The 2 year anniversary of this campaign is coming up. The idea was born in Birmingham,England the first weekend in June at a panel featuring Ben Browder. He was very serious in his sentiments. A couple of fellow Scapers said he was looking at you, he wants you to do something. I laughed, they persisted. I made my way over to where he was speaking to a few fans and asked him point blank. Someone (I think @sarascaper?) posted the moment on Twitter . ^^CORRECTION^^ The photo is from fan Myra in the UK who also sent me this second one!!! Many thanks!
Later I emailed him and asked if he was serious. He was and thought a grassroots campaign would be the most effective, like the Save Farscape one. After I returned home, I had not stopped thinking of this all weekend. I contacted two friends who had a lot of years in TV/film marketing and ran the idea by them. Avenging Angel, who was the brains behind benbrowder.net ‘s ads gave me a few dos and don’ts in today’s industry. I registered this website though I knew the “boards” of old were pretty much gone. Many of the new Farscape fans found their way to the show years after the show ended via streaming. I personally had many reservations and many qualms about my favorite characters being tarnished. I did however take to heart Ben’s belief that Brian Henson and Rockne O’Bannon were on board to tell more stories. Not a reboot. Many large groups of fans are listed on Facebook with more joining groups every day. Many on Reddit. Many on tumblr. Sadly these get minimal attention via a metrics measuring. Twitter is used as a real time “pulse”. The Farscape presence has always been there though you have to “look” for it. Many Scapers prefer the comfort of Facebook. The general Farscape conversations on Twitter continue to grow. Last summer at Dragon Con Brian Henson did a panel that made me far more confident. He made it fairly clear “when” he does more Farscape it will be a limited series so they can tell the story the way they want. There was not the usual talk of “if” they can get funding but the distribution platform. This past March marked the 20th Anniversary of Farscape. Brian Henson did a Q&A on the official Farscape Facebook page . The official page has also adopted the #FarscapeNow hashtag. In Denver last month Ben Browder addressed the question again .
A Farscape Reunion will happen at Winter Con in NYC in November. Rockne O’Bannon is attending (schedule permitting). Brian Henson is returning to Dragon Con in August. They are happy to see the interest and like Ben Browder feel Farscape would find a warm welcome today. So if you want more #farscapenow follow @farscapenow on Twitter and use your hashtags!! #Farscape #FarscapeNow !!! If not, your choice but you might want to unfollow @farscapenow and skip arguing why. Share your favorite moments from the show instead!
Scaper SpriteLady has created some beautiful #IAMFARSCAPE photos to use and 2 GIFS!! Check them out here !
Farscape’s 19th Anniversary is March 19th which is a Monday. We are planning a Tweetfest to celebrate on Sunday March 18th. Times are 7 PM ET for North, Central and South America and 1900 GMT for UK and Europe. Other countries can pick one of these or Tweet out a time for your areas. Use the hashtag #farscapenow even if you just want it to return to streaming services —say that and tag your favorite streaming outlet. Tag @hensoncompany to thank them for Farscape be sure and use the #farscapenow. Tag #BrianHenson with #IAMFARSCAPE and your name/handle, occupation,location if you want — second hashtag #farscapenow as well. Use one of Sprite’s graphics are GIFs to attract scrollers 😉
I get Twitter and social media are not for everyone but it is simple. Far simpler than what we had to do for Save Farscape. Many of you missed that campaign and have wished you could have been there. This is your chance!
I expressed my disappointment to Ben Browder and this was his reply:
I remain hopeful… but frustrated…
Scapers it is your move
Been awhile. We grow slowly and there is little interest as Scapers feel there is no reason to fight without Henson making a statement or they do not want more adventures. It baffles me as a couple years ago when Brian Henson asked a crowd of approximately 650 if they wanted more Farscape almost every hand went up. Last June Ben Browder asked a crowd of 200 or so with the same response. In fact Farscape actors draw big crowds when they appear. Where are Scapers? Stargate has 10,000 Twitter followers for their “stargatenow” campaign. Yes it does sound familiar doesn’t it? Farscape groups on Facebook total in the thousands. It has been a while and lots of mentions on Twitter, tumblr , Instagram and reddit but we are a quiet fandom. Sadly in these days of instant communication that spells apathy. I continue to remind people the original Save Farscape we went a year hearing nothing then the announcement of the mini series.
So for those of you who want more Farscape :
Follow @farscapenow on Twitter, Instagram
        benbrowder.net on tumblr
       Reddit people keep discussing!
Facebook people you may have to venture out though we have a farscapenow page –Like us!!
Just wanted to thank all of you who participate. I know many of you are frustrated and I understand so take a break and re-watch some Farscape 😀
These projects take time. I wish we had a nod from Henson that they are pleased with our work or just a Hi Scapers! I know in the past we never knew how close we were to getting more Farscape until in 2010 Ben mentioned it at a Farscape Con breakfast. It was Sunday and the actors had been told the previous week to have their agents ready as soon as the funds were transferred. They were to get the money at noon on the Friday. The time came and went. The investors changed their minds at the last minute. No news may truly mean no news or it may not. Ben wants more Farscape and feels the time is right. He says Brian Henson also wants more. I tend to trust them. The way series work these days provide many more opportunities for projects and they can also be more complicated to get started. Both Ben Browder and Brian Henson have been in the industry for 3 decades and are quite savvy despite anything you may read on Facebook groups. So until I hear from either the project is dead with no hope of resuscitation I will keep it up. Do what you can when you can! Public groups/sites may get looked at on things like Facebook or Reddit but those making and breaking shows are on Twitter —- Deadline Hollywood for example has gained quite a voice the last few years so give them a shout asking about Farscape. Go to the streaming services and ask them to add Farscape back to their menus.
Sunday nights 7 pm ET/ 1900 London time is the weekly surge.
No news at this point but as encouragement I offer the timeline from the savefarscape campaign which resulted in PKW :
I also want to note the timeline from Farscape‘s cancellation to the airing of The Peacekeeper Wars for those getting depressed about the #farscapenow campaign.
—-Farscape cancelled September 2002
—-The Peacekeeper Wars begins production December 2003
—-Official announcement that SciFi Channel will air The Peacekeeper Wars May 2004
—-The Peacekeeper Wars airs October 2004
Streaming, social media etc have led to us expecting instantaneous results to all things. Projects like Veronica Mars, Con Man and even the Miss Fisher additional funding seem to happen “overnight”. Veronica Mars had been in the works awhile and the production company was willing to put up an amount if it could be matched. Fans and likely the actors made that happen and exceeded the amount. Same with Con Man — the producers put up money (much of it their own) and again the fan match exceeded. Miss Fisher producers and primary actors met with Netflix US over a year ago to secure funding for a film. The amount offered plus money from other sources would allow them to make a scaled down version of the script. So they took to Kickstarter to fund some additional features. In less than 2 weeks they raised double what was asked. None of these projects had huge internet presence until the project announced. Our goal is to show Farscape worth the investment. I believe Brian Henson interested in pursuing it but that is hearsay from a reliable source. So until we hear the project is officially dead keep doing what you can, when you can.
Official hashtag surge is weekly on Sunday at 7 ET/1900 London. Retweet, reblog on any social media you choose Twitter,tumblr,Instagram and any others! Tag entertainment bloggers or streaming services or networks as many are also investing/producing revivals as well as original programming.
#FarscapeFriday #farscapenow
Farscape Convention 2000 (l-r) Wayne Pygram, Virginia Hey, David Kemper, Gigi Edgley, Claudia Black, Lani Tapu, Kent McCord, Anthony Simcoe, Ricky Manning, Ben Browder, ?, Rockne O’Bannon, Brian Henson
Just going to recap from the beginning. In Birmingham this past June Ben called for us to fight for more Farscape as there are more stories to tell. I heard from another source as well that the creative side of production is very interested in telling more stories. Henson is more on board so we need to show investors and distributors that there is an audience worth their time and money. Today social media reflects the pulse of what viewers want. Not sure I agree but no one is asking me! If you don’t do social media you can comment on posts here and use the hashtag #farscapenow . We are now on Instagram  farscapenow  Twitter @farscapenow  . I do post in the Farscape Reddit occasionally so if you are active on Reddit please post there!
Remember to send those postcards so Henson Company returns after the holiday to a full mail room!
Scaper Nora had a great idea to make the fan base more than names and handles. Make a short video or photo post telling briefly how you came to find Farscape and post it to the Henson Company Facebook page or Tweet it to them @HensonCompany or on Instagram ! Take a few minutes and don’t forget to add the #farscapenow
The old school post card campaign is under way! Send Henson Company a post card from your town saying how and when you started watching. Add your age and desire for some new adventures or anything you think will make an impression. I have heard from some international fans already so a reminder this is a worldwide campaign! Streaming media includes ALL fans! Sense8 fans just achieved their goal with Netflix as we did 15 years ago to get an “end” to their story. We are bolder going where more and more classic shows are going —- revival. Streaming media companies (and some networks) are doing these limited run series and succeeding. Many said Farscape was ahead of it’s time. Maybe it was but it’s popularity on Netflix and Hulu have shown there are new fans a binge away! So Americans before you go celebrate this weekend (or work like me) mail a postcard to the address below! Bring some for friends to send after you make them watch an episode 😉
Henson Company
1416 N La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Game on !
Start getting your postcards ready to mail! It is likely the coming weekend will be busy and extend until Tuesday for many Americans and businesses. Wouldn’t it be great for the mail room at Henson Company to start Wednesday with postcards from all over the world? Again tell how and when you started watching ESPECIALLY those of you that discovered the show on a streaming channel. Adding things like age and that you also have the dvds is great as well. If multiple household members watch could be mentioned.
Finally the hashtag #farscapenow
Brian Henson
1416 North La Brea Ave
Hollywood, CA 90028
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