Fringe Premiere Moved Back From August 26 to September 9, 2008

Fox has move the premiere of Fringe back 2 weeks to September 9, 2008. Still Tuesday. Still 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT.

Does Fox's Remote Free TV Concept Deserve Full Credit For Commercial Pricing Premiums?

Mediaweek is crediting Fox's Remote Free TV plan (i.e. fewer commercials) for the reported "35-40 percent pricing premiums for commercials [on] its two new 2008-09 season dramas, Fringe and The Dollhouse." However, Fringe and Dollhouse aren't your run of the mill new shows. The reality is both shows already have fan bases, and if Fox is wise to the potential of the nomadic tribes of JJ Abrams and Joss Whedon, surely advertisers are too.

Remote Free TV might be the tangible cause 'media agency sources' point too in explaining the effect of increased pricing, but a true test of The Remote Free TV concept, Fringe and Dollhouse are not.

Fringe's Official Site on Fox Just Got a Bit More Dynamic and Mysterious

If you've visited Fox's official site for Fringe before, you're familiar with how it cycles through the 6 fingered hand, leaf and apple images. That aspect of the site hasn't changed, but now, if you hover your mouse over the images, the cycling pauses and the image it is paused on undergoes a transformation as diagrams and scientific notations appear in the background and color is added to the curiosity or oddity (i.e. the 6th finger of the hand, the triangle in the leaf or the fetuses in the apple core). What's more, the images now contain links:


Clicking on the leaf activates a video player which plays the Fringe Trailer.


Clicking on the apple opens a new window to the Future on Fox Blog, Category Fringe.


Clicking on the hand opens a window to YouTube and a video of a 12 fingered man.



Considering the first two links--Trailer and Fox blog--are above board promotions (as opposed to viral), I doubt there's more to the YouTube video or its owner, Stuart Sims, than meets the eye. Nevertheless, I've emailed Mr. Sims asking him about his involvement, if any, with Fox and Fringe. While it's not the sort of thing he would be at liberty to confirm, he could certainly deny it. I'll update this post if I get a response.

UPDATE: Stuart (aka Master Quark, the video's owner) claimed no knowledge of, nor connection to Fringe:

Re: portaltoindia message by MasteQuark Jun 04, 2008; 07:54am ::

Hi
After spending all morning trying to register and sifting through this Fringe thing.....I'm finally able to log on!

Yes, I see my 12 fingered man...and am happy.
How it got there-I do not have a clue. Ask the guys who built the site!
But leave it...OK...will boost my 1,000 to 2,000 hits a day on YouTube..LOL

Stuart
for Louise and Stuart's AMazing India

Where is the spell checker......?

http://youtube.com/portaltoindia

So There IS A Viral Marketing Campaign On For Fringe

Yesterday we posited that if there was a viral marketing campaign for Fringe then chances are it was already underway and the fans just hadn't found it yet. Today, Future on Fox leaves little doubt that our guess was on the money with this response to NY Mag's question, "Hey J.J. Abrams, Where's the Viral-Marketing Campaign for ‘Fringe’?":

Hey, NY Magazine
You haven't looked hard enough. -- Future on Fox

If that's not an invitation to play, I don't know what is. Now, where to look?

Will Fringe Come With A Viral Element?

And if it does, will it be any good?

That is the question being asked by RopeofSilicon, NYMag and an as yet unknown number of Fringe/Abrams fans who are lining up to trying to find and connect disparate, cryptic and quasi clues to who knows what (read: The Pattern). But the kicker is if there is an Abrams style viral campaign in the cards, chances are it's already afoot, and the first clues to its existence have already been sprinkled among the teaser trailer and sneak peeks and/or posters. In fact, history being the best predictor at this stage of the game, chances are good that there's a Fringe related viral website already up and running just waiting to be found.

Harkening back to campaigns of old for more clues, both those that predated my interest (apparently there was some Alias related stuff on the web), to those I've only paid peripheral attention to (LOST), to the mother of them all (Cloverfield), the first question I have to ask is while these are all Bad Robot productions, is JJ Abrams really responsible for any of these campaigns or are they really just the products of the respective marketing divisions of the various parent studios (Paramount) and networks (ABC)? And if that is the case (and I think it is), are longtime aficionados in for a real treat as FOX's edgy marketing department takes "viral" to the next level?

What do you think? Will the marriage between JJ Abrams and Fox redefine viral marketing?

Fringe - FOX Sneak Peeks And Websites

Welcome to the Fringe fansite Fringe Television. If you're looking for the latest news and information on Fringe on FOX, or a community where you can to share your thoughts and opinions on the Fringe TV series, this is it. Click here for the home page where you'll find the latest headlines and most active discussions, or see the sidebar to the right for other useful links.

Fringe: Sneak Peek #1 Sneak Peek #2 Trailer Alternate Trailer at /Film

Program Information: http://www.fox.com/programming/shows/new/fringe.htm
FOX's Fringe Official Site: http://www.fox.com/fringe/

Fringe Cast Photo and FOX's Description

FRINGE (Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT): From J.J. Abrams ("Lost"), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the team behind "Star Trek," "Mission: Impossible III" and "Alias," comes a new drama that will thrill, terrify and explore the blurring line between science fiction and reality.

When an international flight lands at Boston's Logan Airport and the passengers and crew have all died grisly deaths, FBI Special Agent OLIVIA DUNHAM (newcomer Anna Torv) is called in to investigate. After her partner, Special Agent JOHN SCOTT (Mark Valley, "Boston Legal"), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to DR. WALTER BISHOP (John Noble, "Lord of the Rings"), our generation's Einstein. There's only one catch: he's been institutionalized for the last 20 years, and the only way to question him requires pulling his estranged son PETER (Joshua Jackson, "Dawson's Creek") in to help. When Olivia's investigation leads her to manipulative corporate executive NINA SHARP (Blair Brown, "Altered States"), our unlikely trio along with fellow FBI Agents PHILLIP BROYLES (Lance Reddick, "The Wire"), CHARLIE FRANCIS (Kirk Acevedo, "Oz") and ASTRID FARNSWORTH (Jasika Nicole, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent") will discover that what happened on Flight 627 is only a small piece of a larger, more shocking truth.

WRITERS: J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman

DIRECTOR: Alex Graves

CAST: Anna Torv as Olivia Dunham, Joshua Jackson as Peter Bishop, John Noble as Walter Bishop, Lance Reddick as Phillip Broyles, Kirk Acevedo as Charlie Francis, Mark Valley as John Scott, Blair Brown as Nina Sharp, Jasika Nicole as Astrid Farnsworth

Future Fox Has Fringe Stuff

The Future On Fox Blog has posted 5 posters for Fringe. It looks like the TV Week headline Fox 'Fringe' Marketing Starts ... Now! isn't kidding. According to that article, if you're in New York City, keep an eye out for: "...two dozen cows to heavy traffic locations in Manhattan. The bovine billboards will be accompanied by street teams handing out all sorts of "Fringe"-themed merchandise, from T-shirts to apples. . . street teams will ride around town on Segway scooters or moving on foot. . . Fox will hand out more than 5,000 "Fringe" items around the city. . . a full-page ad to run on the back cover of Thursday's New York Times Arts section and a 1⁄2 page ad in the New York Post. . . printed special editions of the Post wrapped with four-page "Fringe" ads. Street teams will hand out the special copies of the newspaper at commuter hot spots such as Grand Central Station. . . advertising heavily on a jumbo screen in Times Square, as well as more than 40 digital billboards attached to subway entrances. . . And once the sun sets, random video projectors set up around New York City will beam "Fringe" ads on the sides of buildings and other public space."

Press Release: FOX ANNOUNCES PRIMETIME SLATE FOR 2008-2009 SEASON

FOX ANNOUNCES PRIMETIME SLATE FOR 2008-2009 SEASON

TWO NEW DRAMAS, THREE NEW COMEDIES AND ONE UNSCRIPTED SERIES JOIN SCHEDULE

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED J.J. ABRAMS DRAMA "FRINGE"...

New York (Thursday, May 15, 2008) Peter Liguori, Chairman, Entertainment; and Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, today unveiled the FOX primetime schedule for the 2008-2009 television season speaking before the national advertising community at New York City Center.

"Broadcast television needs a jolt. We feel it's our responsibility, as the No. 1 network for the last four seasons, to provide that electricity," said Liguori. "The goal of our business is entertaining viewersthey're our lifeblood, and it's incumbent upon us to make sure their first and favorite entertainment destination is FOX."

Reilly added, "We're going to make plenty of noise and yet potentially have more stability and success than we've had historically in the fourth quarter. We'll be focused in the fall with two new series one comedy and one drama and then use our big assets in January to launch an even more powerful second season."

The new event drama premiering this fall is FRINGE, a fantastical thriller from acclaimed writer/producer J.J. Abrams ("Lost"), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman ("Star Trek," "Mission: Impossible III," "Alias"). Joshua Jackson ("Dawson's Creek"), John Noble ("Lord of the Rings") and newcomer Anna Torv star as an unlikely trio who uncover a deadly mystery involving a series of unbelievable events and realize they may be a part of a larger, more disturbing pattern that blurs the line between science fiction and technology.

...

FOX kicks off the new season with special two-hour premiere events the week of August 25 including: ... FRINGE Tuesday, August 26 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT);...

FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: FALL 2008

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE

FOX to Announce 2008-09 Schedule Thursday (May 15)

Zap2it has a thorough piece on Fringe. It doesn't hurt that they've read the script (or at least an early version of it), but they also seem well versed in how a script should read, and sufficiently objective about it (just my read, but there's a lot of jealousy out there when it comes to JJ Abrams' success).

The article opens with the news that's being reported far and wide as of today, "FOX will announce its 2008-09 schedule at its upfront presentation to advertisers on Thursday (May 15)," along with this telling insight, "But fans have already been anticipating Dollhouse and Fringe for months." Telling in that it tells me that the author of the piece, Daniel Fienberg, reads the Internet (which is more than can be said for most "connected" reporters). A few excerpts of Fienberg's first impressions:

Created by J.J. Abrams with frequent cohorts Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, Fringe is expected to have a place on the fall schedule, launching with a two-hour pilot believed to be budgeted in the $10-million range and directed by Alex Graves (Journeyman). The cast of the X-Files-esque drama is led by relative newcomer Anna Torv -- hoping to catch a little of the magic Abrams gave to Keri Russell, Jennifer Garner and Evangeline Lilly -- but includes familiar faces including Joshua Jackson (Pacey!!!), John Noble (Denethor!!!) and Lance Reddick.

...Keeping in mind that between rewrites, casting and directing choices original pilot scripts can be as different from the eventual pilot as night and day, here are a few first impressions [having read the script]:

When something disturbing, unexplainable and just a bit icky happens to the passengers on an international flight, FBI Agent Olivia Warren (Torv) begins an investigation that leads her to Dr. Walter Bishop (Noble), a renegade scientist whose unorthodox experiments into fringe phenomena led arrests and eventually institutionalization. Warren can only get Bishop out with the help of his estranged son Peter (Jackson), a young man with a genius IQ, but questionable morals and motivation. The son isn't ready to reconcile with his father, the father isn't ready to be reintegrated into the outside world and Olivia isn't ready to serve as babysitter, but the form an unlikely team. How does the airplane tragedy relate to The Pattern, a race of unexplained occurrences sweeping the world? And what does any of this have to do with the mysterious Prometheus Corporation, one of the world's most forward-thinking companies? And what do we make of Broyles (Reddick), the head of the Homeland Security's newly formed Fringe Division?

...The script has an X-Files meets Altered States meets Alias vibe that's immediately familiar and comfortable. The actual plot of the pilot could probably have fit into a standard hour, but Abrams and Company are making the effort to give the material a global scale and the script plants at least a half-dozen potential running mysteries that will allow Fringe to have both serialized elements and also freak-of-the-week plots. ...

For FOX, the best thing about Fringe -- other than getting into the J.J. Abrams business, of course -- is that the series has the potential to partner with almost any established show on its schedule, ...

...read more.

Fringe First Season Greenlight.

Confirmation of our Friday report that FRINGE had been officially been picked up by FOX for the 2008-09 season comes from Variety who reports it twice, once on Saturday, and again on Sunday.

Fox nabs 'Fringe'

Fox brass were particularly busy during the weekend, giving greenlights to comedies "The Inn" and the animated "Class Dismissed" (previously titled "Sit Down, Shut Up"). On the drama side, Fox picked up J.J. Abrams' two-hour pilot "Fringe."

Drama "Fringe," from Abrams' Bad Robot and Warner Bros. TV, revolves around a young femme FBI agent who works with an offbeat scientist to tackle cases involving unexplained medical and scientific phenomena. Pilot was penned by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and helmed by Alex Graves. Skein's cast includes Aussie thesp Anna Torv, Mark Valley and Joshua Jackson. -- Variety

Fox greenlights 'Fringe'

Among the greenlights: The J.J. Abrams entry "Fringe," which follows the exploits of a young female FBI agent who tackles unexplained medical and scientific phenomena. -- Variety

"FRINGE has officially been picked up by FOX for the 2008-09 television season."

This according to Evil Puppet Masters, the official, unofficial insiders blog for all things Bad Robot (and friends). What's the distinction between being officially picked up and the now former status of "a series commitment?" I have no idea, but I'm sure it's an important one (read: important enough to crow about).

If you don't know about Fringe yet, the show is cast. The crew, from director to writers to producers is best summed up as a production dream team. The 2 hour pilot is in the can. It's going to have the scope of Abrams' LOST, packaged in a hybrid of X-Files, Altered States, The Twilight Zone and HOUSE.