Am I the only one?

[Lynda Sappington]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, "acciopotter" 
<crookshanks731 at s...> wrote:
>*snip*   My personal 
> complaint might not make even the slightest dent in the opinions of 
> the people at warner brothers, but at least i can have the pride in 
> saying I said my piece about something I dont't agree with.
> 
> Amanda
> AccioPotter 

But our voices CAN make a difference.  I don't know if any of you 
are "veterans" of other fandoms, but I am.  I was involved in 
the "Starman" TV series fandom for years.  It was a show that lasted 
only one season, but from a grassroots fan effort, ABC (who treated 
it very shabbily, moving it around the schedule 6 times, often 
without any notice of the change) actually did reconsider canceling 
it (they held a special board meeting because of OUR activities 
trying to get them to save the show!), and Sci-Fi picked up the 22 
episodes that existed and broadcast them several times now.  We got 
ABC to listen by contacting them with reasonable, intelligently 
written snail mail letters (of course, this was before email was in 
general use).  Whatever your convictions about Wood/Biggerstaff, 
other characters, other cast members (I'm a firm "keep the original 
trio cast!!!" believer, myself), you have the right to act on those 
convictions.  Contacting WB about your concerns will show that there 
are a lot more fans than just little kids.  Well-written responses 
from mature, educated, well-spoken people actually do have an 
impact.  During my "Starman" years, I was able to speak with, or meet 
with in person, network and studio executives (up to and including 
the President of Sony/Columbia Pictures, and the VP of ABC-TV at the 
time) and they actually did pay attention and listen.  They didn't 
make a decision that I wanted them to, but they DID (in Columbia's 
case) provide the fandom with all kinds of goodies (we auctioned off 
press kits, posters, buttons, props, etc., all to benefit charities) 
as well as their music department head (in his office in the 
Sony/Columbia Pictures headquarters) handing me a tape of the theme 
song of the show without dialog over it -- a form that had never 
before been heard by fans.  (I produced an album of the TV series 
theme, incidental music and fan filks, all with the BLESSING of 
Columbia Pictures, and sold it within the fandom.)  Don't let anyone 
tell you that fans' voices have no impact.  I'm living proof that we 
DO get heard (at least in the USA -- I can't vouch for anyplace else, 
I don't know anything about their systems).  Do what you think is 
right -- it's your right.  

Lynda