Why did The Twilight Zone require a Kickstarter?

[TNT]

I can see why T2, Star Trek: TNG, and The Addams Family required Kickstarters but I am curious why TZ was also in this category.

 

[spoonman]

I can see why T2, Star Trek: TNG, and The Addams Family required Kickstarters but I am curious why TZ was also in this category.

The Twilight Zone show has had a bit more popularity in the past few years with a new Remastered HD Blu-Ray Set I'm not sure if that would cause the license to rise in price as well, but you have the estate of Rod Serling, and the music licensing of Twilight Zone by the band Golden Earring.

Just throwing out ideas.

 

[Bowflex]

I can see why T2, Star Trek: TNG, and The Addams Family required Kickstarters but I am curious why TZ was also in this category.

For the most part, there is no solid reason other than the license holder decides how much money they want. There are millions of reasons that should predict the value but none of that really matters. Which is why you can get Arnold Schwarzenegger, one of the biggest stars in movie history to play along and allow his likeness at an achievable price and chris Lloyd, an actor that had had a few big roles but nowhere near the draw of Arnie being so expensive that they just said screw it and altered his "likeness" to move forward with Addams family.

Twilight zone was pretty significant over the years and still has great perceived value. So the license holders dictated what they would accept and it was more than what farsight could pony up.

 

[Worf]

Twilight Zone is owned by CBS. CBS has very strict licensing terms and they basically won't even talk to you without an upfront payment of like $50,000 just to sit down at the table (to prove you're serious about licensing). And that $50,000 doesn't include the licensing fees on the product.

FarSight is a small company and $50,000 cash is a big hit to cashflow.

 

[TNT]

Twilight Zone is owned by CBS. CBS has very strict licensing terms and they basically won't even talk to you without an upfront payment of like $50,000 just to sit down at the table (to prove you're serious about licensing). And that $50,000 doesn't include the licensing fees on the product.

Interesting. Isn't Rescue 911 a CBS property? Granted it was never as popular as The Twilight Zone but that could be a snag. Several folks on the board (me included) would love to see that table in TPA.

 

[TNT]

Granted so is CSI but depending on what is in the licensing deal with Stern Pinball Arcade that may not be a problem.

 

[Epsilon]

Granted so is CSI but depending on what is in the licensing deal with Stern Pinball Arcade that may not be a problem.

I don't really see how the licensing deal with Stern should really make much difference in this problem. It's pretty unlikely that Stern gets carte blanche from the original license holders to then just sublicense their properties to a third party (Farsight.) But I suppose it's possible that they factored in a specific partnership with Farsight into the original Stern deal, but that would likely only apply to future tables (and maybe that's exactly what they're doing.)

Sorry, kind of just thinking out loud here.

 

[jaredmorgs]

I can see why T2, Star Trek: TNG, and The Addams Family required Kickstarters but I am curious why TZ was also in this category.

I haven't looked at the Kickstarter page since the gave was funded, but Jay provides a good overview in his video from memory.

The licensing was more complicated than it appears on gave value.

Or, if you like: "Things... are not as they first appear."

 

[Espy]

I haven't looked at the Kickstarter page since the gave was funded, but Jay provides a good overview in his video from memory.

The licensing was more complicated than it appears on gave value.

Or, if you like: "Things... are not as they first appear."

Plus, it was Farsight's first license, so they weren't "proven" yet. The rights holders probably weren't ready to talk without the right price.