TAPE PIRACY
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Yeah. I know copying is piracy and stuff. I'd say it might be okay if a few episodes were copied for, like, a friend or something. But what really messes the thing up is when people atsrt making profit. Now that is illegal.
BVA, you once said you couldn't stop us copying tapes of Knightmare (in the past), bu I truly agree with you here.
As they say on the warnings - video piracy is a crime, do not accept it.
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Good to see the offending problem is now absent from Ebay. In response to posts from Malefact and others, let's examine cause and effect on copying. Whilst VHS was the common form of video release, issuing an official version of the KM made programs was not considered economically feasible. Now that DVD is in full flood as a format, this has changed, because a DVD release can take place on a much smaller volume market. Granada Media (Anglia owners) are now genuinely interested in doing a DVD release combining all the KM made programmes + extras. However they're still cautious as to how big the market is, and worse still they are concerned that much of the needs of that market have been already met by illegal tape copying, So you see - what you do does have an effect - and sometimes the opposite of what you intend. As to identifying the economic losers in copying, you may be right that it's close to a drop in the ocean for G Media. However, all the KM actors and artists whose work you admire are all potential
ly poorer by this operation. Most of them, whilst extremely talented, are far from rich.
I will do my best to persuade G Media to release via DVD and support it with extra content - like the 1992 US Pilot - Lords of the Game, which none of you has seen.
bva
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Ah. That's an awkward one. Well, as I say, I'm sure that we'd all upgrade to DVD anyway if a release happened. I certainly would; I'd want the best possible quality. Please assure Granada of this - VHS doesn't last forever, anyway.
In any case, the last thing any of us would want is to leave the cast and crew out of pocket. If there were an official release then we would most certainly take advantage of it.
Thanks very much indeed for your support, bva.
Btw, I had no idea there was a US pilot made! I'm aware of the two UK pilots made before series 1 and of the Chromakey experiment but that's about it. This is marvellous! A clutch of extras like that, I am sure, will be a huge draw for all of us. (I know it will be for me!)
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Yes, it really will help a great deal for Granada to hear your thoughts.
I guess most of us knew that the piracy hurt the chance of any release, and indeed the chances of a channel reshowing the episodes, by decreasing the potential market. Now that such illegal activities have ceased, there's surely some cause for optimism, however:
a) It's good to hear that Granada are indeed interested in securing a release. As I mentioned before, getting some revenue from this show certainly makes sense from their point of view.
b) Granada are surely overly pessimistic in thinking that the market needs have been anywhere near satisfied by illegal trading. Firstly, I doubt that there have been a huge number of such tapes made- it really seems to have been the actions of a few people. Secondly, the demand for tapes has always been pretty constant, if the number of people coming to this site and saying "can I get videos?" is anything to go by. Thirdly, a great number of people- myself included- won't buy illegal tapes and have always waited for a legal option to present itself. Fourthly, the market the nostalgia seem to be growing all the time. Fifthly, the market isn't limited to those currently visiting this site or those who have visited here and elsewhere in the past. Sixthly (okay, I'll stop soon), a great number of people have watched the show on Challenge?, and if they do stop showing it, it seems to be because of a change in direction/ specialisation in certain types of gameshows, rather than the ratings being poor. Certainly if they do stop showing it, there'll be a great number of people still wanting some legal way to see the episodes. Seventhly (last one) I'm sure a very high proportion of those with pirate copies would upgrade to an official edition, especially considering the possibility of added extras, better picture quality, and all the other advantages that DVD allows.
c) Extraswise, as everyone has said, there are lots of possibilities that would give a release many advantages over pirate copies some may already have. Since the actors would seemingly benefit from a release, it'd be in their interests to help provide any extras they could. For example, even if they didn't get paid much for appearing in any documentary/interviews/additional footage, they'd benefit from the deal as a whole. And evidently Tim himself has a lot of things that could go on there: I really don't think there'd be any lack of material.
d) There are lots of people around in this community who'd be willing to pull things together, to gather information, to conduct interviews, and several people with technical expertise in various areas. If Granada and/or any DVD release company wanted not to have to bother with such activities, they could be confident of finding others to do so.
I could go on, but this post is already long enough. It's obviously good that the piracy is stopping- the very fact it went on made several of us a little uncomfortable. I'd still love to hear answers to the questions I posted before. Perhaps then we can try to move forward with the idea.
(Just added a few spaces to make it easier to read - Illusion)
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Unfortunately, I don't have a DVD player at all and will be unlikely to be able to buy one anytime soon (although I would probably buy a Knightmare DVD anyway on the off-chance). (On that note, I think there are still a fair few poeple on here who don't have a DVD player).
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I'm sure that even people with episodes on tape would certainly be interested in buying a DVD for the far better picture quality they would get.
Indeed, not everyone has a DVD player yet, but they are coming down in price fast (under £70 now - just about the same price as a video recorder) so I don't think it would be much of a barrier.
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I'm sure that even people with episodes on tape would certainly be interested in buying a DVD for the far better picture quality they would get.
Yes! I really should have made mention of those people who have legal copies from original transmission or Sci-Fi/Challenge? repeats. Not all tapes are pirate copies.
And thanks for the post edit. How thoughtful of you.
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Yes, I would definately buy Knightmare if it was released on DVD as I have said before. I have KM on tape, but the picture quality is poor, so being a KM obsessive I NEED better picture quality!!! The extras alone are worth buying for! I know its been said before, but I would like to put my vote down for an audio commentary including BVA himself!! ;D
Despite the recent events surrounding illegal copies, maybe it has worked in the favour of a Knightmare release, I know for certain that after hearing BVA's support on the matter, I am getting excited again!! Here, let me demonstrate: Dances around the room excitedly -Thats just how excited I am!!!
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A DVD release of Knightmare would be a fantastic thing, as many people did not tape the series at the time of them shown on TV, and some do not have sky/cable so cannot see repeats.
As for the amount of people owning a DVD player, the numbers are increasing all the time, and dont forget people can also watch DVDs on PCs with DVD player, Xboxes and PS2s! Chances are most households own at least one of these items!
Another good reason is that 80's stuff is in at the moment, as all the people who grew up in this decade are now adults. And as a result, companies are releasing DVDs of that era for the new wave of adults, for example Rainbow, Danger Mouse, Transformers, etc. Now if people can buy Rainbow DVDs, whats gonna stop them from buying KM!
Finally, my last point is that KM is very fondly remembered (I dont need to tell you lot this), but as a result of the best childrens tv poll from last year, (in which I still disagree with what they put in at No. 1) Knightmare scored very high indeed!
Im sure that we arent the only ones who would love a DVD of KM!
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Very good point about 80s nostalgia, there.
I taped series 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 but due to an extreme lack of foresight, all that survives is the latter half of series 8.
Another good reason to have DVD: the pristine picture quality (completely devoid of logos and adverts, to boot) would make it seem completely real, just like it seemed when I saw it live all those years ago. When watching an old video caked in noise you're constantly reminded that it is indeed a video.
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Yep, I'd get a DVD player just for KM too.
Although I'm not exactly sure about Granada actually releasing a video of KM (from what I've heard it seems likely they want to forget KM totally, never mind re-release it!), so please excuse me if I don't get all excited and starts making requests for specific extras, it would, most definitely, be a very good idea, no doubt about that.
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But beveryafraid has just said that Granada are now genuinely interested in doing a DVD release!
Also, if the new series gets commissioned and is successful (which I'm certain it will be) demand will go through the roof. If a DVD release had already happened at that point and discs were ready to buy...well, you know what will happen.
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Conversely, if the DVDs were released it might help generate interest for the Knew Knightmare. I'm sure the DVDs would try and include an exhaustive set of internet links, including to Televirtual's latest projects. If Tim was interviewed, one of the things he might just mention is that Knightmare is not necessarily a creature purely of the past. (Okay, it'd have to be worked so the information didn't become out of date too early, but there'd be some way of managing that.)
I've had so many other ideas. For some reason this whole issue got stuck in my head the other night and I failed to get to sleep until 5.30am. Ra and double-ra!
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I personally think the DVD release should come first - then people caan watch Knightmare "in order" rather than seeing new series then going back to old series.
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I'd get the deffinatly! Even if I didn't have a DVD player, I'd buy one to have it - and remember this would generate interest if they wanted to make a new KM series.
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Well, they ARE making a new series.
It's just a question of whether it will be commissioned. (I am positive it will - with Km's reputation and continuing demand even the most middle-of-the-road, play-it-safe, money-grabbing, cappuccino-land monkey-suit of an exec will want it!)
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