Idea for a fanfiction project

[:]

Friends, let's face facts. Our beloved series has ended. There has been much talk about what to do now. I know that many of you have discussed ideas for a flash-animation continuation of the series. I'm not wild about this idea as I can't see how it falls under parody law.

Instead I suggest a continuation of the series based solely on fan devised scripts. I have seen this done for at least two cancelled shows and they are quite good. This would be a huge project that has the potential to go through many seasons. That's why I'm calling anyone interested to their keyboards. I can't do this alone. If I can find a way to include them, fan art of various scenes could be put with the story.

There are several factors to consider. One such thing is space. Another is time. I will not ask you to abandon your current projects. That's why I'm hoping a lot of people want to do this. That way, work can be spread out and no one person will have to do all the work.

Anyone can join the staff so long as they are interested in writing or think they know Futurama well enough to act as a consultant for the writers.

We would produce the normal number of eps per season and then take a break to get ready for the next if it proves popular.

This idea seems more feasible than the flash animation one, but I'll leave you to discuss this. You can e-mail me or post that you're interested and I'll try to provide more details about how I think this should work.

[#1 :]

I offer my services as a consultant. I could write, but probably not a episode length script. I tend to write more feature length... 

[#2 :]

I don't really care how long an episode gets to be. Just because it took an hour to write does not mean it takes an hour to read Thanks for offering your services.

[#3 :]

Though it may be different when it takes several months to write...it may take slightly longer than an hour to read 

[#4 :]

 

Originally posted by Zed 85:
Though it may be different when it takes several months to write...it may take slightly longer than an hour to read   

[Nixon]No kidding, Ford![/Nixon] 

Anyway, if I ever finish my current fanfic project I'd like to contribute somehow. Myabe even write an "episode".

I've seen it done before too. On Voyager, among other shows, from what I heard that "season" was actually pretty good.

[#5 :]

theres a website that does that for X-Files. they release an 'ep' a week and at least 2 peices of fan art is included to illistrate. It's been so popular that they have done 3 seasons. ( they started when X-Files was starting their 8th season, they didn't like that mulder had left so they had their fics take place right after the second to last real ep of season 7 so that they could maintain continuity) They are really well written.

[#6 :]

I'd like to take part, if I have the time. I kind of write stuff on an irregular basis anyway so I won't contribute a lot, but I can give it a go.

[#7 :]

I'd be happy to help out as soon as I finish my What If series.  It's definitely a neat idea, Allen.  I think there's a group of people doing the same for "Birds of Prey", one of my favorite shows last season.

[#8 :]

I also just realized we'll need editors as well. If you want, you can be an editor. You can also double as a writer or consultant if you wish. Thanks to all that have offered. Also, should we start ASAP or when the final ep airs? Perhaps we can start and make changes as needed? Also, I'm not sure how many people are needed for this project. I don't think you can have too many though.

[#9 :]

 

Originally posted by Allen:
We would produce the normal number of eps per season and then take a break to get ready for the next if it proves popular.

Five years on, nobody has a clue what constitues the "normal" number of eps.

[#10 :]

I was talking about the normal run for a cartoon. Remember Futurama's always started late. Also does anyone have an idea where to find a site to host this project?

[#11 :]

TLZ would be good, i bet alot of sites would like to have it, because it seems to be a good idea.

i will offer my services as a consultant. school ends tuesday, so i will be free for the next three months.

[#12 :]

I believe there's a series like this for Hey Arnold! on fanfiction.net.  A while ago, I was asked to write for "The Patakis", a supposed spin-off of the show which was denied by MTV and started as a fanfiction series.  FF.net is always an option, though maybe not the best one.

[#13 :]

Very interesting idea. Sort of like fanfiction taken to the next level. I like it very much. If this project takes off, I offer you my keyboard as one of the writers.
As for hosting space, that won't be a problem. If one of the existing sites won't take it, we can set up our own. In fact, I think we should set up our own site didicated to this project, to help the entire staff communicate and make regular progress reports. This way, we wouldn't have to bother webmasters of sites like CGEF and TLZ too much (we'd only send them finished episodes), while still giving the project all the attention it desrves.
I can find hosting. We can use a free service like Netfirms (or Tripod  ), or I might be able to get us free hosting on good, ad-free space from someone who doesn't really care about things like laws. I know a few people who might do me a favor like this.

Edit: I can also be an editor. I tend to be quite the grammar nazi.

[#14 :]

 

Originally posted by getak2003:
TLZ would be good, i bet alot of sites would like to have it, because it seems to be a good idea.

i will offer my services as a consultant. school ends tuesday, so i will be free for the next three months.

Not everyone visits TLZ, so if this is to be done, how about having it's own website, that the other sites can link to it, and vice-versa.


I could have a word with Sean (SB) or Håkon, I know he has oodles of spare space where his site is based, since I pointed him at a decent host.
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[#15 :]

yeah, we should make our own site. i personally think that we should use www.angelfire.com  as a host. it gives 20MB free, we could also just have other divisions of the site on other free hosts like tripod and netfirm. that would net us about 45MB of space, i guestimate.

also, i will see what my current situation is when this thing gets under way. if iam really busy i will just be a consultant, if not i will offer my services as a writter. we shall see.

[#16 :]

 

Originally posted by getak2003:
yeah, we should make our own site. i personally think that we should use www.angelfire.com  as a host. it gives 20MB free, we could also just have other divisions of the site on other free hosts like tripod and netfirm. that would net us about 45MB of space, i guestimate.

also, i will see what my current situation is when this thing gets under way. if iam really busy i will just be a consultant, if not i will offer my services as a writter. we shall see.

Oh, please stay as a consultant 

[#17 :]

Well, first I believe the series should have its own site. However, to do this, we need someone with graphic and html skills. It's been my experience that no one likes an empty page with just text. Also I like Anarchist's idea of communication, but I need a bit more on how that works. Otherwise, we'll find someplace else to do it. Like using AIM to set up a staff chatroom.

I will also get a list going of all who have offered serives. This is another reason I like the series website idea. It'll allow me to make a credits page where everyone who helps will be listed.

[#18 :]

HTML? Web design? *points to self* Yo.
We can set up a nice part-private, part-public messege board (Personally, I love phpBB) and an IRC channel (chatroom, for you n00bies out there   ). We can also have a private area on the site where members can store their files and only members can retreive files (passworded access, in other words) - although the simplest way to do this would be through the messege board's private area. We'd still use our webspace to store all the graphics and text files, so some sort of web-based upload system would be necessery. I can brush up on my PHP skillz and set up something of that natrue.

Should I set up some sort of sample website, or wait 'till we get enough people onboard (since something like this can't be done with 3 or 4 people)?

[#19 :]

did some one say web design?

i can take care of alot of that. i know alot of the html tricks and such to making a good FUNCTIONAL site. i personally do not like sites that have a shit load of happy little GIFs that dance around, but have no content what so ever.

this project seems to more tuned to a text based site, something that is both easy and funtional to do. i see no real place to put pictures and such, unless you want to have other content like episode guides, transcripts, sound, video, etc.

we could ask some of the artists out there to illistrate the fan fictions, but that will never be alot.

this all depends on how much we want this thing to do. i personally want for there to be just bios of the characters, MODERN bios, that tell of what has happened to them up to the point at which we take over the story. like events of time keeps on slippin, and ohter things like that. besides bios we can have a simple episode guide that lists every episode and tells exactly what happened in it, but i say we should follow KISS Keep It Simple Stupid.

this site will never be able to compete with the larger more interactive ones. so i say just have enough to get the new futurama fans up to speed with the series, and events that lead up to this fan fiction series. 

[#20 :]

I've got a fair few templates that I was going to use for FSAC that will do for this project, I'll even throw them in for for free, providing we get a stable area put them.

Although I guess we only need one or two webmasters (and Allen - not sure on his HTML capabilities).  I'll volunteer to be one of them having run FSAC for 2 and half years.

100

[#21 :]

The chatroom for this project is now up!
You can use an IRC client to #FuturamaLivesOn on irc.darkirc.net
or you can use the web-based client at http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3swks/jIRC/

[#22 :]

At this time, I'd like to thank Anarchist for putting up this means of communication between staff members.

We'll need to coordinate times to meet, but e-mail will be provided to those that don't make the meetings.

[#23 :]

I'd love to be involved in something like this. I've got lots of free time just now.

[#24 :]

I'm currently working on the framework for the project's website. I got us a decent webspace account - 50 megs, PHP and MySQL support, the only ad is an exit popup (which I'll try to get rid of). It isn't up yet because I can't connect to the FTP to upload anything for some reason, but hopefully I'll have it sorted out by tonight.

[#25 :]

 

Originally posted by Anarchist:
I'm currently working on the framework for the project's website. I got us a decent webspace account - 50 megs, PHP and MySQL support, the only ad is an exit popup (which I'll try to get rid of). It isn't up yet because I can't connect to the FTP to upload anything for some reason, but hopefully I'll have it sorted out by tonight.

Before you get too far with all this, shouldn't the rest of us be involved in the design and everything else?

[#26 :]

By "framework" I meant the very basics - some webspace, a chatroom, and a forum. I'm not planning on taking any more liberties on my own.
Speaking of which, it's all ready! I have a forum set up for us here: futuramaseasons.has.it

FuturamaLivesOn is a name for the project that me and Allen seem to have agreed upon. This can be changed, of course.

Anyway, those who are interested in the Project can now head over to our board and discuss/suggest related matters there. No need to be confined to a single thread or hijack a part of PEEL that way. What should the site look like/contain? Who wants to do what? Who's bringing the beer? Etc.

EDIT: Ok, I finally got it working! If you're interested in helping out, PLEASE join and chek in! Let's not let an idea this great die... please?

[#27 :]

Hi everyone, I started mailing interested parties about the message board. I really don't want to see this idea dry up because I believe it's a good way to keep the show alive in our hearts. If I haven't e-mailed you, I probably just disn't get to you yet.

[#28 :]

I'll help!  i'm in middle of a really big fic but i'd love to make some episodes.  e-mail me at hilanimal@aol.com or steve.rosenthal@pfizer.com
I look forward to it.

[#29 :]

 

Originally posted by Futurama_Hil:
I'll help!  i'm in middle of a really big fic but i'd love to make some episodes.  e-mail me at hilanimal@aol.com or steve.rosenthal@pfizer.com
I look forward to it.

C'mon, join the project team then at :- FuturamaSeasons.com Forum

[#30 :]

Paul why did u close the web series thread? This is about WRITING fan fics, as opposed to the web series thread about ANIMATING a small fanfic?!

[#31 :]

perhaps an online comic strip would be more realistic, it could possibly re-incite Fox to make some more episodes!.......

[#32 :]

If I may explain, Grim, I believe Paul closed that thread because the web series has been discussed and while his link didn't point to that thread, Nix had been kind enough to provide a link earlier on that was ignored. Perhaps he felt a second link to that thread was unnecessary, but I truly don't know. To the hypno toad, an on-line comic will not incite Fox to make more episodes, it will instead give them more reason to issue C&Ds.

For the record, the web series was a brillant idea that just couldn't get off the ground. I blame its complex nature, but that's just my opinion.

[#33 :]

i blame the fact that we are all a bunch of lazy sacks of crap that don't feel like it. myself and sal included...

[#34 :]

 

Originally posted by Grim:
Paul why did u close the web series thread? This is about WRITING fan fics, as opposed to the web series thread about ANIMATING a small fanfic?!

This sort of thing has been attempted in the past and like Allen said it was going nowhere .. bloody fast as well.   The other reason being that I thought you were getting a bit close to having a C&D thrown at you before you really got of the ground, if fox got wind of the idea, plus with writing you can get people to imagine what's going on, instead of spending endless hours getting a Flash Animation to work.

Getak, those are the truest words you've ever said 

[#35 :]

This thread has been touched in a while, but I have a question: What's happened to the site? Every time I've tried to access it for the past two weeks I've got an error message. What gives?

And before someone says I should have been in chat, I've been lazy. So sue me!

[#36 :]

Access to the original webserver has been blocked. I changed webservers on July 11th. You're probably still using the old url. Just use  http://futuramaseasons.has.it , and it should work.

[#37 :]

Thanks Mercapto, that's sorted it.

[#38 :]

I'd be happy to help, you can check out my abandon project Me and a friend were doing here.

[#39 :]

No offense, but your abandoned project is in desperate need of a spell and grammer check. It started out ok and then you completely lost me. Also I wanted to strangle you every time I heard "I have the delta branwave." No he doesn't, he lacks the delta brainwave. Don't get me wrong, you had a good story, but I felt things could have been a little more thought out and proofread a few times.