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fauxpop fauxpop
 
December 17, 2008 08:52 PM

I am working on a documentary about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Is there a big enough (paying) market?

We are forgoing typical broadcast media, self-funding it, and aiming for Web distribution/fan-service response. (ie donations plus people who would actually buy a DVD.)
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markb markb
 
 December 18, 2008 02:58 AM
I grew up watching the cartoon, and playing with the toys. I definitely would rent it. Nostalgia is a valuable commodity these days, one it seems you're attempting to tap into. Look at the success of the Angry Video Game Nerd on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjUz8IT0CYg


All the guy does is revisit old vintage games from that same era. T-shirts with old school entertainment media like Thundercats/G&R shirts are also pretty big, so I definitely see where you're coming from. Check this out, nostalgia overload (I love these images, from the "I am 8-bit" annual gallery):
http://subotron.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/iam8bit2.jpg

There's a genuine desire for our generation to revisit its roots and sort through it, rearrange it and give it new shape and meaning.

I'll put it this way. If you grew up in the 80s, and watched and enjoyed the Ninja Turtles, why on earth would you NOT be interested in a Ninja Turtles documentary?

Also as a previous commenter pointed out, social bookmarking services like Digg/Twitter/Reddit are dominated by kitchy/nostalgic stuff like that, so you could get some leverage there. I.e. I could see gorillamask.net posting the trailer.
http://www.penang-vacations.com/images/NinjaTurtleToy.jpg


Your audience is essentially me: born in late 70s/early 80s, watched cartoons, likes video games/the internet. I'd say that's a fairly big market.

Good luck!


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nativenerd nativenerd
 
December 17, 2008 08:58 PM
I have serious doubts you'll get rich from it, but it should bring back enough childhood nostalgia for that generation that it would be worthwhile. I'd probably watch it at least once...as much out of curiosity as anything else. It's fairly good timing also since the box office is on a comic kick lately.

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cymri cymri
 
December 17, 2008 09:08 PM
I don't know- you tell us. Would most people have thought a documentary about playing Donkey Kong would fly? I wouldn't have until I heard the buzz and saw it. Documentaries are often more than their subject matter if the filmmaker can find the interesting people and stories behind it all. Good luck with your film!

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sit vis vo... sit vis vo...
 
December 17, 2008 09:11 PM
I would buy 10 copies for myself. I would even donate money! Please follow through with this. You can't tease me with TMNT!
Source(s):
My entire childhood devoted to the teenage mutant ninja turtles!


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answerman answerman
 
December 17, 2008 09:18 PM
Times are pretty tough for retailers right now. You also largely missed a great window of time where one could have capitalized, which would've have followed the release of the TMNT movie in theatres a year ago.

If it's something you love, you might want to consider it, but if you're doing it for a fast buck, now might not be the best time for that particular project.

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crunkleton crunkleton
 
December 17, 2008 09:21 PM
I think you could get some seriously online attention with this. A huge percentage of the Web 2.0 audience; those who blog, Twitter, social network, Flickr, all that good stuff... those people are Gen Xers who grew up loving TMNT. And they're the same ones who get into the videos and nostalgia brought on by this. You get some interest in a TMNT documentary on Digg, Boing Boing, Cracked, StumbleUpon or any other popular blog site, and you might get a lot of attention. If not through donation and direct-pay, perhaps through advertising.

Some online video services, such as Revver, are ad supported and pay you per view.

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nathaniel ... nathaniel ...
 
December 17, 2008 09:29 PM
Well, there have been tons of releases of TMNT over the years, and last year there was a new movie, and the animated series is apparently the longest running on 4Kids TV, so I think it has been proven that the market exists.

The series can reach both kids and (more importantly for a documentary) nostalgic adults, so I think it will work.
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMNT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_Mutant_Ninja_Turtles_(2003_TV_series)


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vhoyt vhoyt
 
December 17, 2008 09:42 PM
It would certainly have a market where I live, which is in fact the town where the Turtles were born. Peter Laird had a small comic book store here, and did custom art as well. I have one piece from the late seventies, I think. My kids, who are in the their twenties now, were all TMNT fans.

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akalair akalair
 
December 17, 2008 09:48 PM
You could look for an advertiser instead of making money through selling DVD's

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wboswell wboswell
 
December 17, 2008 10:06 PM
Maybe ten years ago, but not now. I'm curious as to why you would think this would be something that anyone would be interested in.

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johnsonaar... johnsonaar...
 
December 17, 2008 10:13 PM
Speaking as someone who had a childhood obsession with the Turtles on the Halfshell, Turtle Power! (offtrack...) Anyways... I doubt very seriously that you would see any of my business. Your only real hope of making any money off me would be advertising if the video was free. I don't think I would pay for it.

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frosty frosty
 
December 18, 2008 01:02 AM
I would pay to see it! I know at least 5 other people who would pay to see it. It would have to be good, full of things that most fans don't already know, remember that TMNT has a very large cult following, not just the cartoon, but the comic books as well.

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hartwell hartwell
 
December 19, 2008 06:05 PM
yup.

the trick is

1) give it away
2) build an audience
3) charge for a better experience
4) profit.

that "better experience" can be a DVD, autographs at a convention, whatever people are willing to pay for because they liked your work.

heck, set up a "tip jar" on your web site (and be sure to mention it ON the viewable part of the DVD) so that when your fans ... um... acquire the content without paying you (TPB anyone?) they have an easy and obvious way to give you some money.

look how well this works for Dr. Horrible, All Cory Doctorow books,
The Guild, and Jonathan Coulton.
Source(s):
http://www.watchtheguild.com/

http://www.jonathancoulton.com/

http://drhorrible.com/


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