Category Archives: Writers Strike

CTU: Provo Available on Youtube

It’s been a while since we’ve had anything newsworthy to post, my apologies for not posting more regularly with news on the 24: Movie, unfortunately the only news is, their is no news, and it didn’t seem worthwhile posting until I have something slightly more up beat to discuss. So i’m pleased to tell you that I bring you news of “A ’24’ Film” (Just not “The ’24’ Film”).

A few years ago during the longer than normal break between seasons 6 & 7 due to the WGA writers strike, I posted several fan made efforts to help us all get our fix. By far the best of these was CTU: Provo, a feature length film which tells the story of a terrorist threat to Utah posed by Tree Hugging Eco-Terrorists & 70’s Teen Idols turned bad and the efforts of CTU’s regional office in Provo to stop them. (You can read my original review here).

CTU: Provo has in the last few days had something of a re-release on Youtube (after originally only being available via direct download and bit-torrent). You can watch check it out the YouTube channel here or the first part is embedded at the bottom of this post.

To get the full scoop on the re-release (and I have to admit to help push anyone who hasn’t already seen CTU: Provo to give it ago) we had a chat with Alan Seawright, one of CTU: Provo’s Stars, who also happens to have been it’s Director, Co-writer & Producer.

24fans: So Alan, Have I missed anything out?
Alan Seawright: Also editor, and I did 211 VFX shots!  Most of them are not good. 😉

24fans: Why the push to get people watching CTU: Provo now?
AS: The push to get CTU:Provo noticed now is this: it’s our first step to global domination!  My business partner (Daren Smith, CTU’s Sound Designer) and I tired of trying to get movie funding through traditional sources.  It’s been a 3-year slog with basically nothing to show.  So we’re going with the crowd-sourcing model.  We’re going to build a following on YouTube, you can also get cheapest youtube.com views at the best price and our next major project will be a feature that will be released initially as a web series.  We have some really exciting projects lined up for the future, and we’re now in an age where we don’t need big Hollywood studios to give us the go-ahead, then muck up our ideas.  And that’s really only gotten worse in the last year or three.

24fans: Did CTU Provo succeed as well as you’d hoped?
AS: CTU:Provo was hugely successful in some ways.  It’s gotten me a fair amount of work in the intervening 3 years, and the majority of people who I’ve heard from that watched it really enjoyed it.  In some ways it was disappointing however.  We didn’t end up distributing it the way we wanted because of some concerns we had with FOX, but YouTube offers us a handy way around that

24fans: What is your favourite part of CTU Provo?
AS: It’s hard to pick a favourite part of the movie.  We worked (played?) so hard on all of it, it’s kinda just amazing we pulled it off.  On the other hand I know how I would improve basically every single aspect of the film, so it’s hard to look at the movie and be satisfied…  if that makes sense.

24fans: Just about, are their currently any plans for a direct follow up?
AS: We don’t have any plans for a direct follow-up to CTU:Provo right now.  Especially since most of our cast has graduated from university and are spread out around the country now. Jono is still close by so if there are suddenly tens (or hundreds) of thousands of fans clamouring for it, there could certainly be further adventures for some of the cast.

24fans: What kind of positive effect has it had on your career?
AS: My career hasn’t exploded, but I’ve been lucky to work on some great local shows.  I’ve actually gotten much more editing work from it than I have directing work. I have been able to direct some local commercials, a short film that screened for 384,000 people at my alma mater’s American football games over the course of a season.  Nothing quite like hearing 64,000 people cheering for something you made!

24fans: What are Telekinesis up to?
AS: Telekinesis have a bunch of ideas for short films that we’re going to start releasing either every week or every other week starting in April.  I have a large project for a client I’m finishing up, and Daren is on tour with The Neon Trees (as their sound engineer).  Ryan Croker (my co-writer on CTU:Provo) lives nearby and will be contributing his golden pen occasionally.  Then the crowd-sourced funding, a few features, world domination, and a new golden age for human civilization.

24fans: What did you think of how the real show ended? & Season 8 in general.
AS: To be honest, I felt that ’24’ kinda went out with more of a whimper than a bang.  I didn’t watch Season 8.  Seasons 6 & 7 were such disappointments that after watching the 4 hour premiere for Season 8, I had no interest.  Sad to admit, I know…

24fans: Given that, are you eager to see a 24 Film?
AS: I’d love to see a ’24’ film that gets back to the show’s roots. But whatever direction it takes, I’m going to the midnight opening.

24fans: Finally, what’s your must see TV now 24 has finished?
AS: There aren’t any hour-long dramas I’m religious about now that ’24’ and ‘LOST’ are done.  My wife and I love ‘CHUCK’, but that’s a dramedy.  ‘COMMUNITY’ may be the best show on TV right now.

So there you have it, now you’ve had the inside scoop, unplug the phone, grab some popcorn and sit back and enjoy part 1 of CTU: Provo. Now Dammit!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CRZQfocSmQ[/youtube]

Writers Strike All But Over, But When Will 24 Return?

Okay, every media outlet is now reporting the strike is all but over. In all likelihood Showrunners and WGA members with producer duties will return to work on Monday as producers, for 24 that would probably just be Howard Gordon, with full writing staff probably returning on Wednesday.

So what does this all mean for 24?

Howard Gordon, the show runner for “24” on Fox, said he has been busy contacting his writing staff.

He said production could feasibly resume six weeks after the writers boot up their laptops. But the drama’s unique storytelling device, with each of the 24 one-hour episodes equaling a day in the life of terrorist-fighter Jack Bauer, has complicated matters.

“24” typically runs from January to May, but Fox delayed the premiere indefinitely rather than airing an incomplete season consisting of eight episodes that were on hand.

Fox has not decided when the show will return, Gordon said, but is considering three scenarios: airing 12 episodes as soon as possible and returning in the fall for the last 12, running all 24 episodes in the fall or waiting to premiere in January 2009.

I’ll let you know when Fox has decided on which of those three options for the return of the show. If they go with the first and decide to air the first 12 episodes as soon as possible, that would mean a likely return somewhere between mid to late March. That would personally be my first choice, sound off in the comments about your preferred choice.

source : latimes.com

In Which Format Would You Prefer S7 To Be Aired In?

A quick, impromptu poll I put up, responding to the news that series 7 could be split in two parts. Apparently your a bit undecided on the idea, as at first the two halfs idea had a sizeable lead in the poll, before the other possibility of starting in January next year took a very narrow lead.

The final results:-

24 Episodes Non-Stop From January 09 : 39%
In Two Halfs, One Starting Fall 08, The Other Starting January 09 : 36%
Neither, Come Up With Something Else : 25%

We’re now back the character poll I cut short a few weeks ago.

S7 To Be Split In Two?!?

TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello has just posted in is usual wednesday online “Ask Ausiello” column of the several possible options facing Fox and the shows producers when the writer’s strike does end. The first big thing is that the apparent consensus is there is no way a full 24 episode run could air this season.

… although Fox hasn’t confirmed it, I’ll go out on a limb and say Jack Bauer isn’t returning this season. Even if the strike ends tomorrow, the earliest the show could get back on the air is this summer — and there’s no way in hell Fox is dumping 24 onto the summer season.

That leaves Fox and everyone else with a bit of thinking to do.

One solution is to just kick off Season 7 next January, but by then Jack will have been in hiding for nearly two years.

I’d say that’s a real stinker of an idea, since while the core audience is waiting around for now to atleast give season 7 a chance, I’m not sure they will wait forever. But Ausiello does offer up an alternative.

Another, and much more controversial, scenario being bandied about involves taking the eight episodes currently in the can and creating a 10- to 14-episode mini-season to air in the fall. That would be followed by another 10- to 14-episode mini-season — featuring a completely different plot — during the second half of the season.

Now, I know that possibility isn’t going to be all that popular with fans although I think that the “season of two half’s” as it where need not necessarily be two separate storylines. Those of us who have been watching 24 for any length of time know many previous seasons can be broken into two quite distinct halfs. They could simply formalise that a bit more and do what many shows now do and have a “mid-season cliffhanger”, which could even fit in with suggestions heard from some of the 24’s writing staff during S7’s preproduction that they may break the real time format for the first time ever and have a time jump mid season to get Jack from one location to another.

It’s a hard choice, but i’d rather split the season, than have to wait another 12 months! for new 24. Let us know what you think in the comments and on the forums. Click the link below to read the entire article.

source : tv-guide.com

Day 7 Still Stalled

So the WGA strike continues and with no sign from Fox that there willing to air anything but a non-stop season, Day 7 remains a mirage on the horizon.

It raises the question, what can you do to keep getting your ’24 fix’ until Day 7 does eventually arrive? Well since you asked, there are a couple of things.

The 24fans forum always remains a friendly place to talk about 24 and related subjects, where you can take part in activities such as The Day 7 Fanfic Challenge aimed at exploring the possibilities for the show in it’s seven year.

– If your desperate to know when a resolution to the strike could be nearing, Deadline Hollywood Daily is the place to be. While Youtube delivers less complete coverage but with sound, video and humour. But for those not wanting to chase info about the strike and it’s effect on the show around the internet, rest assure I’ve post anything and everything of note on when the show will be back.