Dear Joss, a Tip Jar Please

February 13, 2009 05:00 +0000 | Copyright Media 12

Dear Joss,

I'm hoping you can help me with an ethical problem I'm having: I'm about to download the premiere of Dollhouse by way of bittorrent free of charge, but I'd still like to have a way to thank you and the rest of the cast & crew financially.

You see, I don't have cable. I stopped subscribing when they cancelled your last show because frankly, there wasn't anything good on TV anymore. Turns out you can get all the shows you want for free online anyway and then only watch the stuff you want, when you want. It all kinda makes cable look... well pointless really.

But now that you're about to release your new (undoubtably brilliant) show, I find myself wanting to support you all in your quest to make good stories and you know, eat. However my desire to re-sign with a cable company for one show that only runs at an inconvenient fixed time feels just as silly as it did months ago so I'd like to find a way to just flat-out give you money.

I'll mail you a cheque, or I can use PayPal, or some other e-friendly payment method it doesn't matter -- I'm happy to jump through that hoop for you guys. I just wanna say "thank you" and I'm sorry, but I'm busy Friday night so I can't say thank you by paying $40 to a cable company, skipping my plans and enduring all of those insipid commercials. How 'bout I just give you some cash? Sound good? How much do you think my fractional portion of the advertising revenues is worth? Whatever it is, I'm sure I can afford to pay double that.

I eagerly await your reply with directions to your tip jar.

Thanks so much,

Daniel Quinn
Vancouver, Canada

I want to send this to him, but apparently, Joss doesn't have a fan mail address (who can blame him, it'd probably be rammed in a few hours). Fox's Dollhouse site seems to be a collection of one-way communication aside from a pretty useless login-protected forum. I may just have to wait until the show's cancelled so I can buy it on DVD... just like Buffy, Angel and Firefly. How sad.

Comments

Susan
13 Feb 2009, 5:10 a.m. |

Yes, that is how things go, don't they. I remember I loved My So-Called Life. Same fate awaited that show. I have cable here in Korea, and for about 6$ a month it's a bargain. It's nice to see what is being played on MTV Korea and there are a surprising number of foreign films as well. If only it were that cheap in Canada, EH? :P

Angela Day
13 Feb 2009, 2:11 p.m. |

Awesome email! You must be able to post it to a forum or something, somewhere where the people who work for/with him can see it. Can you send anything through the Dr. Horrible site?

Taavi
13 Feb 2009, 3:19 p.m. |

You could request it to be added to iTunes at http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunes.html. The DRM shouldn't be too much of a bother since this is just an official way to give money to Joss.

I do wish they'd go iTunes Plus for the video as well. Particularly for those shows which you can watch for free already at cbc.ca!

val
13 Feb 2009, 3:29 p.m. |

Nice idea.

I believe Joss is known to comment on whedonesque.com.

val
13 Feb 2009, 4:10 p.m. |

At http://whedonesque.com/comments/19076#286740, Joss says:

If residuals from the interwebs are not that good, is it worth thinking about a donate-scheme to supplement them? I prefer watching online, I'd be happy to donate a few dollars for each show I enjoy watching if there was an easy way to do that. It hurts me that my preferred watching method is less equitable.

I think donation or subscription -- or just budgeting through pre-sale -- models are kind of interesting. The guild was fan-financed its first season -- one of the internet structures I'm investigating could be similar. The more direct connection between the fan and the artist, the better. It would be fun to announce a project with and actor and THEN find out what the budget was based on the fans.

Daniel
13 Feb 2009, 5:09 p.m. |

Sorry Taavi, I don't consider iTunes to be an option. My feelings toward DRM'd media are roughly Stallman-esque in their nature so that pretty much rules out iTunes. Besides, why should I give Apple money for something bittorrent already does so well? If Dollhouse had a tip jar, I could send them the money directly.

Val, thanks for the link! It's always nice to hear that Joss has this kind of thing on his mind. I just wish he'd included a link to a frickkin' tip jar in his reply there. :-(

Robin
13 Feb 2009, 6:57 p.m. |

*golfclaps*

As someone without cable for two years - and don't miss it in the least thanks to these here series of tubes - I think virtual tip jars are a great idea. I know they work well in Second Life for people who play live music there (an avenue I'm thinking of pursuing when my singing lessons are completed), so who's to say it wouldn't work in other mediums when an audience truly appreciates the work of an artist?

Daniel
13 Feb 2009, 7:13 p.m. |

Coming from an actual artist, that's always good to hear. I'm so glad you're seriously persuing your music dude. I wanna hear some of your stuff when you're ready :-)

Janine Sebastian
14 Feb 2009, 12:52 a.m. |

Val's right... Whedonesque.com is a good idea... post your letter or response to his post there, he does "lurk" and posts on the site's board occasionally. That may be your best bet for being heard by Joss himself...

Daniel
14 Feb 2009, 1:01 a.m. |

Ahh Jeanie. I knew you'd be the best person to ask about this :-)

Roy
14 Feb 2009, 2:39 a.m. |

Dan , Great post and like the idea; however you being a spelling fanatic should know...

"I egarly await your reply with directions to your tip jar" (sic)

eaÂ·ger 1 (gr)
adj. eaÂ·gerÂ·er, eaÂ·gerÂ·est
1. Having or showing keen interest, intense desire, or impatient expectancy. See Usage Note at anxious.
2. Obsolete Tart; sharp; cutting.