about your Kickstarter pledge. You won't see your Add-Ons here on Kickstarter, you won't be charged more, and you'll still get the pledge you selected here. We'll just send your Add-On Rewards along with your other goodies.
Now, maybe you're thinking:
"Joel, I already got all of the rewards I wanted here on Kickstarter. Why would I need Add-On Rewards?"
Well, you could always get more rewards for your family and friends. You could stock up for the nuclear apocalypse, or horde rewards now, then sell them on eBay in ten years as collector's items. Also, if we beat the Red Zone Challenge, there'll be two t-shirt designs… so if you hate making hard choices, you could get both of them.
You can also get download codes good for your favorite CLASSIC EPISODES, or the CLASSIC COLLECTION of all 87 episodes that we're allowed to offer as digital downloads.
Or if none of that interests you, how about this?
Our Add-On Reward Site also has exclusive new rewards that aren't part of any Kickstarter reward package!
We'll add a few more items to the Add-On site between now and the end of the Kickstarter, but here's a fun one that I've been waiting to share with you:
Just like I promised last time, we've got an exclusive, limited edition "Save the Satellite of Love" Art Print from Marty Baumann – silk-screened on really nice paper, numbered, and (for a little more) hand-signed by Marty and me.
Seriously, I’m gonna be hanging one of these prints in my office.
We've also added a few other items backers have been asking for, including an MST3K ZIP-UP HOODIE SWEATSHIRT, and a really wonderful WALL CALENDAR (for 2017) that'll feature some of the great artwork we develop for the new season. I'm talking with some people about a last few rewards I'd love to add, to see if we can figure out the details in time… but we'll add a few more next week!
What do you think, sirs? See anything you like?
And you know, that's not even all the news I want to share today? I've got one more surprise for you, so that you have something to look forward to as we start our final week.
After our TURKEY DAY '15 MARATHON, we got so many messages and comments about how much you enjoyed watching episodes of MST3K "live" with other backers and MSTies.. and that makes a lot of sense, because MST3K is all about the fun of sharing terrible movies with your friends. You know, back when we made those old episodes, we never had Twitter… and Twitter is pretty much perfect for riffing.
Anyway, I'm excited to tell you about this.
Every night next week, we'll be livestreaming a different MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 DOUBLE FEATURE: two of our favorite episodes, back-to-back!
Just like our Turkey Day Marathon, each night's MST3K DOUBLE FEATURE will include one episode from when I hosted, and one from when Mike hosted. I'll do a new introduction for each movie, and then we can all watch and riff together on Twitter and Facebook. Maybe we'll even share more fan letters!
From Monday to Thursday, join me each night at 4pm or 7pm PST.
On Friday (our final day!) we'll start at 2pm PST. That's because we've got something really special planned from 5-10pm PST to end our Kickstarter. So, I also hope you'll save time to join us for our final countdown. I'll tell you more about that on Monday.
Ok, I promise, we're almost done… but before I finish, here's one more promise to look forward to:
Next week, I'll have BIG UPDATES every single day, because I've still got news to share about a lot of those talented people I said I've been talking to, some final rewards we're offering, and more.
In fact, once we hit the Red Zone, I'll even tell you about a few great Bonus Rewards that our friends at Rifftrax are throwing in to help BringBackMST3K!
But right now, as we "kick off" the last seven days of this Kickstarter, I have only one question for you:
Can the BACKERS WIN THE SUPERBOWL?!?!*
By Tuesday morning, let's get into the Red Zone and find out.
Cheers and Thanks,
Joel
P.S. *If we’re talking about the Superbowl of my heart, I think you already have.
P.P.S. Almost forgot…
KEEP CIRCULATING THE URL!
Tom Servo, livestream lover. Joel didn't leave any room for me this time, so be sure to help us reach the Red Zo--. [END OF TRANSMISSION. MEMORY FULL.]
Just post one of these messages to Twitter & Facebook right now:
Just 1 WEEK LEFT to #BringBackMST3K & @JoelGHodgson’s adding 5 BONUS REWARDS if we hit the “Red Zone” by Tues @ 8AM! http://mst3k.com/kickstarter/update14
Just 1 WEEK LEFT to #BringBackMST3K. Check out @MST3K’s new ADD-ON REWARDS: hoodies, art prints, calendars & more! http://mst3k.com/kickstarter/addons
Just 1 WEEK LEFT to #BringBackMST3K, so @JoelGHodgson is hosting live @MST3K DOUBLE FEATURES all next week at 7 PM! http://mst3k.com/kickstarter/update14
(Too much work? Fine. Just share any of the posts on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. So much for team spirit. Geez.)
Why SIX is so much better than THREE... Why YOU'RE the future of MST3K... PLUS: sneak peek at T-SHIRTS & PATCHES!
over 8 years ago
– Wed, Dec 02, 2015 at 11:18:56 PM
Up And At ‘Em, Revival League!
It’s another glorious day here in the MST3K Revival League! You know, a day in the League is like a day on the farm: Every meal's a banquet! Every backer gets a reward! And every update, well, it’s like a beautiful parade! I love my MST3K Revival League!
Yeah, I always wanted to say that. I’ll shut up now.
On to the updates, huh?
We've reached Goal #2: now we can make at least 6 new episodes of MST3K!
Why reaching six eps is really good for MST3K's future, cast, crew… and you!
Bonus Reward: all backers in EXPERIMENT 085 or higher get thanked in the credits!
Why you are the best thing to come out of #BringBackMST3K.
PLUS: your first look at the official T-SHIRT and MISSION PATCHES!
To start, I want to repeat the amazing news that I shared yesterday:
On Monday, at 5:02pm EST – ten hours ahead of schedule! – we passed our second goal of $3.3MM, which means we’ll be able to make at least six new episodes of MST3K.
Wow. Pretty amazing, right? Hitting six episodes helps us in a lot of ways, so I thought maybe I could tell you a little bit more.
Getting six episodes is really good for:
1. THE FUTURE OF MST3K
Three episodes are great, but like I said when we reached $2MM, they might not be enough to send a real message that you want more MST3K.
They also don't give us a good chance to show the networks what an updated MST3K would be like, so stopping at three makes it harder for us to get picked up. But with six episodes, man, we'll be able to show those execs what we can do! In fact, we’ve already started talking to some possible partners about giving MST3K more seasons, and they’re all watching to see how far we can go.
That's right! Thanks to you, our Kickstarter is getting attention in Hollywood, and those "conference tables of execs" I talked about?
Well, they're starting to listen.
2. OUR NEXT CAST & CREW
Making six episodes also gives our new cast a little more time to get settled and figure things out. Like I said before, it always takes at least 3-4 episodes working on MST3K before you start to find your groove, and now they’ll have that.
And that's not just better for all the folks “On Camera” – making six episodes will also help all the other people that will work on the show, including writers, camera-people, sound artists, prop-makers... It's a big group when you think about it, and all those people might need a little time to warm up. Remember: it’s been a good 15 years since anyone’s attempted these kinds of shenanigans!
3. OUR KICKSTARTER BACKERS!
Getting to six episodes is also pretty great news for a lot of you – especially if you’ve pledged for EXPERIMENT 085 or higher.
For one thing, it means that you beat the Turkey Day Challenge, so...
We’ll now list your name – or a name of your choice – in the credits of a new MST3K!
Now, I don’t know what the new MST3K episodes will cost later… but since each one is 90 minutes and HD, I think they’ll be at least… you know, I was gonna say $20 each, but let’s go with $15 just to be conservative.
So, Cambot, can we show everyone that math on Still-Store?
So, when you count the NEW EPISODES and the 6 free CLASSIC EPISODES I'm picking as a bonus reward for beating the 24 and 72 Hour Challenges...
Now, all reward packages of $85 or higher get you at least $150 of MST3K downloads, plus a lot of other neat gifts!
And remember, we’ve got nine days left to keep going! If we reach our goals to make 9 or 12 episodes, you’ll get those too. Talk about value! It’s BOLD!
Like I said yesterday, I think it's important to take a minute to think about all of the great things that have happened in just three weeks – both in the Kickstarter campaign and behind the scenes.
Here are a few important things that have happened since we launched:
We’ve revealed our next cast – Jonah, Felicia, Patton, Baron and Hampton – who have all agreed to join the show once our Kickstarter ends, and have brought a lot of new future MSTies with them.
I’ve started talking to a lot of other talented people, including some incredible writers, fabricators, designers, musicians, model builders and actors… and they all want to find ways to get involved or help out the show! I think you'll recognize some of them. More on that soon.
Finally: I've started reaching out to all of the original cast to make formal offers. I can’t share specifics, but Shout Factory has been working with me to figure out how we can make it work for everyone.
Before you ask, I don't know who will decide to come back and who won't. Some of them are busy with other projects, and a few of them have said they just don't feel like getting involved right now. Whatever they decide, I will respect their decision... but I'm hopeful that some of them will come back and join us. And if it doesn't happen now, maybe they'll come back in the future. The door will always be open.
Anyway, I thought you’d want to hear some of the great things that are happening – now that MST3K is coming back, there’s a lot to be excited about.
So yeah, a lot of wonderful things have happened since we launched this campaign on November 10th. But I want to take a second to point out the most wonderful thing of all:
Our Kickstarter isn’t just bringing back MST3K.
It’s bringing back all of you.
You know, maybe MST3K is like Soylent Green: the secret ingredient is people! And not just any people, but the right people: all of you.
(Okay, it’s not a great analogy... but hey, I’m a Charlton Heston man from way back.)
Anyway, I’ve always known that not everyone will “get” MST3K, and that’s okay with me. Maybe that means we won’t break the records for Raising the Most Money, but we will help a record-breaking number of MSTies find their show again, and meet all the other like-minded people that have been patiently waiting for it to return.
Watching you come back together and meet each other has been amazing. If you don't know what I mean, take a look at our comments page. You’ll see what I'm talking about.
When this month is over, I think we'll have more than just a new season of Mystery Science Theater 3000. I think we'll have a community of "the right people" – MSTies, old and new – who all have something in common. So actually, it's just like I said on our Kickstarter page:
After fifteen years lost in the inky depths of space, the Satellite of Love is finally coming back into orbit. It has been really touching – and humbling – to realize how many of you have been waiting for it to return. It won't be much longer. Plus, now we can wait together.
Anyway, that's enough about what's already happening.
Let's talk about what's next!
We've now got just 9 days – and less than $2MM to go – if we want to #BringBackMST3K for a full twelve episodes.
And, I've got a few more updates that might help us get there.
So, how about a sneak peek at a few more things we're working on?
Sneak Peek #1: The Official MS-T-Shirt
We got so many messages about Steve' Vance's great poster design that I asked him if he could make a version that would work on a t-shirt… and while it's not finished, I'm pretty excited about what he's got so far:
We're still figuring out the final colors for the art and the shirt, but I think it's going to come out pretty great.
So, if your rewards don't include the OFFICIAL MS-T-SHIRT, you can always upgrade to EXPERIMENT 050 or higher or buy it separately as an Add-On Reward.
(More about Add-Ons in the next update.)
Sneak Peek #2: The MST3K Mission Patches
You know, I realized that I maybe never explained the Mission Patch reward. I should, because it's a pretty neat idea, and something I've always wanted to do.
On the next season of MST3K, I'm planning to put a set of official "Mission Patches" on Jonah's jumpsuit. You'll be able to see them on camera, and they'll look something like this:
Anyway, as you can see, each patch states the number of "MISSIONS" that the host has been on, which is just something I wanted to do to give Jonah a sense of perspective on things. He's joining a pretty elite group, and I've seen him get cocky, so this set of patches represent a subtle "hazing" process for Mr. Heston.
And you know, the patches are actually meant to be arranged with the earth in the middle, like this:
When you look at them like that, you can also start to see how the next "subjects/hosts" will fit into the array. And maybe you'll also be able to predict the colors for the next hosts' jumpsuits, since there's a method to the whole thing.
(Who knows where things might go? In the last few weeks, we've actually gotten inquiries from Germany, India and Brazil. If things keep going well, maybe they’ll start making MST3K all over the world – and then we'll need a lot more jumpsuits.)
The art on these patches is from the fantastic Marty Baumann, famous for his wonderful design work on films like Toy Story 3, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia! I also hope he will be helping us with some concept art for the new season.
Marty actually created another piece of art for this Kickstarter too, that we're going to offer exclusively as an Add-On Reward… but I'll save that for the next update.
So, those are the MISSION PATCHES. Jonah Heston will have them on his jumpsuit, and if you want them, you can have them too: just make sure you've selected EXPERIMENT 250 or higher as your reward package, or buy them separately as an Add-On Reward.
Now, I think that might be enough for one update… but actually, I'm already halfway finished with the next one, which I'm hoping to send this afternoon. So today might be the lucky day that you get two updates. No promises, though.
And remember:
We've still got NINE MORE DAYS to reach our final goal of $5.5MM and make a full season of TWELVE NEW EPISODES of MST3K, so...
KEEP CIRCULATING THE URL!
Cheers and Thanks,
Joel
Well, hello there. Tom Servo, six addict. Oh, you heard me, ladies: six addict. And now that we're getting at least six new episodes of MST3K, I couldn't be happier. Or could I? Let's get to 9 episodes and find out. You can help feed my addiction: it's easy!
Just post one (or all) of these messages to Twitter & Facebook right now:
9 DAYS LEFT to #BringBackMST3K! @JoelGHodgson talks about reaching 6 eps & why fans are @MST3K’s secret weapon. http://mst3k.com/kickstarter/update13
