Message Boards

Campaign Updates

News Releases

Conventions

Fan Sites

Campaign Efforts

Campaign Articles

Celebs Corner

Merchandise

Hi all. Well with Georges approaching, we are all keeping an eye on the weather here in Florida. I hope to make my regular update on Monday, but if it is delayed, just know that it will be up asap.

1. In update #41, I shared with you that several major television advertisers were meeting in New York on September 28th to discuss how they, as advertisers, could have more influence on what was produced. As you know from my updates, costs at the networks are rising, with a few shows taking a large share of production costs leaving other shows scrambling for money. One of our members has written a wonderful letter to the advertisers who are meeting this coming week. She tied in our recent campaign efforts with well presented thoughts about PREY. I have included it at the bottom of this letter for our email and messageboard readers. It can also be accessed at the campaign site on a separate page under contact information. Thanks Jeanne for an excellent letter. As always, by accessing my updates at the site, you get to see the graphics and pictures that accompany the reminder card. This week's card features a neat cartoon adapted to PREY. Check it out at our campaign site http://start.at/prey

2. As I mentioned in update #43, Barry Diller, Chairman of the USA Network, is continuing to expand his entertainment holdings. Mr. Diller is entering the syndication market with the development of bigger budget programming. The willingness to consider more expensive shows for syndication is a plus for PREY. As you write to the USA Network executives including Mr. Diller, Mr. Chao, and Mr. Eich, share your enthusiasm for PREY and your beliefs that PREY would be a successful show for a network willing to invest in quality and unique programming. Mr. Diller is certainly a risk taker and has most likely put people in key positions who also support stepping out. Reinforcing the logic and vision of a bold approach certainly won't hurt in getting your message across.

3. Mary has contacted me regarding the Canadian Habitat for Humanity campaign and reports that a little over $200 was raised to go to support HFH efforts in Canada. Thanks again to all PREY fans who contributed. Thanks to Mary and Susan for their organization of the campaign efforts both in Canada and the US.

4. Mary T. organized a marvelous effort to get information out to the media about our HFH campaign. With helpers Carol, Diane, Veronica, Celine, and LaPeep, 1000 newspapers across the nation received the information. I hope I didn't leave anyone out who participated. What a great effort! Thanks to all!

5. This week our PREY weekly reminder was the brainchild of Sharon L. A few weeks ago, Sharon sent me a sample of an idea she was working on. To tie in with episode 9 and the upcoming flu season, Sharon came up with a "Flu Prevention/Survival Kit" that contained tissues, hand lotion, gloves, mask, lozenges, waterless hand sanitizer and, of course, packets of chicken soup! She packaged all of it in black gift bags tied with coordinating ribbon. To top it off, she packaged, addressed and stamped the boxes! She then sent them to me for me to insert my weekly letter. What a marvelous effort! Thanks so much Sharon. I know your idea will be an eye-catching one.

6. Next week's reminder gift was inspired by a quote sent to me by DNA Bob. It concerns survival and the need to keep moving ahead. I won't go into too many details, but it will be an interesting gift that I hope will be useful. More info on Monday.

7. I have had a few new people request mugs and I will be sending out those orders as they come in. I still have a few more mugs. Again, if you would like a mug ( or another one) please contact me at GEvers3@aol.com When these mugs are gone, that's it.

Below please find the card that accompanied this week's reminder gift:

Dear Mr. _______,

I am sure that Fall is an exciting time at the networks. New shows, new ideas to share, and of course the never ending development process to create shows for upcoming seasons. In many ways, the currency of your business is ideas. It is ideas that people work with and on, ideas that excite people and ideas that can grab and hold onto people.

PREY presents ideas and concepts that are intriguing and engaging. PREY is an idea that has a solid ability to grab people. In a town and an industry that deals in ideas, PREY is one that has a heart and soul that has yet to be fully explored. The potential to attract and hold the viewer is real, the elements are in place, and the vision is ready to realize.

When I speak with people about PREY, over and over they mention the intriguing combination of intellect and emotion, passion and science, fiction and reality. While your mind considers the very topical considerations raised by PREY, your heart resounds with intense feelings as you watch the touching development of the central relationship between Tom and Sloan.

Often PREY presents a topic that mirrors immediate concerns in society. Episode 9 explored the possibility of the new species using the Spanish influenza virus to reinfect our society. Think about it. How far out is it to consider that a group of people would try to extract and use frozen tissue samples containing the deadly virus when such samples have just recently been uncovered and retrieved ( see enclosed news report)?

Well, we certainly don't want you to start your new season with the flu, Spanish or otherwise, so we hope that our "Flu Kit" will help you stay well during this busy season.

Gina Evers

Finally, here is a copy of the letter that Jeanne sent to the major sponsors.

Director, Public Relations

Dear Sir or Ms:

I understand that Advertising Executives from Ford, Proctor and Gamble,

Johnson & Johnson, Coca Cola, and Sears will be meeting September 28 in

New York to discuss how to get better quality television programming

with which to showcase their products.

I'd like to let you know about a fine television program called PREY,

and the efforts to save it. PREY premiered this January past on ABC. It

has a fascinating and unusual premise. Taking evolution and going back

to the days of Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon, Bill Schmidt has come up with

a modern day setting of an ancient dilemma: two species of man occupying

the same ecological space. There are actually novels and stories by

Paleontologists about encounters between Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal,

dating back to 1955!

The show is thought provoking for those who like to be challenged and

entertaining for those who like to be entertained. It raises some pretty

important questions about the future of our species. One is what is it

about us that we hope would survive us? With thousands of years of

history behind us, inheritors of the discoveries of all who went before

us - how would modern man and his successors deal with the dilemma of

two human species occupying the same ecological space? All of these

questions are raised in the context of action, romance, and superb

storytelling!

In April of 1998, The Prey for Us Campaign organized over the Internet

to save the show.

One leg of the campaign, financed by Prey fans, has been to send a

weekly, hopefully thought-provoking gift/reminder to the various network

executives to keep PREY before them. Last week's gift/reminder was an

announcement of an $805.00 contribution to Habitat for Humanity by

campaign members in the US. The Canadian contribution to Habitat for

Humanity is on going and will be announced shortly. I have included the

text of the acknowledgement from Habitat and the announcements to

Habitat and to the network execs at the end of this letter.

Other "creative" gift/reminders have touched on various aspects of the

show and of quality programming. A "Bongo the Monkey" beanie baby

featured the topic of Evolution. A copy of Darwin's The Origin of the

Species featured the Evolution of the TV Viewer. A "Crunch the Shark"

beanie baby featured Predator and Prey. A polished agate slice featured

Originality in TV Programming. An actual piece of a mammoth tusk talked

about Cloning of Successful TV Series; and a PET scan card - Brain Book

featured the Brain of the Involved Viewer.

In addition to these weekly gift/reminders Prey fans have contributed

approximately $1600 for two ads in Variety Magazine, set up booths at

sci-fi Conventions in Canada and the U.S. (coast to coast), conducted a

thorough on-line newspaper campaign, and vigorously campaigned sponsors

of the show. Responses have been favorable. Our list of web sites

continues to grow. We have been featured in the LA times and various

other newspapers, including the Journal and Courier. Prey has achieved

Qualified Support status with Viewers for Quality Television. We've

heard from William Schmidt, the show's creator, and Charlie Craig, the

show's producer, as well as from other members of the creative team. We

were successful in influencing ABC to air the remaining five episodes of

PREY this summer after they had placed it on hiatus. PREY is now being

shown in other countries, and fans are joining us from Australia, Great

Britain, and Sweden.

For this work the Prey for Us Campaign recently received an award from

Viewers Voice for outstanding efforts in getting PREY renewed

(http://www.viewersvoice.org).

Most of us in the work force today have been introduced to the concepts

of Total Quality Management and the importance of customer service. As

they exist today, the TV and Entertainment industries seem to be

incapable of going the extra mile and responding to the needs and

interests of their customers. Superb work by actors, directors,

musicians, artists, writers, and photographers is allowed to slip

through the cracks, often leaving customers disillusioned and

disappointed. If the TV industry cannot respond, I hope indeed that TV

sponsors like yourselves can and will respond to improve the present

situation!

Sincerely,

Jeanne Winstead

Encl.: Letters to Network Executives and Habitat for Humanity, Letter

from Walter Thompson from Habitat for Humanity, and article from the

Lafayette Journal and Courier.

********************************************************************************

The outstanding efforts of PREY fans continue to inspire me. So many ideas, so much enthusiasm, so much heart and passion. I know it is hard ( where have I heard that line :-) ) to continue to put your heart and passion on the line with time moving on and no clear word about PREY's future, but that is what separates the average from the extraordinary. Your efforts, your passion are truly exceptional. As I have said often, I am fighting because I believe that PREY still has a chance. A show this good, this exceptional, must have a market. I will keep working and fighting to find one for it. Maybe we won't succeed, but I won't stop until I know in my heart that every option has been exhausted, that I have done my absolute best. PREY deserves that, Mr. Schmidt deserves that, and all the talented people who put so much heart and soul into PREY deserve that. They deserve the best for creating the best and that is what they are going to get.

Gina