TPiR Help Wanted

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'tvwxman\' post=\'149664\' date=\'Apr 6 2007, 01:22 PM\']
[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'149653\' date=\'Apr 6 2007, 11:45 AM\']
A terminology FAQ was requested by someone awfully familiar 16 months ago.  If they want to alienate their readership, it's no skin off my back.
[/quote]
Not knowing what any of those mean make me feel like the coolest person ever to enter Goldenroad.net.
[/quote]
One could say you'd be even cooler not visiting at all.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'149611\' date=\'Apr 6 2007, 12:32 AM\']
I don't know if participation is strictly limited to that board, but I was (not surprised) to see some of the ridiculous requests over there
[/quote]
I'm not surprised that some people would make such a request either (particularly based on some posts I've rejected in the past), but I'd caution against portraying an entire board on the basis of its, er, least aware members.  I wouldn't want someone claiming that Bandit Bobby represents the whole of the GSF, for example.

[Jimmy_1]

I just wanted to echo what a few others have already posted...we do want to ensure that the selected episodes are significant, in their entirety, to both the casual consumer and the die-hard fan.
[/quote]
[/quote]


Isn't catering to the casual customer the reason our game show choices are so limited on GSN?  As you know, we do't get to see the black and white Goodson - Todman episodes and very little pre 1980's stuff.  All that stuff, they figure, is for a small pool of geeks, not for the average Joe surfing the net who won't devote the energy to watch anything more challenging than Punky Brewster or Laverne & Shirley.  I doubt this TPIR DVD set is going to be a major seller a la Titanic a few years ago.  It can be a successful niche product more than covering its costs of production and development.  To be so, however, it has to have peculiar aspects of the show - not just any six episodes picked at random, as many of the sitcom compilations seem to be.
   They may want to use the model MPI Home Video used several years ago when marketing Dark Shadows.  The message was put out "Dark Shadows is back".  Those who cared ventured to write or log into mpi for details.  They received professionally done brochures chronicling the show with enough correct data specific to the show you felt you were dealing with someone who gave a damn about the show.  They held the interest of the person who would seriously consider buying a number of the 200 volumes eventually sold.  Had they taken the "everyman" approach, their marketing would have shown basic pics of Barnabas with his fangs.  Joe Sixpack wouldn't have cared and the devotee of the show would have found the effort less than enticing.  Fans of the show would not have confidence the sales effort would continue long enough to get all years' episodes sold, and would balk at looking for the tapes in the stores.

[Casey]

I guess I'm not sure what point you are trying to make Jimmy_1 - I think the whole point is to produce a product that those people who like TPiR would want to buy, in exactly the same vein as the Match Game set released a few months ago.  I don't think they expect 200 million people to go out and buy it...

[Jimmy_1]

[quote name=\'isucgv\' post=\'149774\' date=\'Apr 7 2007, 07:17 PM\']
I guess I'm not sure what point you are trying to make Jimmy_1 - I think the whole point is to produce a product that those people who like TPiR would want to buy, in exactly the same vein as the Match Game set released a few months ago.  I don't think they expect 200 million people to go out and buy it...
[/quote]

The point I am trying to make is that this, IMHO, this DVD is not one the average person is going expend any effort to go out of their way to get.  If they see it on the rack, they may buy it.  There are people, however, who are actually looking forward to such a release and will make a concerted effort to track the availability of the DVD.  These die-hards will want a DVD which has unique aspects of the game.  These die-hards are the ones who will generate buzz for the product.  To cater to their above-average knowledge an dinterest in the product, it is perfectly acceptable to use jargon.  It will make the product feel more special to them - that they are an insider.

[Clay Zambo]

[quote name=\'tvwxman\' post=\'149664\' date=\'Apr 6 2007, 01:22 PM\']
Not knowing what any of those mean make me feel like the coolest person ever to enter Goldenroad.net.
[/quote]

You're not just cool, you're garfing cool.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Jimmy_1\' post=\'149778\' date=\'Apr 7 2007, 07:31 PM\']
To cater to their above-average knowledge an dinterest in the product, it is perfectly acceptable to use jargon.  It will make the product feel more special to them - that they are an insider.
[/quote]
You read Variety, don't you?

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'Jimmy_1\' post=\'149778\' date=\'Apr 7 2007, 09:31 PM\']
The point I am trying to make is that this[/quote]
And you would be wrong.

These die-hards will want a DVD which has unique aspects of the game.

So only diehards are interested?  Wrong again.  I would by such a DVD, and I'm far from a TPiR junkie.

To cater to their above-average knowledge an dinterest in the product, it is perfectly acceptable to use jargon.  

And when that DVD sells 33 copies because no one knows what the hell "El Skunko" means, you'd be out the door looking for a new job.

[beatlefreak84]

When I saw that TPIR was going to be put on DVD, honestly, it made me smile quite a bit.  I can think of no better game show to put some great episodes on DVD; it's one of the few game shows that people of all ages have enjoyed for so many years.  This is what I think is going to make it sell.

However, I definitely disagree with the sentiment that catering to die-hard fans is the way to go.  I'm a die-hard game show fan, but I know perfectly well that most people besides us weren't jumping up and down for joy because four episodes of NYSI or Trebek DD get put on GSN Saturday night.  Likewise, most of us know that a GSN schedule chock full of Two For the Money, Beat the Clock, Joker's Wild, Tattletales, NYSI, etc. will make us all very happy, but will drop GSN total viewership faster than the temperature in Nebraska this week!  

So, as a result, I think that, like a good "Greatest Hits" collection, there should be mainly stuff for the casual, or even semi-casual, fan, but also a little something for those who have been there all the way through.  Personally, I thought these would be good eps. to include:

Barker's first episode, first hour-long episode, debut of Plinko, debut of Rod Roddy, one of the 1986 primetime specials, the one where the woman cheats at Shell Game (I still LMAO at Bob's reaction to that!), and some others which I can't think of now....

I'd love to see a Kennedy, James, or even Cullen episode on there as well, but I won't hold my breath!

Nevertheless, I have high hopes for this DVD collection.  I think, when it's complete, it will be a great tribute to arguably television's greatest game show, and something we'll all enjoy for a long time!

Anthony

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'beatlefreak84\' post=\'149788\' date=\'Apr 7 2007, 09:08 PM\']
I think, when it's complete, it will be a great tribute to arguably television's greatest game show,
[/quote]
Most popular? Most successful? Sure. Greatest? Not even close.

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'149790\' date=\'Apr 7 2007, 11:56 PM\']
[quote name=\'beatlefreak84\' post=\'149788\' date=\'Apr 7 2007, 09:08 PM\']
I think, when it's complete, it will be a great tribute to arguably television's greatest game show,
[/quote]
Most popular? Most successful? Sure. Greatest? Not even close.
[/quote]
Unfortunately, our peers would disagree.

[JasonA1]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'149792\' date=\'Apr 8 2007, 01:20 AM\']
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'149790\' date=\'Apr 7 2007, 11:56 PM\']
Most popular? Most successful? Sure. Greatest? Not even close.
[/quote]
Unfortuantely, our peers would disagree.
[/quote]

And apparently Chris would too.

-Jason

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'149795\' date=\'Apr 7 2007, 11:41 PM\']
And apparently Chris would too.
[/quote]
Well, yeah, but that ranking was also based on comparative success and such. Believe me, if it was just a list of shows based on what I liked, Pyramid tops that list every day of the week.

But, good catch. I plead insanity.

[Jimmy Owen]

Well, they could go a couple different ways.  Retail and limited run Columbia House-style releases for the completists.  I predict two volumes max at retail.

[Jimmy_1]

These die-hards will want a DVD which has unique aspects of the game.

So only diehards are interested?  Wrong again.  I would by such a DVD, and I'm far from a TPiR junkie.

To cater to their above-average knowledge an dinterest in the product, it is perfectly acceptable to use jargon.  

And when that DVD sells 33 copies because no one knows what the hell "El Skunko" means, you'd be out the door looking for a new job.
[/quote]


As a passe fan of TPIR, you will buy the DVD if it crosses your nose when you stroll the aisles of Best Buy, as opposed to knowing the release date before deciding to make the purchase.  If you don't know what "el skunko" is, the marketers will cover that market segment's interest by splashing any picture of Bob Barker on the cover - heck, they may even include a picture of the big wheel and an interview where Bob tells the story of the time "she came on down and they came on out".  Won't that be worth the price of the DVD for true devotees of the show?  Your manner gets us to the discount bin of Wal Mart next to the 2 episode "Lucy Show" DVD for $1.