The GilmoreGirls.org Great8Mandate

[CathyCoffee]

I'm gonna say that I agree with everything Heather said a few posts up. And I'm gonna add one thing:

You know why I'm pushing for Season 8, period (I mean, besides the fact that the story isn't finished)? It's because the Angel movies didn't happen. Angel fans wanted season 6 and once Joss announced the movies issue, the entire thing collapsed and not even the movies happened. So heck, forget about the talk of a 2-hour movie capper, it's Season 8, period. If just a movie comes out of pushing for Season 8, hey, that's great, fine, but I think that the amount of energy needed to do what is, after all, a massive fan campaign demands that the goal to be as large and ambitious as possible -- thus, Season 8 or bust.

 -- Rob

------------------------
Season 8: Because Lorelai settled, and that got her nothing but a bad (and thankfully short) marriage.

I was thinking about that.
The AS-P/movie thing is a maybe, just like season 8.
And if we stop pushing for what we want, then they might not even think they need to do a movie.
So if you are for season 8 or a movie, or both, this campaign will help.

We are all for one goal, to get real closure.
The kind of closure is just different.

Well, I don't want to get us all slivered up into different groups as all I'm saying.

If some people support a movie more than a season 8 -- fine. If some people support a season 8 more than a movie -- cool. If people support both -- amazing. But let's not faction ourselves off. We need every person we can get and I think we can all agree Gilmore Girls -- more of it in any form -- is our aim. So if some people want to focus more on the movie, that's fine, I just don't want to hear negative stuff around here about our season 8 efforts -- we all want more Gilmore Girls!

So basically, we need everyone here. We all need each other get this accomplished. There is strength in numbers and we need to support each other in both causes.

You beat me to my point! 

[ckiddings]

Well, I don't want to get us all slivered up into different groups as all I'm saying.

If some people support a movie more than a season 8 -- fine.  If some people support a season 8 more than a movie -- cool.  If people support both -- amazing.  But let's not faction ourselves off.  We need every person we can get and I think we can all agree Gilmore Girls -- more of it in any form -- is our aim.  So if some people want to focus more on the movie, that's fine, I just don't want to hear negative stuff around here about our season 8 efforts -- we all want more Gilmore Girls!

So basically, we need everyone here.  We all need each other get this accomplished.  There is strength in numbers and we need to support each other in both causes.

Absolutely! We need everyone's help. Personally, I think it is always good to have as much input as possible. Encouragement to express oneself is the atmosphere needed for someone to think of and share that one great idea that ended up working!

 :)Everyone wants more Gilmore Girls for however long we can get them. We all want better closure to each characters storylines. Everyone can have their own opinion, but bottom line we all want the same thing. If we start factioning ourelves into different groups, we will divide our efforts and most likely no one will get anything. So, why not continue to mandate for a season 8 and at the same time mandate for a movie too? That way we aren't putting all of our eggs in one basket and our chances for getting something....are doubled.

[CathyCoffee]

And then we could get both!
 

[MonicaKeller]

I have an account at Cafepress. They print t-shirts, buttons, postcards with whatever images, sayings you want. If I would be allowed to use the images in the first post, I could get some made up, and whoever wants to buy them can. They can be made into custom postcards. If people were to buy them with the logo(s) on it, they could use them to mail out to the different people as well. Just an idea.

[ShutUpRob]

On the movie versus Season thing:  I agree, there's no reason to feel like it has to become factionalized.  We've pretty much been working as a collective anyway.  People come up with their own ideas and lead them.  Well, in my case, *I* come up with ideas and get somebody else to do them because, well, I live out the middle of nowhere and it's a half-hour trip uphill both ways back and forth to the post office (I'm not kidding), etc.

To me, anybody supporting a Movie Mission is just participating in a different project within the overall Season 8 Mandate banner -- if you're most comfortable with the movie push, then that's the task force you belong to.  Keep using the Mandate banner, there's no reason not to -- if somebody from the press should happen to ask you why you're pushing for the movie and still have a season 8 banner, just say something like "we're *all* pushing for season 8, this is just the task force I volunteered for because this is what I have the time for and we've got a lot of other task forces working every single angle possible."  

Which reminds me, could somebody email/PM me the press packet so that I know what I'm talking about?    I have soooooo totally lost track of it as I've been maintaining my duties as "Resident Kirk" here on the thread.

Also, I just called the CW comment line at 9:30pm ET/630pm PDT and it was still taking messages.  If you haven't already phoned today, please call the line at 1-818-977-6878.  You might want to mention how Alexis's interview with TV Guide didn't go over very well with the Gg audience.

@ britni:

And one more thing, I know that we are supose to be nice when we write our letters/emails. I understand thats the only way to get our show back, But the more I write the angeryer I get. This show was not suppose to end in its 7th season, thats ovbious by the series finale. And as much as I love the cast, I don't think I am going to be able to listen to one more of them say "I think the ending was good" (paraphrased), when Nearly every GG fan on the planet disagrees. I know not all the cast has said the ending was good, but all I'vheard AB, LG and SP all say that. All of GG cast seems to be smart, so you would think they would realize the series finale wasn't that great, and did'nt give any closure but I don't think they do. I know some of you disagree, but I blame the cast just as much for the cancelation as i do the network. They dedicated 7 years of their lif to this show, and they coul'nt stick it out for one more shortened season, tho give it the ending it deserved.

I hear you about being angry when you call the comment line.  We've all been upset in general since the cancellation was announced a month ago, but here's a thing I think you can do to help you get through your phone calls:

1) You could script a short message on an index card and just commit to reading that. Talk more slowly than you think you're going because you're always going to speak too fast until you get used to it.

2) If you don't want to script your message, then have a few points jotted down on, say, a post-it note and improv off that.

3) As for what you should say -- I'm not going to go too far into specifics as that would be too astroturf-y and we want callers to be original, to be polite and to speak from the heart, but you could pick one thing you love/like about the show to talk about each day, one day it could be about something Lorelai said, another day, it could be that you liked that particular storyline, another day it could be that you'd like to see some plot point finished up -- actually, you should do that last one a lot.  Make a list of all the storylines that you feel are unfinished, pick one each day and tell them why you think it's unfinished and why you think it needs to be finished in a real finale season.  Mention who the Gilmore fans in your family and circle of friends are and mention their ages.  Etc.  And mix the tactics up so that they don't get bored.

  -- Rob

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Season 8:  Because it's a group activity and it's fun and let's keep it that way.

[JillianLovesFood]

I just received this statement from Kellogs regarding the CW's claims that one of the reasons they backed down was because of sponsorships in advertising.

"Thank you for your comments regarding the placement of our advertisements and product placement during Gilmore Girls.

We were as disappointed as you were when we read the following article:

<
Gilmore is no more
By Tim Surette - TV.com
May 3, 2007 at 12:35:00 PM |

CW, WB mother-daughter drama canned after seven seasons; studio unable to extend actresses' contracts.

Network television will lose a fair amount of rapid-fire pop-culture references this month, as CW and Warner Bros. TV have decided to end the run of Gilmore Girls after seven seasons. The two companies announced the news on the Gilmore Girls Web site, saying the final episode of the show will air in less than two weeks on May 15.

"Announcing the final season of Gilmore Girls is truly a sad moment for everyone at The CW and Warner Bros. Television," reads the statement. "This series helped define a network and created a fantastic, storybook world featuring some of television's most memorable, lovable characters."

The statement continues, "We would also like to thank the critics and Gilmore fans for their passionate support and promise to give this series the send off it deserves."

The show's future has been in question for some time now, with the two leading actresses, Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore), unsure they would return for an eighth season. The Los Angeles Times cites sources saying the studios were unable to cement a new deal with the pair.>

Unfortunately, the sponsors are not privy to the business reasons that led up the show's cancellation.  Again, thank you for sharing your views. Consumers like you, who will take time to pass along their comments, are important to our company."

So this confirms more to me that the advertisement claim the CW used as an excuse was just something they said to try and deter the angry reactions away from themselves.

[heatherkilpatrick]

I have an account at Cafepress. They print t-shirts, buttons, postcards with whatever images, sayings you want. If I would be allowed to use the images in the first post, I could get some made up, and whoever wants to buy them can. They can be made into custom postcards. If people were to buy them with the logo(s) on it, they could use them to mail out to the different people as well. Just an idea.

Hey Monica,

We've actually got some post cards made up --  I've made them -- and people can print them and use them for free.  We're going to be starting another campaign in a few weeks involving Great8Mandate and Cafe Press, but I've got most of the stuff already set.  Rob and I will divulge more when we have a clear cut plan.

Thanks, though!
Heather

P.S.: If anyone else needs the link to the free postcards I made up, let me know. 

[JillianLovesFood]

I'm really starting to feel discouraged right about now. All we seem to do is go around in circles hoping someone will catch us. I've done everything short of storming down to the CW studio itself, tying Dawn into her office chair and playing GG episodes until she can't take it anymore.  I've gotten my family and some of my friends involved with the campaign. I have written letters to everyone on the list, spent $140.00 on daisies and put more time than I have towards the mandate. I am busy with work, family and summer writing on the side so I've had to MAKE time for all of this. The only slight bright spot has been the movie rumor. But even that isn't set in stone. 

However, at least we're trying something. IF we just sit back and do nothing then we definately won't ever see a change. I love the fact that people have come together and found very creative ways to try and fight the system. But the CW has their blinders on and not giving any signs at all that what we have been doing has started to get through to them. I think switching over to Amy at this point in time is about the smartest move to make right now. Letting her know that we really need something even if it's just the movie thing because where the series ended is not where it should be. With all the years, it shouldn't all go right back to the begining. That would mean all the events the show went through was all for nothing except Rory graduated college instead of High School. The main actresses involved seem to be moving on with their lives at this point and the more time that goes by the harder it will be to get them back on board.

I have felt from the very begining that this is all just a test of faith but is everyone moving on except for us? Are we stuck in a state of denial or is all this hard work really affecting people?

I'm just so confused and tired right now. I have so many thoughts and ideas on how an eighth season could go with just 11 episodes I can't help but feel frusterated. There is a whole new direction the show could go and it makes me depressed to think it won't ever happen.  The characters will always be stuck where they have left off without resolving any personal issues. No matter how hard we try to imagine. Empty.... sad.

[CathyCoffee]

I'm really starting to feel discouraged right about now. All we seem to do is go around in circles hoping someone will catch us. I've done everything short of storming down to the CW studio itself, tying Dawn into her office chair and playing GG episodes until she can't take it anymore.  I've gotten my family and some of my friends involved with the campaign. I have written letters to everyone on the list, spent $140.00 on daisies and put more time than I have towards the mandate. I am busy with work, family and summer writing on the side so I've had to MAKE time for all of this. The only slight bright spot has been the movie rumor. But even that isn't set in stone. 

However, at least we're trying something. IF we just sit back and do nothing then we definately won't ever see a change. I love the fact that people have come together and found very creative ways to try and fight the system. But the CW has their blinders on and not giving any signs at all that what we have been doing has started to get through to them. I think switching over to Amy at this point in time is about the smartest move to make right now. Letting her know that we really need something even if it's just the movie thing because where the series ended is not where it should be. With all the years, it shouldn't all go right back to the begining. That would mean all the events the show went through was all for nothing except Rory graduated college instead of High School. The main actresses involved seem to be moving on with their lives at this point and the more time that goes by the harder it will be to get them back on board.

I have felt from the very begining that this is all just a test of faith but is everyone moving on except for us? Are we stuck in a state of denial or is all this hard work really affecting people?

I'm just so confused and tired right now. I have so many thoughts and ideas on how an eighth season could go with just 11 episodes I can't help but feel frusterated. There is a whole new direction the show could go and it makes me depressed to think it won't ever happen.  The characters will always be stuck where they have left off without resolving any personal issues. No matter how hard we try to imagine. Empty.... sad.

Amen.
So well put.

[britni]

I'm really starting to feel discouraged right about now. All we seem to do is go around in circles hoping someone will catch us. I've done everything short of storming down to the CW studio itself, tying Dawn into her office chair and playing GG episodes until she can't take it anymore. I've gotten my family and some of my friends involved with the campaign. I have written letters to everyone on the list, spent $140.00 on daisies and put more time than I have towards the mandate. I am busy with work, family and summer writing on the side so I've had to MAKE time for all of this. The only slight bright spot has been the movie rumor. But even that isn't set in stone.

However, at least we're trying something. IF we just sit back and do nothing then we definately won't ever see a change. I love the fact that people have come together and found very creative ways to try and fight the system. But the CW has their blinders on and not giving any signs at all that what we have been doing has started to get through to them. I think switching over to Amy at this point in time is about the smartest move to make right now. Letting her know that we really need something even if it's just the movie thing because where the series ended is not where it should be. With all the years, it shouldn't all go right back to the begining. That would mean all the events the show went through was all for nothing except Rory graduated college instead of High School. The main actresses involved seem to be moving on with their lives at this point and the more time that goes by the harder it will be to get them back on board.

I have felt from the very begining that this is all just a test of faith but is everyone moving on except for us? Are we stuck in a state of denial or is all this hard work really affecting people?

I'm just so confused and tired right now. I have so many thoughts and ideas on how an eighth season could go with just 11 episodes I can't help but feel frusterated. There is a whole new direction the show could go and it makes me depressed to think it won't ever happen. The characters will always be stuck where they have left off without resolving any personal issues. No matter how hard we try to imagine. Empty.... sad.

I think that eventually our hard work will pay off, either in a 2 hour or an 8th season. We all just have going as strong as we have been and not give up. I also think it's important we start sending letters to Amy aswell. Because IMO I think AMy seen the series finale and was likely just as disappointed with it as we were. She created that show, and I think and Hope that she feels obligated to give it an ending with closure. The only way she probalie feels like she can do that is with a 2 hour movie. But if enough write her I bet she has enough connections to get an 8th season concidered.

Even though it seems like our efforts are not working, we have to keep going. GG can come back for an 8th season, if you think of all the things that has ever happend in the world stranger things have occured than a t.v. show getting uncanceled.

[ShutUpRob]

I just received this statement from Kellogs regarding the CW's claims that one of the reasons they backed down was because of sponsorships in advertising.

"Thank you for your comments regarding the placement of our advertisements and product placement during Gilmore Girls.

We were as disappointed as you were when we read the following article:

<
Gilmore is no more
By Tim Surette - TV.com
May 3, 2007 at 12:35:00 PM

[snip!]

Jillian, THANK YOU!

This is great ammunition for the campaign.  We've got to use it in calls to the comment line.  EVERYBODY.

BTW, it's not merely the issue that the contracts were not renewed, it's that we've got an advertiser levelling with us that THEY were disappointed, too.

Good work!

Anybody else who wants to write to Kellogg's, please tell them what Jillian shared with us and THANK THEM!

  -- Rob

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Season 8:  Because there's more support out there than a certain person(s) would like us to *think* there is.

[heatherkilpatrick]

Hey everyone ...

I just wanted to say a few things in regards to people feeling discouraged -- which I get ...

1.) Don't feel like we haven't accomplished anything -- we have!
The Great8Mandate has really taken great strides, and whie it may feel like it's the same 100-200 people always posting, we are getting a lot of recognition.  I think there are hundreds of lurkers out there that maybe don't pipe in here, but support our cause and send letters.  I have to believe that.  You can Google "Great8Mandate" and you get results.  We're on Wikipedia for goodness sakes -- that's big!  People know we exist, and what's more, we have done something.  I believe that even the potential for a 2-hour movie is a direct result of our resolve.  Had it not been for us and the fans that follow in our footsteps, the series season finale might have gone by quietly.  But it hasn't -- we're leading an army.  And we've caught the notice of the CW, Warner Bros. and Amy Sherman-Palladino.

2.) Have faith in ASP.
Amy Sherman-Palladino is the hand that guided Gilmore Girls to the screen and got it through 6 wonderful years.  The CW made a huge mistake in letting her go, but the fact that she is showing a renewed interest in Gilmore Girls is very positive.  She may be saying "2-hour movie," now, but it could just be to gauge interest and to get her foot in the door with the CW, before suggesting anything else.  I have to think that ASP is thinking bigger -- we know she had better plans for Gilmore Girls, and I have to think that two hours wouldn't suffice.

3.) There is still plenty of time.
We are nowhere near a fatal time yet, and I'd say we wouldn't be until this fall sometime, especially if we consider the idea of a mid-season replacement.  Also, keep in mind that 7th Heaven was revived a few weeks after its cancellation.  We're just outside of the two week period (though it feels like months, I know).  There is still time -- and I do believe that in time, it will come.

So that said, don't lose heart, folks!  Keep mandating however is possible for you, and keep hoping!  And hopefully the mail hitting their boxes this week from me -- and hopefully the media attention we're hoping to game -- will be a push in the right direction.

Stay tuned for the next installment of Mandate Madness that Rob and I are currently planning, and I'll also be posting pictures of the banners (themselves, how I've wrapped them, the packaging), "how to make your own banner" information and more in the coming days.

--Heather

[ShutUpRob]

I have felt from the very begining that this is all just a test of faith but is everyone moving on except for us? Are we stuck in a state of denial or is all this hard work really affecting people?

Well, I never said it was going to be easy to get a reaction out of anybody -- that's not the same thing as saying that all this work isn't affecting people at the network or the advertisers or in the cast & crew.  I've also mentioned that this is a months-long project -- I totally expected that the long-term nature of the Mandate was going to start hitting people at different times. The cancellation flat-out gobsmacked every except . . . well, you know.  This *is* a massive project.  We're running a grassroots campaign to try to convince a group of people to uncancel the show:  the specific people are the network entertainment head, Dawn Ostroff, Peter Roth, head of Warner Television (who I bet would be happy to facilitate an uncancellation because it would ultimately be good for the bottom line of the company both in terms of addition revenue generated by the additional episodes, but also by the goodwill created) and Lauren (who may be easier to convince than we think) and Alexis.  

Yes, there's going to be some buck passing because, frankly, no one at the show, network or studio that were involved (ie: the names above) *want* to take the blame for the show collapsing.  So we're on the verge of penetrating that pass-the-buck spiderweb thanks to Kelloggs voicing its disappointment.  This is very good news as it's given us leverage -- we know not only that the smoking gun is exactly where we thought it was before the talks got unstable in April, we know that a lot of other people -- actors, advertisers, etc. are just as annoyed/frustrated/incensed as we are.  So guess what?

Simply put:  We know we're not alone.  This isn't a Don Quixote mission.  This ain't tilting at a windmill.

This is leverage -- we certainly need more leverage wherever we can get it from.  But for starters, we must specifically put pressure on Alexis without, like, going stalkery psycho through the Daisy Campaign/ODD.  When writing to her we can say something like, "We're your fanbase and we've discovered that you've let down a lot of people besides us."  (No "You suck!" letters, please.)

Kelloggs' being so willing to communicate to us that they're disappointed and even forwarding us the TV.com column specifying that it was due to not coming to terms with the actresses (read:  well, likely one of them) is the cause means that we need to pressure Lauren and Alexis *specifically* and also keep sending letters to BOTH Dawn Ostroff at The CW *and* to Peter Roth at Warner Television to keep working on her them.  This also might just be the time to finally do a call-in campagin specifically to Alexis's management team.

BTW, I have a phone number for Alexis's management team, Flutie Entertainment and I just want to make sure that she's still with them.

So consider this an Operation: Daisy Duke Supplementary Assignment -- For the next two weeks make sending daisies to Alexis c/o her management team your first priority.  Target her management office for Tuesday/Wednesday delivery.  If you can't get an order in on time for Tuesday/Wednesday, delivery for any time next week would be great.  Send letters via certified return receipt postage -- make them sign for it.

Alexis Bledel
c/o Flutie Entertainment
6500 Wilshire Blvd
Suite 2240
Los Angeles, CA 90048

* Spread the word about this specific mission in ODD to other forums, particularly FanForum, Facebook Myspace, etc.

* IMPORTANT:  if you've got three-four people in your family that want to see the show continue, how about rather than going in on one bouquet/vase of daisies, you *each* send a separate bouquet of a dozen daisies?  A dozen daisies will be cheaper, but you're going to have to ask for it 'cause they'll offer you the vase.  Each separae bouquet of a dozen will clearly represent a different viewer.

@ Jillian:

Give yourself a rest -- don't send more daisies until you really feel like, you've done a LOT, so don't feel that you haven't earned it.

  -- Rob

------------------------
Season 8:  Because Kelloggs likes the show, too!

[heatherkilpatrick]

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to update you on the status of shipping everything.

I have been up since about 7:30 a.m. ET (and it's now 1:15 a.m. ET) working on the stuff all day long.  Most of it's taken a lot longer than I anticipated.  The shipping store I usually get my stuff at didn't have enough poster tubes, the post office I usually go to to mail was closed earlier than I thought it was, etc.  However, we're still well on our way -- unfortunately nothing made it to the mailboxes today, but I'm anticipating that tomorrow, I'll be mailing out the banners and the majority of the letters.  Remember -- the Dawn banner will go out Monday sometime, unless someone is generous and donates to cover the cost to have Kinkos print it.  Otherwise ... gotta wait.   I'm sorry I don't have the money to cover it myself, or I'd do it ...

Next are just a few pictures of the stuff I got done today ...

First, the banner for Lauren/Alexis rolled out.  It's about 3 feet long, and about 12.5 inches tall.  It's not super huge, but it's still big.  She's going to need space to roll it out and see what it says ...



Second, this is the banner rolled up and packaged -- it's wrapped in sparkley pink and white organdy ribbon, with silver curling ribbon interlaced with it ... on the end of one of the pieces of silver ribbons is a tag.




Third is a close up of the tag ...



Fourth is the outside of the mailing tube ...



Last is the letter that I enclosed with it.  It is very similar to the Press Release letters -- you'll notice the letterhead is the same as the banner -- all the fans names are on this, too!



Amy's and Alexis' packages all look the same.  Dawn's will, too. 

The tubes are also covered in yellow daisy stickers -- little ones, big ones, glittery ones, anything I could find!  The cost of the stickers, the cost of the paper, $5 of shipping, the cost of two of the poster tubes and the ribbon all came out of my pocket.  (I don't want you guys to think I'm not donating anything.)

We look to be pretty set for shipping, at least at the moment, however we do still need stamp money.  I've got three books so far of stamps, but we're going to need one more. 

Anyhow, three posters are set to go out tomorrow.  So far, I have 40 media packets completely done.  I hope to have 60 done and mailed by the time our postman comes at about 2:30 p.m. tomorrow.  I hope to mail out another 20 on Monday with Dawn's poster.

Thanks for everything guys -- every dollar helps if you've got one to spare!

--Heather

[somechick03862]

I just wanted to say that I just reviewed the series season finale and I made a list of every ad. I will write to every company this weekend to thank them for their support of the show.
Any other ideas of what I can say to them?

Also, what about doing something like posting for support on Craig's List or something? I know it sounds crazy, but look at the publicity people get putting wacky things on Ebay! Remember the wedding dress guy? He did the whole talk show circuit! It could get some attention on the Mandate. Dumb idea?