Two New Television Dramas
UPDATED : October 25, 2000
DISCLAIMER : I am an Independant Television Producer operating on my own. I am NOT affiliated with PBS Network or any of its Affiliate Stations.
----- WHAT I AM DOING -----
My name is Richard Whettestone. I live in Illinois, USA. I am a Science-Fiction Fan who created two Television Series, one an hour long Science-Fiction Series, and the other a half-hour Drama about a Girl with a Disability. I built this Website to raise money from the Science-Fiction Fans so I can take these two shows forward, beginning with legally protecting the Scripts, then Producing a Presentation Film for each show.
----- MY CURRENT STATUS -----
I believe PBS is the best place for my two shows allowing me the freedom to do a Good Quality Television Series without the interferrence of the "NetWits".
I have contacted every PBS Television Station in the entire United States. They represent nearly the first 250 Visitors on the Hit Counter. So far at least a Half a Dozen PBS Stations are requesting copies of the completed Presentation Films so they can possibly act as a Presenting Station for the two shows, although copies would be sent to every station anyway. The Presenting Station would offer the shows to the PBS Network. If the PBS Network were to decline, they would then place them into Syndication on PBS giving each station a choice (like Doctor Who is offered).
Also, it took a lot of convincing, a lot of questions answered and a lot of written material, but I have my first PBS Station agreeing to air the series (both of them). I promised them I would not reveal their identity until I had at least 20 stations signed on, although I shouldn't have to say it was a small station, and it was NOT in Illinois, who still seems to have a problem seeing past the Doctor Who Monsters (keep writing them!).
If you're not looking forward to 5 more boring years of "Star Trek : Voyager", and tired of seeing good shows like "Space : Above and Beyond" get canceled after just one season or shows like "Babylon 5 : Crusade" canceled before it even premiers, then help me do this.
Because this show would be produced, filmed and edited in Illinois, USA, this means Hollywood can NOT touch it. Hollywood does NOT Own it. Hollywood does NOT Produce it. Hollywood does NOT Distribute it. Hollywood does NOT Air it. Hollywood does NOT have any say, control, voice or opinion. For the first time ever in America, a Science-Fiction Television Series can go completely UN-TOUCHED by Hollywood hands.
----- WHAT I NEED -----
I am asking for a donation of money from the Fans to legally protect the Scripts so I can submit them to the Actors, Producers and Directors, and to produce the two Presentation Films, which would include Test Footage of the Computer Animation.
I currently have over 1,100 pages written on my Science-Fiction Series and over 250 pages written on the Disabled Girl Series.
Financially, I'm starting out from Scratch. The first $5,000, which is needed to send Scripts to Actors and such, will be the hardest to raise, but things will pick up quickly after that.
And someone recently donated a sealed copy of Windows 95, but my slow old dead computer is unable to install it at this time (Send money!).
----- Step One : The Basics -----
Goal : $5,000
To be used to purchase Basics : New Computer, Printer, Scanner, several Computer Programs, many Miscellaneous Items, Etc. I need to get the Scripts in the proper format with the right Script Writing Program, because they were written on a Commodore 128, which has since went dead. I need to get the Scripts registered with the Writer's Guild before I can send them to the Actors I want, to build up a Cast.
----- Some Legal Protection -----
Goal : $20,000
To be used for Trademarks and Copyrights and other legal protection, and to get a REAL Website, with a REAL URL (with NO Banners). To Trademark both Series' names could cost $5,000 to $7,000 each. Once this is done, information about the Shows can be posted, to give you a better idea of what it is all about.
----- Step Two : Computer Animation Test Footage -----
Goal : $10,000
To be used on the Animation Computer Programs and a Series of Computers to animate the Test Footage and the Computer Animation for the Presentation Films. Most of this equipment will be carried over into Production of the Series.
----- Step Three : Film a "Presentation Film" -----
Goal : $25,000
To be used for the Digital Cameras, other Equipment (Steadi-cams) and Editing Programs, to film a 5 to 20 minute Film of Sample Scenes. Copies of the complete Film(s) will be sent to every PBS Television Station. Some Scenes filmed will probably be posted up on the Website to download and play.
----- 5 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP -----
--- SEND ME A DOLLAR ---
PBS does not have any money, but the Fans do. Don't send me personal checks yet. I'm working on a way to accept them. In the meantime, stick a Dollar in an envelope and mail it. Don't forget your Name, Address and E-mail. If you want to, send a note explaining WHY you're supporting me, and let me know how you want to be listed on my Thank You Page.
Send a Donation to :
Richard Whettestone
P. O. Box 332
Wyoming, Illinois, 61491, USA
For contact with me, the series Creator/Producer via E-Mail.
You're probably thinking that a Dollar Donation can't possibly help at all, but the list of Contributors on the Thank You Page will be seen by Sponsors, Actors, PBS Network, Affiliate Stations, Etc. They can ignore only $1,000 raised. But they can't afford to ignore 1,000 Contributors.
--- LET ILLINOIS PBS STATIONS KNOW YOU ARE THERE ---
Every PBS Television Station in Illinois fully knows about this Site, but they're having doubts that the Fans are even out there. Drop them a very simple short e-mail that simply says "I am a Science-Fiction Fan and I am Here." That's all you have to do. Let them know there IS an audience. Some of them are showing signs of having "Doctor Who Monster-Withdrawal". They've already been contacted by other fans so you're not alone.
--- CONTACT YOUR LOCAL PBS STATION ---
I have personally contacted every PBS Television Station in the entire United States, which represent nearly the first 250 Hits on the Hit Counter. I have received aknowledgements back from Oregon, Georgia, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, Texas, Ohio and New York. You can help by contacting your local PBS Television Station where you live on your own through this link from WWW.PBS.ORG's PBS Station's Finder Page. If they ask you why you want a show you know nothing about, remind them how all your favorite Science-Fiction TV Series always get screwed, and remind them that this would be the first Science-Fiction Series Ever to go untouched by Hollywood hands. Give them this Website URL to be sure they know what you're talking about. Send them a Dollar, too.
--- PUT UP A LINK ---
Many Search Engines follow Links from one site to the next to map out the Internet with computers called "Robots" or "Spiders". Some Search Engines use the number of Links to your site to determine your placement in their listings. By placing a Link from your Site to mine, my Site will get a higher listing. If you have a Sci-Fi Website, I'll list it on my Links Page, which means your listing goes up, too.
--- LEAVE THE PBS NETWORK ALONE ---
I am NOT asking you to contact them. Leave them alone.
----- EPILOGUE -----
Think you can't do it? Sure, Trademarks and the Digital Cameras cost thousands of dollars. But for just as little as $20, I can register an entire script with the Writer's Guild. Most shows in Hollywood are given the go-ahead based on just one single Pilot script (about 55 pages). I have over 1,400 pages written between the two shows. I can give my actors 10 to 20 times the number of script-pages than Hollywood can. Just $20 can allow me to send an actor one more script. That might be the one script that convinces them to sign on. Just $35 will pay for a real Website URL. And just $20 pays for another month of Web-hosting for a new Website.
If only just ONE PERCENT of the American viewers who watched the premier episode of "Strange World" (one of the lowest rated programs on ABC) were to give me just one dollar, this would pay for everything I would need to produce a Presentation Film.
ALL PAGES ON THIS SITE.
The Links below are on every page. You can get to any page from any other page.
I make NO money off of the Advertising Banners.
-- PERTINENT INFORMATION --
- -- The Home Page --
- General Information about my Science-Fiction Series.
- Some Facts of Encouragement to Consider.
- FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions.
- Help fund a PILOT.
- Movies and TV Episodes I need to research my Actors. If you have one, send it to me.
- My "MISSION GENESIS" Script. A sample of my writing.
- My Biography and other information about me.
- Reasons to Support Me, and My Thank You Page.
-- GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS --
- PROOF that Hollywood just isn't that important. (LOADED WITH GRAPHICS)
- The Thrill of ILLINOIS. Interesting Info about the State my 2 shows will be produced in, covering Towns A-C, D-G, H-M, N-R, S-Z. (LOADED WITH GRAPHICS)
- Illinois PBS TV Stations. (Send them a short e-mail saying "Hi" to let them know you are there)
-- SOME SILLINESS --
- Take My Polls. - POLL A, POLL B, & POLL C.
- My Science-Fiction TV Series described with a Hollywood Pitch.
- Differences between Network Executives and Science-Fiction Fans.
-- FOR THE FANS --
- Every Science-Fiction TV Series screwed over by Hollywood, A-F, G-P, Q-S, T-Z.
- Black Women in Science-Fiction. (A study of mine)
- A bunch of ways I'd improve the Sci-Fi Channel. (Believe me, it wouldn't be hard)
- Premises for every Science-Fiction TV Series ever made, A-F, G-P, Q-S, T-Z.
- Links Page.
Other Sites Elsewhere
PBS NETWORK - (www.pbs.org)
Sci-Fi Fact of the Day - (www.scififactoftheday.com)
PBS NETWORK's list of PBS Television Stations - (www.pbs.org/stationfinder)
"I'll Fly Away" Site - (www.bayarea.net/~floor13/flyaway/flyawaytop.htm)
FREE LORI - (www.freelori.org)
Jack Horkheimer : Star Gazer - (www.jackstargazer.com)
I am operating independantly on my own. This site is NOT provided by, sponsored,
approved by or affiliated with the PBS Network or any of its Affiliate Stations in any way.
https://www.angelfire.com/on2/dreamgivenform
Richard Whettestone
P. O. Box 332
Wyoming, Illinois, 61491, USA
