The Early Show: Box Office
December 9, 2006 2:42 PM

'Firefly' fans resurrect canceled convention

By
Daniel Terdiman
Topics
Media

Word comes from Burbank, Calif., that passionate fans of the Joss Whedon TV show Firefly from all over the world have ponied up money to help pay to carry off "Flanvention," the fan convention that was scheduled to begin Friday but was abruptly canceled Thursday.

According to Corey Bridges, the executive producer at Multiverse Network, who was in town for Flanvention, people had come to Burbank from all over the place, only to find when they arrived that the event had had the rug pulled out from under it.

But never to be told they can't have what they want, the show's fans, known as "browncoats," scrambled and found a way to make it work.

"It's a remarkable thing," said Bridges, who explained that the local browncoats had found a way to get fans from all over the place to help fund the replacement event. "To me it's the symbolism of this group of people, the browncoats. They've done this before, having something they're deeply passionate about canceled prematurely and having it resurrected."

Indeed, the browncoats are famous for their response to the cancellation of Firefly and the way they've managed to get showings all over the world of Serenity, the film based on the TV show.

And it's not only the fans who showed up despite the cancellation. Many of the show's actors appeared, despite not getting paid to do so. Bridges said actor Nathan Fillion had arrived and was giving away memorabilia from his time on the show to fans.

Anyway, Bridges said that there had been some scuttlebutt in the days leading up to Flanvention that there was trouble brewing. Thus, the local browncoats had begun to come up with backup plans. But at that point, they were told all was well, only to find on Thursday that all was most definitely not.

Flash-forward to Saturday where, absent the hotel ballroom the event was supposed to be held in, the browncoats were organizing replacement events at a "secret" location, Bridges said, and a series of color-coded buses meant to ferry the fans there was arriving.

"Now this is essentially happening for free," said Bridges, "for everyone who shows up. Because we don't have the list of attendees from the organizers."


  • Daniel Terdiman is a staff writer at CNET News covering games, Net culture, and everything in between.

Add a Comment See all 24 Comments
by spino684 February 2, 2010 10:29 PM EST
all i see is nothing but Nonsense. "ooh the message" or "this movie is about a god that enjoys killing people" or "america is evil and should be taken down". do you guys really listen to yourselves?

1. Its a movie, a good movie. it has a great storyline and brings the audience to see that not everything should revolve around technology. the movie and its effects were created using a much more different method into adding computer graphics into movies, not just bringing characters to life but putting a full feel of the actors who play them.

2. Why does it have to come down to "America is evil" why? because they speak english and dont have a european accent? the movie is about a human mining colony established on a world by a strong corporate branch back on earth for a rare ore abundant on "Pandora". those talking bout the military and protecting the native-Americans please read your history books. the same concept brought through this movie is the same as how the Americans pushed out the natives to take their land/home and killed those who wouldnt move so they can build a town and work the gold. so dont push the whole "america is good" either.

3. "the god seems genocidal" that explains alot when you look at the world now and the story of the film when setting is placed in the future where when the lead character asks help from the deity to protect Pandora from becoming a dead planet like Earth.. yah when someone wants to kill you u jump at his/her knife...thats ur best explanation towards the story line of why the deity helped the natives of the planet agaisnt beings willing to kill it. BRILLIANT!

4. The movie is a smash hit. doesnt matter if it doesnt compare to "gone in the wind" the fact is u paid to watch it, and in the back of ur mind u agree that it was good. u just dont like the idea of being wrong.

5. simple fact. the movie has made millions and topped off Titanic. doesnt matter if inflation plays a role in this. all that matters is that it made more money then expected.
Reply to this comment
by kowhite January 27, 2010 1:13 AM EST
"In 1939, 'Gone with the Wind" took in $400 million worldwide. That's the equivalent of some $6 billion in today's dollars. "

While it is true, Gone WIth the Wind does stand atop the inflation adjusted list, this quote is flat out wrong. GWTW did NOT make $400 worldwide in 1939. Domestic grosses for the film weren't $200M in 1939, they were $32M. It in fact took multiple (well over 6) rereleases over the span of 50 YEARS to reach that gross. Adjusted for inflation, the film isn't anywhere NEAR $6B dollars, since it simply did not make all that money in 1939. Granted, given it took 6 rereleases to even do that...should we count home video receipts towards Avatar? I mean, home video is the primary reason films today can't do the 50 years worth of rereleases big films back in the day could.

Inflation adjusted is an interesting statistic, and there's no doubt GWTW is massive, as are other older flicks. But CBS, the last quote on this article is just flat out wrong. $6B adjusted, based on $400M in 1939? Your article needs a correction, that's simply not true.
Reply to this comment
by kowhite January 27, 2010 1:09 AM EST
"In 1939, 'Gone with the Wind" took in $400 million worldwide. That's the equivalent of some $6 billion in today's dollars. "

While it is true, Gone WIth the Wind does stand atop the inflation adjusted list, this quote is flat out wrong. GWTW did NOT make $400 worldwide in 1939. Domestic grosses for the film weren't $200M in 1939, they were $32M. It in fact took multiple (well over 6) rereleases over the span of 50 YEARS to reach that gross. Adjusted for inflation, the film isn't anywhere NEAR $6B dollars, since it simply did not make all that money in 1939. Granted, given it took 6 rereleases to even do that...should we count home video receipts towards Avatar? I mean, home video is a primary reason films today can't do the 50 years worth of rereleases big films back in the day could.

Inflation adjusted is an interesting statistic, and there's no doubt GWTW is massive, as are other older flicks. But CBS, the last quote on this article is just flat out wrong. $6B adjusted, based on $400M in 1939? Your article needs a correction, that's simply not true.
Reply to this comment
by PLS8395 January 26, 2010 6:19 PM EST
avigil2,
If movie critics wait for the reviews to come out... never mind. It's a circular argument...
I paid the money so that I could legally review the movie (with two children), which I did. That means I pay whether it's good or bad and write about key points I feel are important. The "buzz" is the crap fed to the public from tabloid TV shows. The only "buzz" I kept hearing about before opening day was that "...you gotta see it in 3D!" and "The graphics are awesome!" People who listen to the "buzz" are the same people that vote for well speaking nimrods whose only vision is to bankrupt the public coffers.

I am willing to gamble on most movies and when I loose, I make it a point of getting the word out about why I think a film was so awful, as Avatar was.
Reply to this comment
by avigil2 January 27, 2010 12:12 PM EST
I am willing to gamble on most movies and when I loose, I make it a point of getting the word out about why I think a film was so awful, as Avatar was. By PLS8395

Well, since it's the highest grossing movie of all time, I don't think no one cares what you have to say.
by cidaia January 29, 2010 6:36 PM EST
It's only "highest grossing" because of inflation.

That's not worth much.
by SusanStoHelit January 26, 2010 5:00 PM EST
Avatar is quite a movie, will be popular for generations to come - and more than one movie can be great. It's message is not anti-American nor anti-military - not even anti-corporate - after all, you can't REALLY say America nor the military in any way remotely stands for killing natives to get resources - in point of fact, we defend the natives - it's pro-America, and pro-military - the whole alien race IS a military, as is the lead character, a former Marine turned mercenary. This movie shows what happens at some point in the future when our ethics have been lost, and America is obviously not in control, to a group of humans who are violating every single thing America or our military stands for.
Reply to this comment
by cidaia January 27, 2010 1:41 AM EST
Ethically, I think it's a bit questionable to glorify any film, right or left, that is based on a violent God or Goddess who makes it clear that one side of a given conflict gets a garden paradise, while the other side gets to be killed in a divine wrath.
by cidaia January 26, 2010 3:09 PM EST
The harder they push this not-entirely-honest "Avatar is biggest box office thing ever", the more I start to suspect CBS of outright dishonesty in the service of public relations.

Avatar is nowhere near the biggest when adjusted for inflation.
Reply to this comment
by cidaia January 26, 2010 3:12 PM EST
and yes, I'm aware that the last line of EVERY ARTICLE (why does it need to be said more than once????) does point out that Avatar is nothing in inflation-adjusted dollars.
by SusanStoHelit January 26, 2010 4:59 PM EST
It's how it's always done - because movie studios love to have new records, so ALL movies are ranked without inflation considered. It's not CBS, nor anything new or weird - it's normal PR spin that most people know is just spin. Avatar is an incredibly good movie, and you could also make a point about the movie industry and comparable ticket prices, competing entertainment, etc. in the past...then you could counter that point with a smaller world population, fewer venues which makes Gone with the Wind an even bigger hit...

Really doesn't matter. Avatar is quite a movie, will be popular for generations to come - and more than one movie can be great. It's message is not anti-American nor anti-military - not even anti-corporate - after all, you can't REALLY say America nor the military in any way remotely stands for killing natives to get resources - in point of fact, we defend the natives - it's pro-America, and pro-military - the whole alien race IS a military, as is the lead character, a former Marine turned mercenary. This movie shows what happens at some point in the future when our ethics have been lost, and America is obviously not what it once was.
by rwsmith29456 January 26, 2010 10:22 AM EST
People still watch and enjoy movies like 'Gone with the Wind'. Who will be watching 'Dark Knight' and 'Avatar' in 60 years?
Reply to this comment
by avigil2 January 26, 2010 2:31 PM EST
Probably, many!
by Endscape January 26, 2010 3:28 PM EST
Apparently not you.
by PLS8395 January 26, 2010 9:29 AM EST
dragon8me,
No. "The majority of people in the world and the US like the message that the American military industrial complex and corporate imperialism are out of control and especially in the modern world out dated." I think the majority of the world has no factual clue what the United States military does and why. The ONLY reason Avatar is making money is because of the hype, graphics, and Cameron's reputation.

Avatar was a waist of my $50. It was a pointless left-wing diatribe designed to push one man's agenda. The story was undeveloped and unimaginative. Cameron might be be good at storyboards and special effects but someone needs to take away is computer keyboard.

A story with a left-leaning message that was actually developed was "District 9". It was full of cool effects and a unique story that delivered a message. It is too bad the brain-dead public will throw money at Cameron to be brainwashed to believe that their government and military are evil.
Reply to this comment
by roach9703 January 26, 2010 11:08 AM EST
There is a another subtle theme here, double agency. It is all over this movie. The main character was a double agent. Betrayal by leaders, dishonesty in families and on the job is the real psychological draw. I agree with your criticisms, but more more subtle psychological realities are work here. Remember the panic Orson Wells War of Worlds caused? The real terror in the minds of masses was the fear of a very real coming war.
by avigil2 January 26, 2010 2:33 PM EST
by PLS8395: Avatar was a waist of my $50. It was a pointless left-wing diatribe designed to push one man's agenda. The story was undeveloped and unimaginative.

And yet, you chose to still go and see it.
See all 4 Replies
by formrusmcsgt January 26, 2010 8:55 AM EST
"Avatar" Is Biggest Box Office Draw Ever
---
Great...now we'll be offered cartoons for grown-ups by the ton.
Reply to this comment
by dragon8me January 26, 2010 8:39 AM EST
It's the message stupid. That is one of the main reason it's so popular. The majority of people in the world and the US like the message that the American military industrial complex and corporate imperialism are out of control and especially in the modern world out dated. That it's time for a change, and that money and greed is not whats important. That we need to take care of nature instead of the old mentality of destroying nature for the resorces we want. That indigenous people have a right to live their lives the way they choose, they may not embrace our greed based society. The message about religion is not anti-religion but one of tolerance.
Reply to this comment
by cidaia January 27, 2010 1:52 AM EST
Tolerance?

Mother Goddess seems pretty genocidal to me.

In fact, she seems an awful lot like the God of the Old Testament. Mother Goddess and Father Sky God having some kind of divorce, and a nasty, human-spattering spat over who gets the Garden of Paradise.
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