Heh, you new news followers are so spoiled.

I gotta take this opportunity to link my Timelines that I made a while back
http://www.narniaweb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=123
Course the problem is, they look pretty full of news, I'm sure, but let me give you an example.

LWW (1.5 years to 1 year before movie premiere)
First casting announcments – May 2004 (1.5 years)
First concept art released – June 2004 (1.5 years)
LWW filming begins – July 2004 (1.5 years)
Children casting announcement – July 2004 (1.5 years)
First set pictures – Sept 2004 (1.25 years)
LWW Logo revealed – Sept 2004 (1.25 years)
Wardrobe Movie Poster Stand Appears in theaters – Nov/Dec 2004 (1 year)
Brian Cox as Aslan announced – Dec 2004 (1 year)
First pics of Kids released – Dec 2004 (1 year)
Filming wraps – Dec 2004 (1 year)
First Featurette Video released – Dec 2004 (1 year)

PC (1.5 years to 1 year before movie premiere)
Release date for PC announced – Nov 2006 (1.5 years)
Filming Locations announced (NZ, Prague) – Nov 2006 (1.5 years)
First PC concept art/PC Logo released – Jan 2007 (1.5 years)
Ben Barnes announced – Feb 2007 (1.25 years)
Several casting announcements made – Feb/March/April 2007 (1.25 years)
PC starts filming – Feb 2007 (1.25 years)
Production Blog 1 & 2 released – April 2007 (1 year)
Production Blog 3 released – May 2007 (1 year)

- Casting announcements, check.
- Release dates, check.
- Concept art and logos, check.
- Filming starts and ends, check.
- Oooh, a few LWW set pictures, wanna see em? http://www.narniaweb.com/2004/09/set-pictures-pevensies-london-house/ Ooooooh.... aaaahhhhh...

Now, in contrast, what have we gotten this time that we DIDN'T have for LWW and PC.

- 3 different in-depth set pictures, including the major piece, the Dawn Treader
- Hundreds (literally) of pictures of actors in costume
- TV interviews of the cast and crew on the set during filming
- A couple plot spoilers (ie Gael and Rhince, Dragon Attack on the ship, Eustace thwacking Gumpas with an oar)

So yeah, we've had it sooo much better or just as good as the previous productions. The only things we HAVEN'T had are the production blogs (which wouldn't have shown up for another two months) and the four above things show WAAAAY more than the early production blogs did.

So, why the blackout?

There isn't one

What do you think is happening?

They're finishing up filming.

What do the VDT producers not want us to know [if anything]?

The entire plot of the movie.

Hopefully you'll get my sarcasm and I don't come across as insulting (apologies if I do), but we've been super lucky with this production getting to see the actors in costume right up next to the fence and sneak peeks of scenes... We've got nothing to complain about. We didn't get anything like this for LWW and PC.

fantasia: us news newbies are spoiled, eh?

The reason I wondered is because NWebbers talked about an apparent news blackout for PC and speculated about Suspian. And they were right. Also, it just seems odd to me that after weeks and months of steady news [which you say is way more than LWW and PC], there's suddenly nothing.

There WAS a news blackout for PC. From about *tries to remember* Nov 2006 til March 2007. It KILLED the anticipation for the movie. Not sure what Suspian has to do with that....

Also, it just seems odd to me that after weeks and months of steady news, there's suddenly nothing.

Don't think of this as a news blackout, think of the huge quantity of news as a big sneak peek.

If you would like a serious answer as to why we're having this "blackout", here you go. Pretty much any production would have liked to keep things quiet up til about a year before the movie comes out (or even longer depending on the size of the movie). But there was NO WAY Fox could cover up a gigantic ship sitting on the coast of Australia. So instead of trying to keep things quiet, they used it as free publicity. But now that that's over, we're back to being quiet again.

Okay, thanks...

Just out of total curiosity, what kind of news were you hoping for?

Nothing in particular. I just wanted to read people's speculations, and then compare it to what happens next December. I thought it odd that people speculated about Suspian without knowing anything and then that's what happened.

By the way, what are NarniaWeb's general guidelines on posting news? What does NW consider newsworthy? Cause it seems like Aslan's Country is passing up NW and NF. Of course, we post anything and everything Narnia-related, whether or not it's "newsworthy."

(edited)

I want to get some behind the scenes photos. I agree that news always comes and goes for films. I wasn't a member during LWW, but i have checked the site since then and we got very little during LWW compared even with PC and now with VotDT.

The same thing has happened with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The cast did a lot of on location set and we got a lot of footage and photos and now they are filming at the school so we haven't gotten any video and photos in quite awhile. They will eventually start purposefully releasing things, but not until we get closer to the release date.

Seeing the costumes and Lucy with a sword and seeing all the changes that they have made has made it easier for me. It gives me time to get used to it all.

What do the VDT producers not want us to know [if anything]?

The entire plot of the movie.

Oh but that is what I want to know. (note somewhat joking tone)

Hopefully you'll get my sarcasm and I don't come across as insulting (apologies if I do), but we've been super lucky with this production getting to see the actors in costume right up next to the fence and sneak peeks of scenes... We've got nothing to complain about. We didn't get anything like this for LWW and PC.

I think we need to rephrase that last part: We should have nothing to complain about. I always manage to find something to complain about (and not just related to Narnia movies ). Actually, I've enjoyed getting all the information we have, but I really really want to know who Gael is and what she is doing on the ship. I don't think you're coming across as insulting.

I love the suspense! Usually when there is not any news for a long while, it means its something extremely good and they are waiting just for the right time to spill the beans.

I think its good that its hush hush for a while, too much information will just ruin the excitement!

I think we had a downpour and now there is a drought. Since the studios are back in control of the news, I expect that when they release something in the future it will be of the highest quality.

Maybe we will get a production blog or some interviews or even a glimpse of footage before the end of the year. (Probably just wishful thinking on the footage.)

Thanks for the different perspectives.

Okay, here are some questions: assuming more news, videos, and/or pics come out in the next month or two, what sort of news do you want? What do you not want? And what do you expect? [assuming it's different from want/not want]

Glimglum: did you notice how close you are to 666? [where I was at the beginning of this thread ]

what sort of news do you want?

[list=1]

And what do you expect? [assuming it's different from want/not want]

I haven’t followed any movies this closely so I really don’t know what to expect. I’m pretty sure they are not going to let me have a copy of the script though.

I like your list pattertwigs pal. I would definitely want to know who Gael is and which islands will be shown and in what order they will be shown.

I don't think i would just want to read the entire script, but maybe a few pages like those that aren't in the book at all.

I don't know about you guys but I think we have all been spoiled with all this news. The news was coming think and fast so it was kind a shock to me when it stopped. It got to the point were I would have been glad to have any news at all so that I could assure myself that everyone was still alive. As it is the rest of there filming isn't a public event and I'm sure everything is going fine. If it wasn't WE would be the first to know.