Want to grab any of our Kickstarter-exclusive rewards before they disappear forever? If it's listed below, you've still got time to pre-order now!
PLEASE NOTE: The physical rewards below will not ship until at least July 2022. Digital rewards will be distributed as soon as they are ready.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
9 HOURS LEFT. 103% FUNDED. Joel announces our FINAL CHALLENGE to unlock a 13TH NEW EPISODE! Plus: join us LIVE at 3pm PT for the return of... the FINAL COUNTDOWN!
almost 5 years ago
– Sun, May 09, 2021 at 01:49:19 AM
Progress Report: 103% funded. Time for a new final goal!
Final Challenge #1: Unlock a 3-D Halloween special + free 3-D glasses for all backers
Final Challenge #2: Unlock a 13TH EPISODE for Season 13!
Hey, it's Joel again... but I guess you knew that by now.
I've gotta admit: I knew these last few days were going to get wild, but I didn't know they would get this wild. And since today will be the craziest day of the entire month, who knows where we'll be in another 9 hours, when our campaign to #MakeMoreMST3K finally ends?
But since I know today is going to be pretty busy, I want to share a few really important final updates, so that you know where things stand.
First, if you haven't heard, I have some really good news for you:
This morning at 8:08am EST, we reached our "final" goal of $5.5M, which means that we're officially making a full season of TWELVE NEW EPISODES and – for the first time since you #BroughtBackMST3K – we'll also get to riff TWELVE NEW SHORTS!
And, for those of you keeping score at home, that also means we've finished all of the remaining "Bonus Challenges" and unlocked even more rewards, including DOUBLE CLASSIC EPISODES for all backers getting the "Classic Episode" rewards, and a FREE RIFFTRAX LIVE EVENT in the Gizmoplex for all Gizmoplex members!
There's a lot that I want to say about this, and how grateful we are, and what this means for Mystery Science Theater, but you know... it's not time for that yet, because our big "FINAL COUNTDOWN" TELETHON doesn't even start until 3pm PT / 6pm ET... and our Kickstarter doesn't end until 8pm PT / 11pm ET! That means we still have 9 hours left to #MakeEvenMoreMST3K, and to see how far we can get.
But if we want to keep things going now, we're going to need some new goals... which is why it's time for me to announce our FINAL BONUS CHALLENGES.
FINAL CHALLENGE #1: If we're able to beat our previous Kickstarter record, and reach either $5.8M or 49,000 backers, our upcoming 3-D episode will also be our first-ever Halloween Special... and we'll give free 3-D glasses to all backers!*
*If you're not getting other physical rewards, you will need to pay for shipping... but the 3-D glasses will be free, so that you can enjoy ourHALLOWEEN SPECIAL in glorious KINGAVISION 3-D!
And if you're getting the T-SHIRT reward, and choose our "3-D MOON" design, your glasses will work with that too. See? They're not just for movies anymore!
Anyway, a Halloween special is one of the most common requests we’ve gotten during this Kickstarter, so it seems like a great way to celebrate breaking our Kickstarter record... and if we get there, we'll even premiere it with a live Halloween event in the Gizmoplex, just for members!
Now, I want to make sure you understand that the Halloween special will be one of the twelve episodes we're now going to make, and not an "extra" episode. That's because funding another episode would cost about $300K... and to keep that much from the Kickstarter, we'd actually have to raise another $470K. Remember, it's like I explained at the bottom of our Kickstarter page: only 65% of what we raise goes into making new episodes: the rest gets spent making your rewards, paying fees, and that sort of thing.
Also, we want to reserve some of the extra funding as a "safety buffer", so that we'll still be able to finish all 12 episodes if one of them runs into issues, or goes over budget. And, I've got some neat new ideas for the live "Gizmoplex events", and I want to set aside a little extra budget for those too. So, I think we'll be able to get a lot of extra value out of those funds.
And then, if we reach that goal, I've still got one more challenge for you.
See, if you look back at our last Kickstarter, $5,764,229 is just the amount we raised on Kickstarter. But back then, Kickstarter didn't do Add-On Rewards, so we had to sell those on our own website. So, when you count all of those, we also raised another $600,000... which means our real final total was $6,364,229.
If you look at the very end of our #BringBackMST3K Telethon, you can see for yourself:
So yeah: if we really want to break our own record, that's the number to beat... which brings me to:
FINAL CHALLENGE #2: If we can break our "total" record and reach $6,364,230, we'll add a THIRTEENTH EPISODE to Season 13 – a NEW HOLIDAY SPECIAL featuring JONAH, EMILY and JOEL – and we'll add an extra month to all Gizmoplex Pass rewards so you can see it!
Like I said at the end of our last Kickstarter, I've always loved holiday TV, and the tradition of "special episodes" from Bing Crosby, Charlie Brown, and of course, Rankin/Bass. We've already got three of our own holiday episodes – one each for me, Mike, and Jonah – and now, if we're able to meet this final goal, it'll be Emily's turn.
Also, I think a holiday special would be a really nice moment to make sure that all three of our hosts "meet" on screen before the season ends – and it'll be a great episode to watch together at our "GRAND FINALE PREMIERE" screening, if you've gotten tickets for that.
So, there you go. We've got 9 HOURS LEFT to break our own record, make crowdfunding history again, and to go "13 for 13" with a thirteenth episode for our thirteenth season... and here's a "final" version of our reward guide, with all of our final challenges:
If you look, you'll notice that since you've unlocked all of the bonus rewards we offered, the pledge levels are getting pretty plump, and have a lot more in them than when we launched. So, if you haven't already, it's a good time to alert your friends and family that these offer a lot of value.
(How do we do it? With volume!)
Also, I just want to tell you now: if we don't meet finish those last two goals, that'll be okay too.
We're already so amazed and grateful for everyone's support and enthusiasm, and that you trust us enough to come along and be part of Mystery Science Theater's next chapter.
Now, we've got to finish preparing for the FINAL COUNTDOWN TELETHON at 3pm PT / 6pm ET – and again, I hope you'll come join us. It's going to be a lot of fun, and a great chance to celebrate together. Also, we've got a bunch of special guests joining us, and a few really crazy last-minute reward offers from some of our friends, including Rick & Morty's Justin Roiland, and the one and only Weird Al Yankovic!
Anyway, we've still got 9 hours left, so – one last time – please remember to...
See you in a few hours, folks.
Cheers & Thanks,
Joel
Alright, LISTEN UP, minions! - We've got 9 HOURS LEFT to finish funding my ultimate plan for world dominat... um, I mean, to #MakeMoreMST3K and finish Joel's precious little Kickstarter. If you know what's good for you, you'll do exactly as you're told.... NOW!
Just post EITHER of these messages to your Facebooks, Instagrams or Twitters:
IT ALL ENDS TONIGHT: Join @JoelGHodgson, the cast of @MST3K + special guests for the #MakeMoreMST3K FINAL COUNTDOWN TELETHON, starting at 3pm PT/6pm ET, and help us reach our final goal: a BONUS 13TH EPISODE for Season 13! http://ks.mst3k.com/finalcountdown
THIS IS IT! The #MakeMoreMST3K Kickstarter ends TONIGHT at 8pm PT / 11pm ET, and we've got one last goal: to go "13 for 13" and unlock a BONUS 13TH EPISODE for the new season! See @JoelGHodgson's final challenge: http://ks.mst3k.com/update19
ONE DAY LEFT. 89% FUNDED. New Reward Added: The Season 13 "Grand Finale" Screening & Afterparty! Plus: Joel's FINAL BONUS CHALLENGES!
almost 5 years ago
– Fri, May 07, 2021 at 04:53:19 AM
Progress Report: 89% funded and 33 HOURS until the end!
Ultimate Challenge: Unlock up to 20 CLASSIC EPISODE downloads!
Classic Episode Reward: See what's in the 5 and 10 episode packs!
New Reward Added: Our Season 13 "GRAND FINALE" Premiere & Afterparty
Dear MST3K Preservation League,
Hey, it's Joel again.
Now, I don't want to stress you out, but I'm gonna be honest: this is it. The pressure is on, and we've now got just ONE DAY LEFT to reach our final goal, and get a full season of new MST3K.
Progress Report
If you look at our progress, I think we've still got a real chance at getting those 12 episodes:
As you can see, we're still holding onto our narrow lead over the original Kickstarter campaign, and as of now, we're 89% of the way to our final goal!
And you know, a big part of that seems to be the Bonus Challenges, which you all keep finishing faster than we can come up with new ones.
Yesterday, I announced that if we could reach $4.7M last night, and $4.9M by the end of tonight, we'd unlock even more free CLASSIC BONUS SHORTS for all backers getting the "Classic Episode" rewards. But you did even better than that, reaching $4.8M last night, and passing $4.9M while I was writing this update.
You also finished Bonus Challenge #4 with time to spare, reaching 25,000 backers before last night's livestream even started, which means that, after our Kickstarter ends, everyone getting the T-SHIRT REWARD will now get two designs to choose from and the option to upgrade to a hoodie. And I know a lot of you have been asking for that, so I'm glad we were able to do it.
Anyway, it's like I said: this last week always gets pretty intense... but, if we can keep this up for another 30 hours, I feel confident saying we'll have a full season "in the bag."
Also, since we're not done yet, I want to remind you that we still have a couple more big Bonus Challenges to clear before the Kickstarter ends tomorrow night at 8pm PT / 11pm ET:
BONUS CHALLENGE #8: If we reach $5M before 3pm PT / 6pm ET tomorrow, we'll unlock the DOUBLE POSTER UPGRADE, so that everyone who is getting a POSTER reward will now get two great posters instead of one.
BONUS CHALLENGE #9: If we reach $5.5M before our Kickstarter ends, we'll DOUBLE THE CLASSIC EPISODE rewards... so if you've got the "5 Episode Download" you'll get 10... and if you've got the "10 Episode Download", you'll get twenty! (More on that in a second.)
RIFFTRAX CHALLENGE: Also, if we reach $5.5M before our Kickstarter ends, our friends at RiffTrax have promised to host a special live event night in the Gizmoplex, which will be free to everyone who has a Gizmoplex Pass (Levels $35 and up).
And finally, just in case things go really well tomorrow, here's BONUS CHALLENGE #10:
If we can beat either of the records from our original Kickstarter – either $5.8M or 49,000 backers before tomorrow at 8pm PT – we've got one last "secret" Bonus Reward... and it will be for all backers.
We've still got one more day, so yeah: let's see how far we can go, huh?
Joel's "Classic Episode" Selections
I know a lot of you have been sending in questions about the "Classic Episode" rewards, like what episodes are going to be included in the "5 Episode" and "10 Episode" downloads, and whether those episodes are also part of the "Ultimate MST3K Digital Collection" Add-On.
And, since BONUS REWARD #9 will double all of the Classic Episode rewards if we reach our final goal, I thought it might be a good idea to reveal which episodes I've selected this time around.
So yeah, here's what we've got:
As you can see, my picks for the first included episodes aren't included in the "Ultimate MST3K Digital Collection", so if you want to get all of the episodes available, you'll also want to make sure you're getting the "10 Classic Episode" pack... which, yeah, could end up being a 20 Classic Episode pack. It's too late for us to change the name, though. Sorry.
The Final Countdown Begins Tomorrow at 3pm PT.
Now, there's a lot of work left to finish before our big "Final Countdown Telethon" tomorrow – and I think that could get pretty crazy, so again, I really hope that you'll make time to join us, starting right here at 3pm PT / 6pm ET on the MST3K YouTube and Twitch channels.
But yeah, we still have a lot of final preparations to make, so I just have one more update to share this morning... and I hope it'll help us finish those last Bonus Challenges.
New Reward: Season Finale Screening & Party
If you were part of our first Kickstarter, you might remember that we had a few big "premiere tour" rewards, where our cast came to New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, and a lot of you joined us to premiere our first new episode, and then joined us for an afterparty.
So yeah, when we were planning the rewards for this Kickstarter, we really wanted to repeat that original "premiere experience"... but we just felt like COVID made things too uncertain for us to organize a big in-person gathering before the end of the year. And you know, even though it seems like things might be a lot safer by the end of this year, these things have to be planned and booked way in advance... and since we're going to premiere our next episode before the whole season is finished, we'll also be focused on making sure we get the other episodes done.
But listen, I know that events like that are really special for a lot of you, just like they are for us, so I think we've come up with a really elegant solution:
Starting at 12pm PT / 3pm ET today, we'll be offering a new Add-On Reward that will get you tickets for the SEASON 13 "GRAND FINALE SCREENING" and AFTERPARTY, where you can join our cast and creative team for a premiere screening of the last episode of Season 13, and celebrate the whole season with us.
WHEN: Now, the exact timing will depend on a lot of different factors, but I'm expecting that it will be sometime next fall (if we make 9 episodes) and next winter (if we're able to make 12). Since we don't know yet, all I can tell you is that we'll make sure you know the final date at least 6 weeks before the screening, so you have time to make all the necessary plans.
WHERE: We're planning to hold the MST3K "GRAND FINALE SCREENING" at a terrific theater not far from the Alternaversal production offices in the Philadelphia area – and which is actually one of the "real life" inspirations for the Gizmoplex!
PRICE: Since we're planning this event for a nice big theater, we tried to figure out a few different options, so as many of you can join us for the screening as possible.
Also, if you can't make it out for this, or it's too expensive for you right now, I don't want you to worry: we'll still have an official livestream premiere in the Gizmoplex for everyone to join.
But yeah, if you want to join us in person to celebrate the end of Season 13 late next year, I hope you'll consider grabbing a few tickets and being part of the fun.
Anyway, I need to get ready for tomorrow's "Grand Finale", so that's all for this update.
And remember: We've still got a little more than 30 hours left to raise another $600K... and if we do, we'll be able to make a full season of TWELVE NEW EPISODES!
So, until tomorrow night, please remember to...
And please do join us for the telethon tomorrow. The end of this thing could get wild, and I wouldn't want you to miss any of the excitement.
Cheers & Thanks,
Joel
Is this thing on? Hello? Well, Crow threw this job at me because he's busy stress eating ramchips, so I'll do my best. Anyway, you read Joel's update, so you know that we've got just ONE DAY LEFT until complete system failure – err, the end of our Kickstarter to #MakeMoreMST3K. If you want to help increase our chances of survival by getting us to 12 episodes, I have a suggestion.
Just post ANY of these messages to your Facebooks, Instagrams or Twitters:
THIS IS IT: ONE DAY LEFT and #MakeMoreMST3K is 89% of the way to unlocking TWELVE NEW EPISODES plus TWELVE NEW SHORTS... and now, we’ve got a few new BONUS CHALLENGES to get us to the finish line: http://ks.mst3k.com/update18
TOMORROW NIGHT: #MakeMoreMST3K ENDS with the return of our FINAL COUNTDOWN TELETHON to close out the final 5 hours of our Kickstarter LIVE! Last minute offers, special guests + much more, all starting at 3pm PT / 6pm EDT, at http://ks.mst3k.com/finalcountdown
LAST-MINUTE ADD-ON: Want to join @JoelGHodgson and the #MakeMoreMST3K cast + crew in person for a "GRAND FINALE" premiere screening and afterparty, sometime in late 2022? Tickets available as Add-On Rewards starting at 12pm PT / 3pm ET. Details at http://ks.mst3k.com/update18
THREE DAYS LEFT. 79% FUNDED. First Look at Our New POSTER & T-SHIRT DESIGNS! Plus: New Bonus Challenges + "Werewolf" Livestream with Bill Corbett - Tonight at 5pm PDT!
almost 5 years ago
– Fri, May 07, 2021 at 03:36:42 AM
Last Night: TEAM JONAH won the Jackbox Showdown!
Tonight: Join us for Werewolf with Bill Corbett at 5pm PT
Progress Report: 79% of our final goal!
New Bonus Challenges: Unlock more free shorts + DOUBLE POSTERS!
Reward Previews: First look at our Poster & T-Shirt Designs
Dear MST3K Preservation League,
Hey, it's Joel again... and we've only got a few hours until tonight's livestream, so I'm going to get right to business.
Last Night: The Jackbox Showdown
First, I want to thank everyone who joined us last night for our special JACKBOX SHOWDOWN livestream, where "Team Jonah" and "Team Emily" faced off in a series of Jackbox party games. I was watching along at home with a lot of you, and I've got to say it again: these folks are really talented, and super quick on their feet, whether they're riffing on a movie or riffing on each other. It was a lot of fun, and I hope you enjoyed it too.
Anyway, when all the votes were counted up, Jonah and his crew came out just ahead of Emily and the MST3K Live cast... and you know, even though it's not really a competition, we've decided to give Emily's team another chance. So, as part of our Final Countdown Telethon on Friday, we'll be doing a "rematch" to give both teams one more round to show off... and this time, our friends at Jackbox will be writing a special MST3K episode of Quiplash! So yeah, I can't wait to see how it goes, and I hope you'll join us on Friday to cheer for both teams.
Tonight: Werewolf with Bill Corbett
Next, if you have time, I hope you'll join us again for our next-to-last #MakeMoreMST3K Livestream Riff-Along, as we watch the classic MST3K episode Werewolf.
Also, it should be an especially good hang, because we'll be joined by special guest BILL CORBETT. Bill – as you probably know – played MST3K's "Brain Guy", and was also one of the original voices for Crow. And you know, if you stick around until the end of the movie, I guess I could even reveal the first couple movies we're planning to riff next season.
We'll be starting at 5pm PT / 8pm ET, so I hope you'll join us on YouTube, Facebook or Twitch.
#MakeMoreMST3K Progress Report
Since we've now got just THREE DAYS LEFT, I feel it's important to keep you updated on how everything is going, and how we're doing with those Bonus Challenges that I announced.
If you check out our newest chart, you'll see that the last few days have gone pretty well, and we've even restored a little bit of our "lead" over the original Kickstarter:
So yeah, here's the big picture:
With THREE DAYS LEFT until our Kickstarter ends, we're 98% of the way to our third goal ($4.4M)... and 78% of the way to our final goal ($5.5M), which will let us make 12 NEW EPISODES and riff 12 NEW SHORT FILMS!
Also, if we can keep moving at our current pace, it looks like we'll probably pass our next goal of $4.4M sometime tonight... and remember: If we do, we'll be able to make NINE NEW EPISODES of MST3K and TWICE AS MANY GIZMOPLEX LIVE EVENTS and I'll finally put on the old jumpsuit and HOST A NEW EPISODE as "Joel Robinson."
But you know, there's still a lot on the line, so we can't relax yet... and to make sure we don't, it's time to talk about Bonus Challenges.
So far, you've completed five bonus challenges:
Challenge #1 unlocked the DOUBLE STICKER reward upgrade.
Challenge #2 unlocked Quest of the Delta Knights as a bonus download.
Challenge #3 unlocked our first 3D MOVIE and free 3D GLASSES!
Challenge #5 unlocked the 4 CLASSIC SHORTS bonus download.
And last night, thanks to our Jackbox Showdown and some new Add-On Rewards, you finished Challenge #6, which unlocked 8 CLASSIC SHORTS as an upgrade to the "Classic Episode" rewards in Experiment 85, 150 and 250+.
You also still have time to finish Bonus Challenge #4: If we reach 25,000+ backers before the end of tomorrow's livestream – around 7:00pm PT - we'll be able to add something that a lot of you asked for, and give you the option to upgrade your T-SHIRT to a HOODIE after the Kickstarter ends. We just need about 1400 more backers to get there, so I hope you'll keep spreading the word. (And remember, even a $1 pledge counts as another backer!)
Next, to help us keep going for our final few days, here's Bonus Challenge #7:
If we reach $4.5M by midnight (PT) tonight, we'll triple the original bonus reward and include 12 CLASSIC SHORTS for all backers at Pledge Level $150 and up!
And, since we're getting down to the end, I'll also give you Bonus Challenge #8:
If we reach $5.0M before our "Final Countdown" Telethon starts on Friday (at 3pm PT), we'll upgrade the POSTER REWARD and give everyone TWO POSTERS instead of one!
That means that if you're at Experiment 150 or higher, or you're getting the "Poster" Add-On Reward, and we finish this challenge, you'll end up getting two posters instead of one.
Now, I know it's hard to get excited about the "idea" of a poster, so I think it's finally time to show you the poster designs we're planning, so you know what's at stake.
FIRST LOOK: THE NEW POSTER
First, I want to show you the "official" poster for this Kickstarter (and for Season 13). It features an incredible new illustration from our friend GARY GLOVER, and gives us a first look at our FULL CAST and the exterior of the Gizmoplex. Take a look:
Pretty neat, right?
If you look closely, you'll notice I'm there, but still a little bit "see through." That's because we haven't reached $4.4M just yet, so I'm not an official part of our Season 13 cast. But as soon as we do reach that goal, "Joel Robinson" will be back to host a brand new episode of MST3K... and I'll be able to join the rest of the cast on our new poster.
(Also, you'll see that this artwork includes Dr. Laurence Erhardt and Pearl Forrester. If you missed our livestreams with J. Elvis Weinstein and Mary Jo Pehl last week, you might not have heard this, so I want to make sure you know that Josh and MJ will be working with us on Season 13, both as writers and performers. They're both terrific writers and characters, and we're so lucky that they agreed.)
So yeah, that's our "official" poster for Season 13, and I'm "over the moon" about it. Yeah, you heard right.
FIRST LOOK: THE OTHER NEW POSTER
Then, this weekend, I was talking to another amazingly talented friend of the show – rock star comic book artist Todd Nauck – and he offered to help out by designing a second poster for us.
And you know, even though we just have a concept sketch so far, I think it'll be just as incredible as our first poster, and look completely different too. See for yourself:
Also, if you aren't familiar with Todd's work, he was one of the main artists we worked with on the Mystery Science Theater comic books we did with Dark Horse a couple years back. If you want to get an idea of what his "finished" work looks like, here are a few examples:
(And if you haven't gotten to check out the MST3K comics yet, this is probably a good time to let you know that we've just added another new Add-On Reward for MST3K: THE COMPLETE COMIC, SIGNED, which gets you all six issues in a nice paperback volume, hand-signed by me and Todd, for $55. So, if you've been meaning to read the comic, this is a great way to get it all at once.)
Anyway, I don't know about you, but Todd's concept sketch kinda blew me away... so, I really hope we're able to finish Bonus Challenge #8, and reach $5M before our telethon starts on Friday, so we can include both designs in your poster rewards!
And as long as I'm finally showing you some of our rewards... how about a sneak peek at another couple designs we've been working on?
FIRST LOOK: THE NEW T-SHIRT(S)
Now, I know I told you that if we finished "Bonus Challenge #4", we'd be able to give you TWO different designs for the T-SHIRT REWARD... but when I thought about it more, I decided that we should just go ahead and offer BOTH T-SHIRT DESIGNS now, even before we finish Bonus Challenge #4. That way, if you think you'll want both t-shirts, you can add an extra Add-On Shirt to your pledge now, which will help us complete more Bonus Challenges. It's what they call a virtuous circle!
So yeah, I want to give you a look at BOTH T-SHIRT DESIGNS we've been working on, because even though they're not 100% finished, I think they look super cool.
When we started thinking about new t-shirt designs, I really wanted us to focus on something kind of simple and elegant... and while I was excited about the idea of "official Gizmoplex shirts," I also know that some of you might prefer something more focused on MST3K and the new season. So, I think we've got two really nice options for you.
Anywho, here's our first official GIZMOPLEX T-SHIRT:
And since that might be a little bit small, here's a closer look at the design:
Now, we're still refining the artwork a little bit, but I think it's already a pretty great presentation of the Gizmoplex. Also, it's a nice way to let everyone else know you're a founding member!
And then, for those of you who prefer something a little more "traditional", we're also working on a new version of our classic MST3K Moon shirt, but with an added "twist":
And here's a closer look at the design:
Now, even by itself, I think this is a really lovely design, and I especially like the new "hand-drawn" version of the MST3K moon. But yeah, as you probably guessed... if you look at this design with your new KINGAVISION 3-D GLASSES, the moon and text will also jump right off the shirt! And since most of our backers will get a free pair of 3-D glasses, we thought this would be a really fun way to set this shirt apart from some of the others we've made over the years.
Anyway, you should know that the artwork for both of these shirts was developed by another legendary comic book artist that also happens to be a MST3K fan, named MIKE NORTON.
Mike has been working closely with us on the visual development for Season 13 and the Gizmoplex, and also did the concept art for the Gizmoplex that I showed you yesterday. So, you'll be seeing a lot more of his brilliant artwork in these updates over the coming months.
And, like I said: if you think you'll want BOTH of these new t-shirts, you can add extra shirt rewards to your pledge right now using Add-On Rewards, and help us get even closer to our final goal. Plus, I think these are both gonna come out pretty great.
That's a lot of new stuff to share at once, but I hope you're as excited about the new poster and t-shirt designs as I am. Like I said on our Kickstarter page, I feel really strongly that the rewards are one of the most important parts of our Kickstarters, and that it's incumbent upon us to design stuff you'll really be proud to own. So, I hope that you feel like we're off to a good start.
Tomorrow, I'll also give you a first look at the design for our "musical snowglobe," because we've been putting a lot of time into figuring that one out too. And, because I know some of you have been asking about it, maybe I'll even give you a sneak peek at one more reward we've been saving to reveal this week.
That's all for today, but don't forget, we've got another Bonus Challenge to hit by midnight... so if you want to help unlock more free bonus rewards and upgrades, remember:
And if you're free at 5pm PT / 8pm ET, be sure to join us for Werewolf with Bill Corbett!
It should be a good hang.
Cheers & Thanks,
Joel
This is Crow T. Robot again, reaching out to you with an important and timely message: WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME!!!! SOMEONE DO SOMETHING. SHARE ONE OF THESE POSTS!!!! I WAS NEVER HERE! (Ahem.)
Just post ONE of these messages to your Facebooks, Instagrams or Twitters:
T-SHIRTS! POSTERS! CLASSIC SHORTS! OH MY! @JoelGHodgson’s latest #MakeMoreMST3K update reveals designs for some of the most popular rewards — plus a NEW BONUS CHALLENGE. More details: http://ks.mst3k.com/update16
Today’s #MakeMoreMST3K is an EXPLOSION of REVELATIONS: see our two new T-SHIRTS and two new POSTERS... if we complete Joel’s newest Bonus Challenges! Read up here: http://ks.mst3k.com/update16
In today’s update, get a first look at the two #MakeMoreMST3K t-shirt designs you'll get to choose from... or, maybe just get both? Gotta catch ‘em all! See the new shirts from @TheMikeNorton here: http://ks.mst3k.com/update16
Check it out: TWO NEW #MakeMoreMST3K POSTER DESIGNS revealed from @toddnauck & @askbotboy! Complete a new BONUS CHALLENGE before Friday’s telethon and GET THEM BOTH! Details here: http://ks.mst3k.com/update16
TWO DAYS LEFT. 83% FUNDED. We've Reached 9 Episodes... and Can Still Make 12! A Special Offer from RIFFTRAX! A First Look at the Snowglobe + New Mission Patches! Plus: New Bonus Challenges and Add-On Rewards!
almost 5 years ago
– Fri, May 07, 2021 at 03:36:36 AM
In Today's Update
Progress Report: We've got 9 NEW MOVIE SIGNS + 83% of our final goal!
Tonight's Livestream: Join us for ZombieNightmare at 5pm PT!
RiffTrax to the Rescue: Bonus rewards for Levels 35+
Season 13: Joel reveals the first two movies!
Reward Previews: First look at the Snowglobe + Mission Patches!
New Add-On Rewards: Check out the full list!
Dear MST3K Preservation League,
Hey, it's Joel again.
As I hope you know, we've got just over 2 DAYS LEFT before our Kickstarter ends, and before that happens, there's still a lot to share with you... and a lot of our goal left to finish.
If you joined us last night for Werewolf, and a visit from our old friend Bill Corbett, then you already know that we made a few big announcements, so I'll tell you about those in a second.
First, though, I want to make sure you know that our final #MakeMoreMST3K Livestream Riff-Along is happening tonight at 5pm PT / 8pm ET, when we'll screen one of Jonah's all-time favorite episodes: Zombie Nightmare.
Jonah, Baron, Hampton and Rebecca will all be there tonight, so it should be a good hang. And I don't know for sure, but I've heard that a surprise guest might be stopping in after the movie, so I hope you'll stick around to see who it is.
If you haven't got our Kickstarter open on your screen all day long, like I do, then I've got some great news for you:
During our livestream screening last night, we reached our third goal... which means we will officially be able to make 9 NEW EPISODES... and that I'll host a new episode for the first time since 1993!*
*Granted, I did appear for a cameo in Soultaker. But, I wasn’t invited to riff, so I’m not counting that one.
Anyway, it's really wonderful to know that we'll be able to make at least 9 new episodes for you... and that we still have just over 50 HOURS LEFT to hit our FINAL GOAL!
(Although, if you look at our Kickstarter page, did you notice that the countdown timer changed from "days" to "hours"? I told you this week was gonna get intense.)
So, let's take a look at how we're doing:
As you can see, we're still managing to hold onto our lead over the original Kickstarter... and even though it's gonna take a real push to reach our final goal in time, we still have a chance! And hey, Chance is my middle name!
(Actually it’s Gordon, but you get the gist.)
Also, even though we didn't QUITE finish Bonus Challenge #7 and reach $4.5M by midnight last time, we did get there before I woke up this morning. So hey, I'm going to count that... which means that we've FINISHED Bonus Challenge #7, and that the Classic Episode rewards will now include TWELVE FREE CLASSIC SHORTS!
(See? You want to keep me in a good mood, because good things happen that way.)
We're not done yet, though. We've still got two "open" Bonus Challenges to finish:
Bonus Challenge #4: If we reach 25,000 backers by the end of tonight's livestream, everyone getting a T-SHIRT REWARD will be able to choose between two designs and get the option to upgrade and get a hoodie instead.
Bonus Challenge #8: If we can reach $5.0M before our Final Countdown Telethon starts on Friday at 3pm PT / 6pm ET, we'll unlock a DOUBLE POSTER REWARD, which means everyone getting the poster reward will get two new posters instead!
Also, to keep us on track for the last 50 hours, I'm going to add a few more bonus challenges:
Bonus Challenge #7b: If we reach $4.7M before midnight tonight, we'll upgrade the Classic Episode reward again, to include 16 BONUS CLASSIC SHORTS!
Bonus Challenge #7c: If we reach $4.9M before midnight tomorrow, we'll upgrade the Classic Episode reward a fourth time, for a total of 20 BONUS CLASSIC SHORTS!
And, to get us to the finish line, I've got one last "Ultimate Bonus Challenge" for you...
Bonus Challenge #9: If we reach our final goal of $5.5M before the Kickstarter ends on Friday at 8pm PT, we'll DOUBLE THE CLASSIC EPISODE REWARDS!
So yeah, if you're getting 5 classic episodes right now, you'll get upgraded to 10... and if you're getting 10 classic episodes, you'll get upgraded to 20.
(If you got the "5 Episode" or "10 Episode" Add-On Rewards, that'll count too.)
And you know, we've added so many bonuses to the reward packages that it's probably a good idea to update the "reward guide" we shared a few weeks ago.
Here's what's on the table:
So yeah, there you go.
As you can see, a lot of extra goodies have been added to these reward levels since we started this Kickstarter a month ago, so I hope all of these rewards are as exciting to you as they are to me. But we’ve also got...
A Special #MakeMoreMST3K Offer from RiffTrax
If you weren't watching our Livestream Riff-Along of Werewolf with Bill Corbett last night, you might have missed the big announcement he made:
To help us reach our final goal and #MakeMoreMST3K, our friends at RiffTrax are adding even more bonus rewards to our Kickstarter pledge packages.
So now, if you pledge at Level $35 and up, you'll also get all of these extra rewards:
If you want more specifics about those bonus rewards, you can read the details here.
And, just as exciting, the RiffTrax gang have also issued their own Bonus Challenge, to unlock a reward that I know a lot of MSTies have been hoping for:
That's right, y'all:
If we reach our final Kickstarter goal of $5.5M, our friends at RiffTrax will host their own live event in the Gizmoplex for all backers at Level $35 and above, complete with a screening and live discussion.
So yeah, if you love MST3K and RiffTrax, your rewards just got even better!
Or, if you haven't seen what Bill, Kevin and Mike are doing with RiffTrax, these download rewards will give you a perfect way to find out more about that.
Also, if you look, you'll see that all of these rewards – and the RiffTrax Bonus Challenge – are already in the reward chart that I just shared with you. It's all coming together!
And that's not all we announced during last night's livestream...
The Next Two Movies on MST3K!
If you stuck around after Werewolf last night, then you'll already know this... but for everyone else, I also shared some news I've been promising for the last few weeks:
The first two movies we'll be riffing in Season 13 are Robot Wars (1993) and Demon Squad (2019)!
Robot Wars is a Charlie Band feature that was clearly designed for cable, but the producers really decided to go for it anyway, and created a low-budget film with scope, attitude, and some nice stop-motion robot vehicles that occasionally fight. I gotta tell you that for a few minutes, it starts feeling like The Love Boat... if the “Love Boat” was a giant mech that was fighting another boat that was also a giant mech, and they were both sinking. And on fire.
Our second movie, Demon Squad, screams "indie feature." The producers work hard to create a film noir/fantasy vibe, without ever once acknowledging Ridley Scott’s seminal Blade Runner. It appears to take place in New Orleans. It also has more than its fair share of After Effects lightning bolts and purpley, swirly clouds from another dimension, and basically looks like the producers got a lot of their friends and family together and glued costume shop masks onto their faces. But the real attraction is the star, Khristian Fulmer, and his on-screen “Girl Friday,” Erin Lilley, behaving like they have history and chemistry.
Also, if you join us on Friday for our "Final Countdown Telethon," I'm pretty sure we'll be able to announce another new movie... and it's one I think a lot of you will be excited about. Also, I think it's probably the movie we'll use as the PREMIERE EXPERIMENT when we launch the Gizmoplex toward the end of this year. (We just cleared it today, and I can’t wait to tell you about it!)
Speaking of the Telethon...
Save the Date... and Send Your Letters!
As you know, our #MakeMoreMST3K Kickstarter ends this Friday night at 8pm PT / 11pm ET... and just like we did with the #BringBackMST3K Kickstarter, we want to end with a "bang." So...
Please join us for our FINAL COUNTDOWN TELETHON livestream on Friday, starting at 3pm PT / 6pm ET.
I'm telling you now: even if you haven't been able to join any of our other livestream events, I really hope you'll make time to join us for this, because our first telethon was a pretty memorable experience – and also, the last few hours of the Kickstarter will be really intense, especially if we still haven't reached our final goal of $5.5M.
We've got a lot of fun stuff planned for the evening, including a special "Jackbox Rematch," and we've also invited a lot of our friends to stop by, and maybe do some magic or play some tunes. I think Jonah will be taking song requests, and we might do a little riffing.
But here's the thing I really need your help with:
For our Final Countdown Telethon, we'd like to revive our VIEWER MAIL segment... and we need your letters, drawings, stories – or even video questions – for Cambot to share on Still Store.
Now remember, in these segments we love to feature the work of children... so yeah, if you've got kids that like MST3K, please encourage them to draw a few pictures or send in questions for Tom and Crow. And if you don't have kids, but want to share your own MST3K artwork, stories or questions, we might include a few of those too. Oh, and if you send in a video, please make sure it's less than 60 seconds, or we won't have time to show it..
Anyway, that's the plan... so if you want to be part of the telethon on Friday, I hope you'll email us letters, drawings, stories and questions to [email protected] by 10am PT on Friday.
More Reward Previews
In yesterday's update, I showed you the design concepts for our T-SHIRT and POSTER rewards, and I'm pleased that most of you seem as excited about them as I am. Gary Glover, Todd Nauck, and Mike Norton are all incredibly talented artists, so I feel really lucky that they were willing to help us create these rewards for you.
(Also, for those of you who asked: We can't promise anything, but we'll try to offer the 3D MOON shirt in a second color, if that's your preference as well. Truth be told, I eat with gusto, and I sometimes spill when I'm wearing light colors. So, I feel for you.)
But listen, as you know, this Kickstarter is almost over... and we still have a few more reward designs I've been waiting to share with you.
First Look: MST3K Musical Snowglobe
The first one is for our MUSICAL SNOWGLOBE, which – I think I already told you – might be the reward I'm most looking forward to this time around. And to start, here's a concept sketch that the amazing Mike Norton did for us, to help communicate what we're imagining to our manufacturing partner – which is pretty much how our creative process always starts, whether we're building a set, a miniature model, or a snowglobe:
It might be a little hard to imagine the "finished product", but as you can see, the base of the snowglobe will be designed to look and feel like "moon rock", with a little version of the MST3K moon embedded in it. Then, inside the snowglobe, you'll see the Satellite of Love, Moonbase 13, and Jonah's Backjack parked on one of the landing pads.
The whole scene is really based on a few shots from our Netflix episodes:
I'm also excited about another little detail you can't see here, which is that the "snow" inside the globe isn't really going to look like normal "snowglobe" snow. Instead, we want the "snow" to look more like a storm of "moon dust," which will hang in the air for a moment before settling back down.
To get an idea of what I mean, you can check out this video, where you'll see a "fog" hanging in the air around the Golden Gate Bridge:
I think it's a lovely effect, and I'm excited to see our design come to life.
Also, as I already shared with you a few weeks ago, the base of the snowglobe will include a wind-up musical element, which will play a special "music box" version of the MST3K theme that Paul Sabourin prepared for us.
Anyway, that's everything I can share so far, but I hope it's enough to help you understand how beautiful – and collectible – the final version of the snowglobe will be.
If you want one of your own, the musical snow globe is included with Pledges Level $350 and up, and also available by itself as an Add-On Reward.
Finally, before we move on, I've got one more reward design to share with you... and it's one that a lot of you have been asking for.
First Look: #MakeMoreMST3K Mission Patches
For our first Kickstarter, we created a set of "Mission Patches" that showed each of MST3K's "test subjects", along with the number of "missions" (or episodes) they've completed.
The illustrations for these were done by our friend Marty Baumann... and even though our original idea was just to offer them as a Kickstarter reward, we were so pleased with the final design that we ended up making them part of the official Gizmonic jumpsuit. If you look in Seasons 11 and 12, you'll see them on Jonah's shoulder. Also, if you saw the last MST3K Live Tour, they were on the shoulder of Emily and my jumpsuits too.
But a lot has happened since our first Kickstarter, and in our new season – thanks to you – MST3K will have three hosts. That means that the mission patches for me and Jonah will both be "out of date"... and until now, Emily hasn't had a patch at all!
So, if you've been worrying about all of this, I'm pleased to tell you that – starting now – we are offering an updated set of #MakeMoreMST3K Mission Patches as an Add-On Reward:
Of course, we won't know what the new numbers will be until our Kickstarter ends, and we know how many new episodes we can make for Season 13.
But as you can see, the times are a' changin': for this new set of patches, I've got a more "current" look, Jonah's beard has disappeared, and Emily has her own patch in purple, which is the color we're probably going to make her jumpsuit. GPC 1 has joined me, Mike and Jonah on our patches, and GPC 2 has joined Emily on hers. And if you're paying attention, you'll see that we've decided that Emily's last name will be "Connor." (I'll let you figure out why on your own.)
So yeah, if you want an updated set of Mission Patches, you can now select those as an Add-On Reward for $35. What do you think, sirs?
More Rewards Added
Since I know we've already sold out of a lot of the "overstock" Add-On Rewards from our original Kickstarter, I wanted to let you know that we've added a few more new Add-On Rewards that you can select with your pledge, including...
Also, we know that a lot of you were hoping to grab the complete collection of MST3K Comics. All of the copies we had were claimed within about 30 minutes... but we talked to our friends at Dark Horse, and were able to add a few more copies. So, you can grab that again too.
Finally, I want to let you know that we'll be adding one more BIG REWARD tomorrow, which I think will be interesting to anyone who was hoping we could do another big in-person premiere screening and party. So, be ready for that.
I think that's everything for now, but don't forget...
With just over 50 hours left, we're 82% of the way to our final goal.
We've got new Bonus Challenges to unlock more free bonus rewards!
All Pledge Levels at $35 and up now get bonus rewards from RiffTrax!
Our final Livestream Riff-along starts tonight at 5pm PT / 8pm ET.
Our Final Countdown Telethon will start on Friday at 3pm PT / 6pm ET!
And of course, as always...
Cheers & Thanks,
Joel
Listen up, friends. We're almost out of time, and there are stilL THREE MORE EPISODES on the line, so it's time to buck up, get out there, and keep spreading the word. Because, come on: this finish line isn't going to cross itself, am I right? To help get this done...
Just post ONE of these messages to your Facebooks, Instagrams or Twitters:
We’ve got NINE NEW EPISODES funded, but we've still got 2 DAYS LEFT to get a full season of TWELVE! Check out @JoelGHodgson's latest #MakeMoreMST3K update and PLEDGE NOW to help us reach our final goal! http://ks.mst3k.com/update17
It's MST3K & RIFFTRAX.... together! Our friends at @RiffTrax are now adding FREE BONUS REWARDS when you pledge to help us #MakeMoreMST3K... and if we reach our final goal, they'll host a LIVE RIFFTRAX EVENT in the Gizmoplex! http://ks.mst3k.com/update17
DID SOMEONE SAY PATCHES? You’ve demanded them, and now they’re REAL: new #MakeMoreMST3K MISSION PATCHES, including one for our newest host, @marshemily2! Get a look at ‘em – and our SNOWGLOBE reward – here: http://ks.mst3k.com/update17
PSSSST! Want to know the first 2 movies #MakeMoreMST3K will be riffing in the new season? @JoelGHodgson spills the beans in today’s update, plus lots of other new bonuses and reward designs! Get in there: http://ks.mst3k.com/update17
FOUR DAYS LEFT. 75% FUNDED. Everything You Need to Know About the GIZMOPLEX! Plus: New Bonus Challenge + Jackbox Showdown Tonight at 5pm PDT!
almost 5 years ago
– Thu, May 06, 2021 at 09:51:05 PM
Progress Report: 75% of the way to 12 NEW EPISODES!
New Bonus Challenge: $4.25M by tonight = 2x CLASSIC SHORTS!
Tonight's Livestream: Jackbox Showdown (5pm PDT)
Joel's Vision for the Gizmoplex!
A LOT of FAQ about the Gizmoplex!
Dear MST3K Preservation League,
Hey, it's Joel again.
Today's update is going to be a pretty long one, because Ivan and I have been working on it for almost a week. That's because we know that there are a lot of questions about the Gizmoplex and how it will work, and we want to give you as many answers as we can. But also, if you don't need more answers about the Gizmoplex, please don't worry about reading the whole thing.
Also, before we talk about the Gizmoplex, I want to give you a quick update on the Kickstarter, and also about our remaining Bonus Challenges.
PROGRESS REPORT
With just FOUR DAYS LEFT before the end of our Kickstarter, I'm happy to report that we're still holding onto our lead over our "original" Kickstarter:
So yeah, it's still looking pretty good:
We're now 94% of the way to making 9 NEW EPISODES, and 75% of the way to our final goal of 12 NEW EPISODES!
But listen, I don't want you to get too relaxed... because that means we've still got 25% left to go, and just four days left to do it.
Now, the good news is that our "Bonus Challenges" really seem to be working.
First, you finished Bonus Challenge #3 and reached $3.8M more than 48 hours ahead of schedule, unlocking our first 3-D MOVIE and FREE KINGAVISION 3-D GLASSES.
Then, when I announced Bonus Challenge #5, you reached $4.0M in just a few hours – way ahead of the midnight deadline – and unlocked FOUR CLASSIC SHORTS as part of our "Classic Episode Download" rewards for all backers at Level $150 and up.
So, before we talk about the Gizmoplex, here's Bonus Challenge #6:
If we can reach $4.25M before midnight (PDT) tonight, we'll double the last bonus reward, and include 8 CLASSIC SHORTS for all backers at Pledge Level $150 and up.
(And yes, that also includes everyone pledging for the "all-digital" Experiment 85.)
Also, even though we didn't reach Bonus Challenge #4 -- getting 25,000 backers by last night – we got really close... so we're also going to extend that challenge until tomorrow night:
If we can reach 25,000 BACKERS before the end of Wednesday's livestream, we'll upgrade our T-SHIRT REWARDS to offer TWO DIFFERENT DESIGNS and we'll offer a HOODIE UPGRADE after the Kickstarter ends!
So yeah, if you want to help us reach our next two Bonus Challenges and unlock more free bonus rewards and upgrades, I hope you'll keep spreading the word, and let everyone know that we've only got FOUR DAYS LEFT until our Kickstarter ends.
TONIGHT: THE MST3K JACKBOX SHOWDOWN
Also, don't forget to join us tonight at 5pm PDT for our special livestream event:
We need you to vote and decide who wins each round, so I hope you'll join us tonight at 5pm PDT on Facebook, YouTube or Twitch.
And Now... The Gizmoplex.
Now that we've got the "new business" out of the way, I want to use the rest of this update to share a lot more about our plans for the Gizmoplex, because I know some of you are still wondering what it is, how it will work, and why it's worth building at all.
Also, I know that a lot of you are still deciding on your final pledge, and I get that you want to understand "the plan" better in order to feel comfortable making that decision. So, I think it's time for me to explain a little bit more about the "vision" behind the Gizmoplex, so that you know what we’re planning.
And then, because we've gotten a lot of specific questions about how this will all work, I've asked Ivan to walk through some details that it seems like some of you are looking for.
What The Gizmoplex "Ain't"
The first thing I want you to understand is what we're not doing with the Gizmoplex, because over the last month, I've realized that a lot of people don't really "get" what we're planning.
So yeah, here's the deal:
1. We're not trying to "build a new platform" from the ground up, or duplicate any of the tools and platforms that are already out there for running video websites and apps.
2. We're not trying to start another "subscription service" like Hulu or Netflix, where the model is just to give you the biggest "video library" we can, and charge you to use it each month.
3. We're not trying to give you "another streaming channel" where you can watch an endless broadcast of old MST3K episodes for free, in exchange for watching advertisements.
There's nothing wrong with doing any of that, if someone else wants to do it... but I don't think it's what the Gizmoplex is. We want to spend our time – and your pledges – riffing more films and expanding the world of MST3K, not hiring and managing a huge team of engineers and programmers to run an "exclusive" video platform just for Mystery Science Theater.
Anyway, I'm telling you this because I've seen a lot of people speculating about what the Gizmoplex will be, and assuming that we're getting into "the tech business," or building something elaborate and expensive from scratch. So, I think it's important to set things straight, and tell you more about our actual plans.
How We're Going To "Build" The Gizmoplex
Like I said, we're not planning to "build" a brand new platform from the ground up, because that's not really how MST3K does things.
The way we're creating the Gizmoplex is actually a lot like how I built our robots: I start by finding a lot of individual parts that I like, and think would look good together. Then I kind of stick them together with hot glue and some spray paint, and all of a sudden, we have something new.
And yes, I know the Gizmoplex isn't a robot puppet, but this style of collage is pretty much how I create everything, because it's just what makes sense to me.
So yeah, like I said, we're not going to "build" our own platform from scratch. We've had a lot of conversations with possible partners, and decided that we can do most of what we're imagining just by combining our previous video platform – VHX / Vimeo OTT – with a new interface that we're designing, and a few extra bells and whistles. And, we're also partnering with a really cool service called Scener, and building them into our new site so that we can host live screening events, and so that you can have online "watch parties" with your friends.
What The Gizmoplex "Is"
Maybe the most important thing to know about the Gizmoplex is that I'm not thinking about it like a "platform", even though I know it will be that too, since you'll visit it on the web, and with our new Gizmoplex apps.
What I'm imagining is a new place that "exists," both on the internet – where you can visit it – and on Mystery Science Theater, as an important new location we'll visit in Season 13.
So, when you visit the Gizmoplex, you'll be able to watch MST3K... but in a way, you'll also be stepping inside of MST3K, and able to explore for yourself.
The First "Virtual Theater"
In success, I don't just want the Gizmoplex to be a "site where you watch MST3K video content." See, as great as Hulu and Netflix and Disney+ are, the way you "use them" is really specific. What I mean is, no one is "interacting" on those sites. You go there to watch "content" by yourself, or with someone sitting next to you on the couch, and that's it.
When you come to the Gizmoplex, I really want it to feel like you're entering a new kind of "virtual theater" where you can meet up with friends, grab a snack from the concession stand, check out the coming attractions, and riff on your favorite long-forgotten cheesy movie together, just like our characters do.
An Elaborate Metaphor
Maybe the best way to explain the Gizmoplex is to tell you what happens when it's “Game Day” for the Green Bay Packers at my house, because it's really a whole experience.
I'm not sure if you know this, but I grew up in Wisconsin, and when you grow up in Wisconsin, the Packers are pretty much in your blood.
Anyway: I wake up and know the Packers are playing. I get ready for it. I also alert everyone in my house that it’s “Game Day,” and that Dad is going to be in front of the TV for a few hours.
I encourage everyone to come and join me. I do this for several reasons, but mostly, so there's no confusion about who is going to be using the big TV in the den. Sadly, the other members of my family only have a passing interest in “The Pack” but that’s another story.
I also make sure I have something great to eat and drink.
I may get some Impossible Sausages and cook them on the grill. Then I add all the trimmings: diced onions, ketchup, brown mustard and celery salt. I also like those Martins' potato rolls, as I now reside on the east coast, and some of those Utz kettle-cooked potato chips too. Also, I often get a six pack out of the garage and make sure it’s iced-down properly (I drink Leinenkugel, if I can get it) since I sometimes invite a neighbor over to watch, and want to make sure I've got enough food and drink for them. Then, I make a high grade scotch with a handful of ice, and I prepare for the greatness that is the Green Bay Packers.
I also use social media and text to alert my friends that I’m watching the game in real time. These are friends that go back as far as high school, and a few of them even knew me when I was in grade school.
And then, after all of that is done, the game starts. And you know, even though it's "just" a simple football game, the whole experience is elevated. I think the secret is that – unlike most "streaming content" – the game is still event viewing. It's happening in real time for everyone, everywhere, and we all experience it together.
While I'm watching, I can check on social media and see my friends posting images. Since I still have a bunch of friends in Green Bay, a few of them might be sending images from the game, or video from a tailgate party.
What I'm saying is, it's much more than "a game." On any given (next) Sunday A.D, it's the fabric of my life... and it's why I think it's so important to create a special "real time" experience around live events that we can all share.
A First Look at the "Blueprints"
Anyway, I know the Gizmoplex might sound pretty abstract, so maybe I can help you understand better if I show you something. I don't want to share too much detail until we get to work, and are able to test out some of our ideas, but I do want you to have a better idea of what we're aiming for.
So yeah, if the normal blueprints for a website look like this...
...then maybe it'll help if you know that our concept for the Gizmoplex, and the experience we want to create for you, feels more like this:
In all of our planning sessions for the Gizmoplex, we're not really focused on the "technical" questions, because other people have solved most of those. We're really more interested in "design" questions, like, how do we make it...
...MORE FUN to watch old and new episodes of MST3K?
...MORE SOCIAL to watch with friends, family and other fans?
...FEEL MORE LIKE MST3K, even when you're just browsing?
Anyway, I know that it might still be difficult to imagine exactly what the Gizmoplex will be like, but I think that's part of what makes this exciting.
If the Gizmoplex was already done, and we knew all the answers, we wouldn't need Kickstarter. But for now, we're still at the beginning. To get to the "finished" Gizmoplex, we'll need to try a lot of different ideas and make a lot of decisions... and as one of our backers, I'm hoping you'll engage with us, and give us feedback to make the Gizmoplex an even better "final product."
A Place for Live Events & Community
Here's another thing that's important to understand about the Gizmoplex: even though you'll be able to visit and watch MST3K whenever you want, I think the aspect that will make the Gizmoplex really unique and special isn't the theater itself, but what we're going to do with it.
If you've ever been to a really great independent theater, you'll already know: it's not just the seats, or the screens, or the projectors that matter: it's the whole "personality" of the place. And the biggest way that a theater shows you its personality is by organizing special events, screenings and programming.
While you will have access to watch old and new episodes "on demand," the value of a Gizmoplex pass isn't just about "access to episodes" – it's more like having a season pass for your favorite theater or sports team. Every month, we'll have at least 1-2 new "live events," and a Gizmoplex pass gets you into all of them.
And you know, "programming" a theater is one of the most exciting aspects of the Gizmoplex, because it lets us bring you more than just live episode premieres. We have all sorts of plans for curated events, including theme nights, marathons, re-riffs, live commentaries, panel discussions, special guest interviews and guest performances – and as founding members, we'll want to hear your ideas and suggestions for events too, so we can keep making the Gizmoplex better.
There's a lot more that I want to share about our ideas for the Gizmoplex "programming slate"... but that's such a big topic that it's going to need its own update. So, we'll come back to that.
Anyway, those are just a few of the "big ideas" that I want you to understand, so you know what we're really aiming to do with the Gizmoplex.
The most important thing to remember is that there are already lots of places where you can watch MST3K online, like Twitch and YouTube, and you'll still be able to watch episodes of MST3K in most of those places, just like you do now.
With the Gizmoplex, we're aiming for something really different and unique, that might be hard to fully understand until you experience it. So, just like we do with the show, I hope you'll give us a chance to work out the details and put together something special, instead of trying to guess how everything will work up front. Once you can see it for yourself, it might not be right for everyone... but, as usual, I'm pretty sure that "the right people" will get it.
So yeah, that's the big picture, but I know you also have a lot of specific questions.
And, since Ivan is "leading the charge" on how we'll bring the Gizmoplex to life, I've asked him to step in and answer a lot of those questions.
GIZMOPLEX FAQ with IVAN
Hey everyone!
As Joel explained, one of the things I'm working on this time around is coordinating the development of the Gizmoplex site and apps, and figuring out how it'll all work... so, even though we don't have answers to all of your questions yet, I'll answer what I can!
Q: What "is" the Gizmoplex?
Is it a subscription service like Netflix?
Is it a store for renting and buying MST3K episodes?
Is it a streaming platform for watching MST3K?
Is it a social platform for live watch parties?
Is it a virtual venue for attending live events?
The quick answer? YES, it's all of the above! The plan is for Gizmoplex to include all of those options... and, with your feedback over time, to evolve into something even bigger.
When we launch, the Gizmoplex will include...
1. YOUR VIDEO LIBRARY
A place to download and stream your personal collection of episodes.
When you visit the Gizmoplex, you'll always have access to your personal collection of episodes – including any episodes you got during our Season 11 Kickstarter, our Season 12 Pledge Drive, or from our new #MakeMoreMST3K Kickstarter. It'll also include any episodes you've purchased "a la carte" from MST3K's VHX / Vimeo OTT site, and anything you buy or rent from the Gizmoplex once it launches.
2. THE VIDEO COUNTER
A place to rent and buy classic and new episodes of MST3K... and more!
Imagine a Blockbuster, but just for MST3K! As long as we still have the legal rights we need to offer them, you'll be able to rent and buy individual episodes anytime you want, including...
Seasons 1-10: Over 150 classic episodes
Seasons 11-12: All 20 new episodes
New Episodes: Available 24 hours after premiere
We haven't settled on the exact pricing to buy and rent episodes, but it'll be similar to the price of renting or purchasing episodes on any other video platform.
And yes: we're hoping to make the Gizmoplex a one-stop shop for all of your riffing needs, so we're also in talks to offer content from RiffTrax, Cinematic Titanic, Film Crew and more.
3. PRIVATE SCREENING ROOMS
A place for live MST3K watch parties with friends.
Like Joel said when we launched this Kickstarter, a lot of the inspiration for the Gizmoplex came from our live tours, which reminded us that MST3K seems to be most satisfying when you can watch it with other people. That's why the Gizmoplex will make it easy to host live watch parties for any episode of MST3K that you own or rent. More on that below.
4. THE MAIN THEATER
A place for live premieres and special community events.
Again, like Joel said, one of the most important aspects of the Gizmoplex will be a calendar of live special events – and if you've been able to join any of our livestream screenings over the past week, you might understand why. The Alternaversal team have a ton of ideas for fun, unexpected live events that we'll throw at least once a month, all year long.
I'd tell you more about those plans, but Joel really wants to do that himself, so... more soon.
5. MORE ON THE WAY...
And that, my friends, is just what we have planned for launch. Once we're up and running, we've got a lot of additional features we'd like to add to the Gizmoplex, including...
The VIDEO ARCADE, with original MST3K-inspired games!
The CONCESSION STAND, for ordering MST3K snacks in the mail!
The POP-UP STORE, with limited edition merch for each new event!
(And, as we said when we launched this Kickstarter, we're even thinking about testing out some possible partnerships that would let you attend the Gizmoplex in VIRTUAL REALITY, using either a web browser or consumer headsets like the Oculus Quest.... but that'll probably be a while.)
Q: So, will we need a Gizmoplex Pass to use all of that?
No! Just like your local cineplex, the Gizmoplex will be open to everyone... but there will be a lot of membership benefits that come with an active Gizmoplex Pass.
As of now, the Gizmoplex will give all visitors access to...
A PERSONAL VIDEO LIBRARY of episodes you rent or own.
A PRIVATE THEATER to watch your episodes + host watch parties.
The VIDEO COUNTER, to rent or purchase more episodes.
The LOBBY, where you'll be able to view the "wall of backers."
The TICKET BOOTH, where you can buy tickets for live events.
All of those features will be available to everyone... so if you don't want to pay for an ongoing membership, you don't have to. You're free to buy and rent only what you want to watch!
Q: Then why do we need a Gizmoplex Pass?
Good question! If you just want a place to watch, rent and buy episodes of MST3K, you don't need a Gizmoplex Pass. But honestly, we think you're going to end up wanting one, because it'll add all kinds of additional benefits to your experience, including...
FULL ACCESS to all live events and special programming
The MEMBER'S LIBRARY: a curated, monthly lineup of classic episodes
The MEMBER'S LOUNGE: a space for real-time social interaction
MEMBER CONTESTS to win MST3K gifts and downloads
MEMBER DISCOUNTS on event-specific merchandise
More fun perks that we're still working on!
If you have a Gizmoplex Pass, you'll also have guaranteed admission to attend the live premiere screening – with Joel, our cast and special guests – for each new episode released while your pass is active. (We're expecting to release one new episode each month, so if we get 12 new episodes, you'll be all set with tickets to all 12 live premieres!)
Q: Can we become members later?
Yes! We know that not everyone can afford to pledge during our Kickstarter, even if you want to, and that's OK! If you want to become a Gizmoplex member later, you'll still be able to... but the cost of your membership won't count toward helping us make new episodes in Season 13, and the cost per month will probably be a little bit higher than it is during the Kickstarter.
Q: What content will be available in the Gizmoplex?
If it's OK with you, I'm just going to repeat the part where I explained this earlier: As long as we still have the legal rights we need to offer them, you'll be able to rent and buy most individual episodes of MST3K anytime you want, including...
Seasons 1-10: About 160 classic episodes
Seasons 11-12: All 20 new episodes
New Episodes: Available 24 hours after premiere
Special Events: Available live and for "rewatch"
Plus, we're hoping to make the Gizmoplex a one-stop shop for all of your riffing needs, so we're also in talks to offer content from RiffTrax, Cinematic Titanic, Film Crew and more.
We're also planning to create a lot of short, exclusive content just for the Gizmoplex, to make the experience more unique and surprising.
And, while we're still working out the specifics, we expect you'll be able to get tickets at the door to attend individual live events and screenings, and to rent recordings of the live events later.
Q: Will the Gizmoplex let non-members watch anything for free?
As of now, we aren't planning to offer free Gizmoplex events or screenings at launch for non-members... which isn't that weird, since most movie theaters don't have free showtimes! But you can always watch any movie that you rent or own, and Gizmoplex Members will have access to additional monthly episode selections.
Anyone can rent or buy any episode at the Gizmoplex, and can buy tickets to participate in individual live events. Members get into all live events for free, and have access to a rotating selection of on-demand episodes each month.
That said, we're exploring whether we can eventually offer some free screening events each month... but since we have to pay for bandwidth when guests stream movies, the Gizmoplex might not be the best place for those.
Either way, you'll still be able to watch streaming, ad-supported episodes of MST3K for free on other platforms, like Twitch and YouTube!
Q: Will Gizmoplex membership fund future episodes of MST3K?
Great question! As we reach the end of the first year, we want to see how the Gizmoplex is working out, whether you find it valuable, and whether it's able to generate enough revenue to support making more new episodes of MST3K.
The honest answer is, we don't know yet, but we hope this might become a sustainable alternative, so that we wouldn't need to do a new crowdfunding campaign for each future season, and could just keep making episodes for as long as we have enough members.
And whatever happens, we'll be open with our backers about what we're thinking... especially since we'll need your feedback to decide the future of the Gizmoplex membership program!
Q: How will the "watch parties" work? Can my friends watch for free?
Each guest attending a watch party will need to have their own access to whatever episode(s) you want to watch together. That means that – unfortunately – you won't be able to let all of your friends watch an episode that you own or rented for free.
We wish we could give you the option to share your episodes with friends remotely and for free, but there are a lot of technical, legal and financial reasons we're not able to. Instead, we're working on a system to allow inexpensive "Day Passes" – probably 99 cents each – so that your guests can rent the episode just long enough to participate.
Q: What kind of live events are you planning?
Nice try! Joel is still finishing up another update, where he'll tell you more about his plans for live events and special Gizmoplex programming. Stay tuned!
Q: What happens if I can't make it to a live event?
If you're an active member, we don't want you to miss out just because you've got other plans, or because you're in the wrong time zone and can't participate in a live event -- so members will have access to re-watch each live event on-demand for at least a week after it takes place!
Q: Can I add episodes from other sites into my Gizmoplex collection?
Unfortunately, we don't have any ability to include episodes of MST3K that you got on other platforms (iTunes, Amazon, RiffTrax, etc). We wish we could!
Q: Will new episodes be exclusive to the Gizmoplex?
Yes, but not forever. We're still working out the exact timing for this, but our current guess is that new episodes will be available exclusively through the Gizmoplex for a period of time -- probably somewhere between 3 and 6 months. During that period, members will be able to stream them on-demand, and all visitors will be able to rent or buy them from the Video Counter.
After that initial window ends, the new episodes will eventually be added into the streaming lineup running on ad-supported platforms like YouTube, Twitch and ShoutTV, and will be available for purchase from other video retailers and sites. As of now, Shout Factory is also planning to release a retail version of Season 13 on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Q: What will Gizmoplex membership cost after our passes expire?
Right now, we're only offering Gizmoplex passes and memberships for our first year, which will officially begin with the premiere of our first new episode. So, if your rewards include a 12-month Gizmoplex Pass, you'll already covered for that entire year. If your pass is for 3, 6 or 9 months, you'll have the option to extend your membership when it ends, at about the same rate it cost during the Kickstarter (about $8/month).
And if you don't have a Gizmoplex Pass, and want to get one during our first year, you'll be able to do that too – but it will probably cost a little bit more (about $10-12/month), and it won't count toward our goal of making more episodes in Season 13.
As for the second year and beyond: The truth is that we don't know yet! We're expecting to learn a lot during the first year, including more accurate budgets for great live events, providing member benefits, covering platform costs, and expanding the Gizmoplex with new content and features. As we learn more, we'll start to have a better idea of what we'll need to charge to keep offering the Gizmoplex Membership program -- and we'll share our thoughts as they develop.
Q: Why are you spending so much to build the Gizmoplex? Just spend everything on new episodes and put them on YouTube!
Actually, we're not spending much on the Gizmoplex at all! If you look at the budgets we shared at the start of our campaign, we're only using 3% of the Kickstarter raise to cover annual bandwidth costs. platform fees, and a little bit of custom design and modification up front.
As Joel explained, the reason we're not spending much is because we're not building the Gizmoplex from scratch! Instead, we're putting together several things that already exist, and designing a new experience to wrap around the whole thing.
Trust us: we're not getting into the tech and engineering business. Several of us have done that before, and it's not where MST3K belongs!
(Also: even if we did spend that 3% to make more episodes, it wouldn't be enough for even a single extra episode unless we raise more than $11 million. And honestly... if we raised $11M, we wouldn't need that 3% for new episodes!)
As for putting the new episodes on YouTube: as much as we'd like to, we can't afford to make the new episodes free to everyone, or we'll never get to make more episodes again.
Part of our goal in launching the Gizmoplex is to make sure we can distribute our own episodes from now and bring in some ongoing revenue to support more new episodes, instead of depending on another Kickstarter for each new season.
Q: Oh. What are you using to build the Gizmoplex?
While we're still evaluating additional possibilities, our initial plans for the Gizmoplex are building on top of Vimeo OTT as our video service platform and main app developer, and a collaboration with Scener to support live "watch party" functionality for all Gizmoplex content.
While you'll be able to continue accessing content directly through the MST3K Vimeo OTT portal, we will be using the Vimeo OTT API to build out a custom "experiential" interface for the Gizmoplex, so that it feels less like a VOD service and more like a virtual cineplex.
Q: I still have other questions...
That's okay too! If there are more things you'd like to know, and they're not somewhere in this doorstop of an update, just let me know in the comments below... I'll do my best to answer anything I can!
But for now, I'm going to hand things back to Joel.
So yeah, there you go. I know that was a long update, but I hope that you only read it if you really wanted to know all of those details. And if you did, I hope you understand our plans for the Gizmoplex a little bit better now.
I still want to tell you more about some of our "programming ideas" for live events, but I think this update is long enough for one day... so, I'll save that for another day.
Now remember: we've got 4 DAYS LEFT to get to our final goal... so I hope you'll continue spreading the word and circulating the URL. And if you're not busy, I hope you'll join us tonight at 5pm PDT to decide whether "Team Jonah" or "Team Emily" will be named the winners of our JACKBOX SHOWDOWN.
