In today’s digital age, social media can be a powerful weapon to communicate ideas and messages to those we wouldn’t normally have accessibility to–e.g. TV networks. This past weekend, fans of TV-show favorites through Fox have learned how social media platforms like Twitter, can really disrupt the entertainment space, paving way for potential changes in TV series renewals and new partnerships with networks. This only helps lend support for why new technology, like blockchain, can provide a huge advantage in terms of ensuring quality and safe content across platforms. Over the weekend, Fox announced its 2018-2019 TV series lineup, which unfortunately, left hundreds of thousands of fans and castmembers in shock, frustration, and disappointment. Consequently, both fans and their favorite actors/actresses took to social media, hoping to spread awareness that the space needs to change by listening to what fans across the globe are thinking.
And, if there’s anything we learned this weekend, it’s that the Internet can win against TV networks.
Two social media movements in particular have made headlines, disrupting the entertainment space in a way that hasn’t really been seen since Jericho was cancelled, and later picked up. Cite.
Just as Brooklyn Nine-Nine (“99”) fans were hitting their understandable stages of depression after learning the series had been stripped from the network, NBC came in and saved the day, at the eleventh hour on Friday night, picking up the show for a sixth season. “Ever since we sold this show to Fox I’ve regretted letting it get away, and it’s high time it came back to its rightful home,” said NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt , referring to the fact that NBCUniversal did, in fact, own the rights to Brooklyn Nine Nine — making NBC the most likely network to save it.
Lucifer was the fourth FOX show canceled over the weekend , stirring the feelings of writers, producers, cast members, and fans into a frenzy, which is now being funneled through the #SaveLucifer and #PickUpLucifer movements. As a long-time fan since its inception, I was gravely disappointed hearing the news, but soon came to find out that it also came as quite the shock to other “Luci-fans” across the globe, as well as to its cast members.
It’s important to have these outlets to ensure messages are received by those in the production studios and board rooms.
Blockchain Technology May Have The “Wings” To Save Network Shows Like Lucifer and Brooklyn Nine-Nine
However, in the age of “fake news” and “online trolls”, its hard to distinguish credible, true content from that of non-sense. With the power of blockchain and technology, it would be a smart move by Hollywood to adopt or at least in these ventures which aim to reward users (and fans) through digital currencies and tokens for streaming content and even reviewing that content. Most recently, Ask.
fm , one of the largest social media platforms for question and answer generators, just announced its own blockchain platform, hoping to streamline the space, removing the potential for “trolls” and “fake content” to appear on its engines. Why should Hollywood continue operating in the dark?
With TV today, studios need to listen to the fans to a degree, because fans drive the numbers. Major news outlets, corporations and persons of interest use social media to deliver messages to the masses, allowing people to stay informed at all times, but at the same time, allowing viewers and consumers to let producers, writers, and the top network executives what’s going on in their heads.
It wasn’t until fans took to social media for their voices to be heard by studio executives like Greenblatt.
Lucifer’s writers and executive producers, Joe Henderson and Ildy Modrovich, alongside lead-actor, Tom Ellis, immediately took to Twitter, advising fans to keep making noise, respectfully, in order to save the devilish TV series through.
Twitter: @Henderson_Joe Lucifer showrunner, Joe Henderson, pushes for Lucifer’s continuation by starting the #SaveLucifer movement
When social media isn’t being used to troll people, bully people, or put others down, it can actually do impact the space, especially for those who deserve to be recognized for their talent and abilities.
The tools for success are right here in front of us; people just need to know how to pick them up and get to work.
While every show faces its own obstacles, at the end of the day, understanding and hearing what fans think of these shows is important. Numbers talk. But so does the force driving those numbers.
While Lucifer was only averaging 4.1 million viewers all this seems to show is that maybe Fox wasn’t the right network or platform to play host to this world of full of demons, angels, and other biblical characters.
As Lucifer actress Rachel Harris tweeted , the options are endless–whether it be CBS, NBC, Hulu, or Netflix. This is where blockchain can come into play when it comes to sitting down at the negotiation table with these networks.
Tom Ellis Speaks Out
(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
I spoke with Ellis this weekend on how social media has affected the space and his own view of how fans react to the space.
Andrew Rossow: After seeing the breadth and power of the #SaveLucifer movement and love for your character, how are you doing?
Tom Ellis: The weirdest thing is the minute the news came out, I was starting to feel better about it, because the support from fans has just been incredible. I’m blown away by it, because it has been devastating.
Rossow: How would you describe the direction the show has gone from its inception?
Ellis: From the beginning, it’s always felt like we were fighting against the odds, in a David versus Goliath context, but at the end of the day, we overcame those odds, so why not still hope and continue fighting for its survival? It’s been an incredible few years and it’s been a mutual loving, which has only grown bigger and bigger.
That’s why this is such a strange time for the show to end, because we were only just beginning. It’s very rare that something comes along and fits like a glove–and that’s what we had.
But, I can tell you that I’m not done with this. Because, at the end of the day, I can at least say I tried.
What Do The Writers and Executive Producers Have To Say?
Wondercon Executive Producers Joe Henderson and Ildy Modrovich
I had the opportunity to speak with showrunners, executive producers, and writers Joe Henderson and Ildy Modrovich this afternoon on their reaction to both the cancellation and to the #SaveLucifer movement going viral through social media. The following interview is an edited, but accurate version of the interview.
Andrew Rossow: When it comes to the power of social media and technology in the digital age, how has it impacted the industry from your perspective?
Joe Henderson, Executive Producer, Co-Writer: What I love is that fans can speak up and be heard. We interact with fans constantly, and I even watch the live tweets each week as the episodes are on. But, it can be a slippery slope at times on reactions to episodes, but you just hope that fans will be happy in the end with the direction in which the show is going. In our situation, the #SaveLucifer movement has grown exponentially–we got 1 million tweets in less than 24 hours; it staggers me.
Ildy Modrovich, Executive Producer, Co-Writer: Adding to what Joe said, it’s cool that fans have this kind of power now, because it never used to be like this. These decisions are made in a boardroom somewhere with very few people, but now, people can challenge a decision from afar, and affect the space.
This reminds me of the time when Jericho was cancelled, and I believe it was the first time the public heard fans get upset, online.
Andrew Rossow: What were your initial thoughts when you first heard Lucifer was cancelled?
Modrovich, : You know, we were told we were a “bubble show.
” but I don’t think any of us were prepared to be cancelled. Looking back retrospectively, based on the reaction from our fans, we knew we had a giant fan base and love out there. Once we were notified that we were done, we were crossing our fingers, wondering if our fans were going to go nuts. All I can say is that we are blown away by the level of support.
Henderson, : I agree with Ildy; however, to add, my first emotion was guilt and thinking what had we just done to our fans. My name is on the finale, and I feel terrible knowing we wrote a very big cliffhanger, initially under the impression that we were coming back.
We felt very confident when we wrote it, thinking there was no way the series could be cancelled. But, seeing our fans rally through this movement, is such a touching feeling.
Rossow: With this #SaveLucifer movement, how are all of you handling the reaction on social media?
Henderson: There’s a difference between anger and passion. With us, it’s passion, because we are a family; we love working togther.
We get together all the time–the actors, writers, and the crew. It’s been very hard for us, because some jobs in the industry are a day job, but with ours, it’s a family.
Modrovich: Our path through our writing staff, crew, actors, and executives–it’s one of those perfect chemistries, and experiences like this don’t come around often. It’s a true magical combination, all led by Tom Ellis.
If we don’t win this battle, I’ms till profoundly moved by how many people we have affected, and it means an enormous amount to us.
TV Networks Are Starting To Roll Their Cameras Towards The Crypto Space
Having acknowledged the benefits this technology can have on the TV space, CBS has taken the first dive into rolling its cameras on the blockchain space. The network recently announced it’s giving YouTuber, Jason Appleton, better known as ” Crypto Crow ,” his own TV show on CBS, The CW, and Roku, beginning next month. Recognizing that it may be time to provide people with new quality content, this may provide people with an opportunity to gain a better understanding of how cryptocurrency works.
The show itself will focus on many topics, ranging from ICOs to bot trading and cryptocurrency mining. This industry involves a lot of topics and aspects, all of which will need to be highlighted.
Dozens of TV shows have already begun making references to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies over the years, but not always in a positive manner. Well, maybe movements like #SaveLucifer can help push networks into a new space that is able to target new niches and numbers.
At least for now, its up to the networks on whether to listen to the prayers and tweets from the writers, actors, and fans across the globe, providing shows like Lucifer with an extra pair of wings to fly out of the purgatory it has been sent to. It seems that Hell is nothing compared to the wrath of Lucifans.
For more information on the movement, please follow #SaveLucifer and #PickUpLucifer on Twitter.
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