Dear Reader
This week two major events happened. One has caused destruction and devastation, whereas the second, may cause some people, devastation. What am I talking about? Well, SuperStorm Sandy and Disney’s purchase of Star Wars. Both have caused a huge following in the social media world.
Storm Sandy is not the first to be followed in such a manner. Watching reporters standing in rain and wind, telling all just how bad it is, seeing the live pictures and video, has grown over the years. The damage caused will be in the billions, not just in the US, but Canada, Cuba and across the Caribbean.
However, compare the different locations and the social media attraction. New York was in the media storm frenzy ,Twitter, Facebook and all. Over 60 people died in the Caribbean, the destruction was bad, considering parts were still trying to recover from the last event. It was a hurricane at that point. So where was all the social media? It was there, but in the shadows. The social media did moved as quickly as the storm. As it hit the US coast, people watched. There was real destruction, people lost everything. Some have brought up the subject of climate changes, yet again. This storm however had something else to it. Maybe the thoughts regarding the Presidential election made Sandy more important. With the candidates neck and neck, so we’re told, this storm could have blown one of them away (thanks to my editor for that). I will let you decide which. Next week will tell.
The second major ‘storm’ was the selling of the Star Wars brand to Disney. Now to some this made a bigger headline than Sandy. When Star Wars first opened in 1977, it made a real impact in the film world. There was a revolution in many aspects of the technical side, compared with previous films. It also marked, to a degree, the re-designing of sci-fi movies. Looking back, television had certainly made attempts to improve both the story-telling and the presentation, with such shows as UFO, Space 1999, and Battlestar Galactica to name but a few. 2001:A Space Odyssey employed some of the most amazing special effects and delightful ships, in a very realistic story. Star Wars blasted the screens apart. The story line was very familiar; consider the epic Severn Samurai, the end of the film, 633 Squadron, let alone good versus bad like the bible. It appealed to many people not just sci-fi fans. It also introduced a new film going audience to the concept of a trilogy. The second and third movies, improved further the special effects, but they had flaws, which was fine.
At the turn of the century, three new films appeared in the Star Wars saga. With the advancements in the technical side of film making, these offered the real chance to push the boundaries. Excitedly, some of us waited. What we got was wonderful visuals, breathtaking ships, and as Meatloaf said “2 out 3 ain’t bad”. Other movie franchises came along, and gave us the past, present and future. After much debate, the second string of Star Wars movies were rated less fairly than the first set. Actually, the first three were the middle three, and the second three were the first three, but that could get confusing.
So what can Disney offer? Three simple thoughts come to mind;
- Disney can offer its brand - The Star Wars brand is already very large
- Disney can offer its money - Star Wars is not short of a bob or two (English for lots of cash)
- Disney could offer a place in its world famous parks - Well Star Wars is already in the famous one.
Ok, so that is maybe not the top three that many will think about. Truly what can Disney offer? Adding the Disney brand helped Pixar, but they kept Disney away from the majority of production and ideas. The Pirates franchise worked well, it made money and created good films. It is not all roses. John Carter, a potential long running film series, failed. The effects and visuals were stunning. Something did not click. Disney lost out. Marvel shook hands with Disney. Again, they have kept Disney at arms length. It has worked well, look at The Avengers.
The Disney name adds weight, character and magic. That alone could make the difference. With the right producers, proper writers, and correct director, Star Wars could well sweep the globe again. Lucas himself once said there would be no more films. Now, he has handed over his product for $4 billion and three more movies. At least. Disney could have the next major film franchise on its hands. It could also create a visual monster. 2015 will fast approach, there will be a storm brewing. Sandy will be forgotten in time.
Tagline “Some storms will never fade away, others can rip everything away in a moment.”
