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PREY MINICON 

-  I arrived back in Saskatoon from Burbank late Monday night, and my mind keeps turning over and over all the great things that happened there!  It was spectacular to meet so many Preymates assembled in one place, and I would modestly say that
OUR TABLE HAD THE BEST STUFF (the creativity and generosity of Preymates is endless!). This is definitely something we've got to do again next year, so start saving your pennies now! 

- Of course, the HIGHLIGHT of the con was the presentation/discussion with William Schmidt (or "Bill" as I now call him, LOL!) and Larry Andries, who both turned out to be very charming, gracious and intelligent men (which, of course, we knew all along).  We had the wonderful privilege of seeing "Hungry for Survival," and *hopefully* you'll all have the opportunity to see it soon. 

- THE ESSENCE OF THE SESSION WITH MR. SCHMIDT was that OUR CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN WORKING--people at Sci-Fi HAVE "noticed" the key campaign (as the recent posting on the Sci-Fi MB by Craig Engler makes clear!), and our ongoing efforts to get Prey back into production.  AND, he has ALREADY brought up the idea of reviving Prey with Warner Bros.  He was also recently approached by a woman at Sci-Fi (I've got to get her name!--it had slipped his mind for the time being) who told him that the reaction to Prey was the reason they'd hired Vincent Ventresca for Invisible Man!  The "persistence" of us Homini Persistens has obviously had its effect; Mr. Schmidt assured us that he will be
pushing for a "Prey revival" with both WB and Sci-Fi.  Please realize that this will NOT be something that will happen overnight (don't expect to see new episodes of Prey or a Prey movie in the fall).  It will probably take at least a year to make it happen, if it happens.  Also, it's important to keep in mind that it's NOT a sure thing--the TV industry can be fickle.  But, to quote Mr. Schmidt, "As Star Trek has shown, nothing is out of the realms of possibility."  So let's keep taking that good old Prey "leap of faith"! 

- BTW, Mr. Schmidt volunteered the information (and I quote) that "Adam Storke is absolutely critical" to the show, and that Mr. Storke had been very committed to Prey.  He also mentioned to both La Peep and myself (separately!) that he would try to bring A.S. to the minicon next year!!!!  Again, please realize that this is by no means a sure thing at this point, but it certainly would be nice (to grossly understate the issue!).  I will definitely be sending the card Karen made for Mr. Storke to him, along with a covering letter and photos "Tom" in  the cage, and of Bill Schmidt and Larry Andries busting out of it (thanks, DianeS, for posting those great con photos!). 

- Mr. Schmidt will also be in touch with me so that I can keep him apprised of significant campaign developments.  As for the campaign, he told us to "Just keep doing what we've been doing"--see the Campaign Strategy notes below. 

- WE HAVE A COMPLETE VIDEOTAPE OF THE INTERVIEW, WITH, WE DISCOVERED TO OUR DELIGHT, THANKS TO OUR VIDEOGRAPHER ST. GERRY,  A COMPLETE TAPE OF "HUNGRY FOR SURVIVAL" (THE SOUND QUALITY IS A BIT HOLLOW, BUT THE PICTURE QUALITY IS EXCELLENT!). Tapes will be available at cost; watch this space for further information (no, you can't have them today, please be patient-easy for me to say!). 

- Mr. Schmidt also offered to get us whatever scripts and the "Prey bible" (storyboard for the series) he could find, so that we can get copies made at cost for whoever wants them (he said something to the effect that WE should have them, and shouldn't have to pay commercial rates!).  I also asked him about getting Hungry for Survival tapes, and he said he would look into it (and I will remind him, let me tell you!). 

KUDOI 

- Thanks to Elaine (henceforth to be known as the Minicon Goddess!), Gerry (officially canonized as St. Gerry at the con) and all the dedicated Preymates (especially La Peep!) who worked SOOOO hard to make it happen!  And to all the kind Preymates who helped bring our sweet Barbie to the con! 

-  A VERY SPECIAL HONOURABLE MENTION to Karen aka Shadowman, whose boundless ingenuity and generosity have to been seen to believed!  Bill Schmidt was thrilled with the card and the BEAUTIFUL plaque  she donated--I see that
pictures of these have already been posted--and everyone was delighted with the T-shirts (especially me!). 

- MANY THANKS to JudyA for conceiving, organizing and conducting the Prey raffle at the con, which was a great success. Thanks to all of you who donated Prey items for the raffle--the two big highlights were a beautiful basket full of goodies (both edible and Prey-related) made up by the very talented Sammi, and the sterling silver Prey charm bracelet donated by JudyA (I'm happy to report that BARBIE won the bracelet!). 

- SPECIAL THANKS to DianeS for inviting Brian Lowry (LA Times) to the con, and to Mr. Lowry for coming! Those of you who live in the LA area, please watch the paper to see if anything gets published about it! 

- Mega-KUDOS (which, as we remember, is a singular not a plural, LOL!) also to the wonderful people who conceived, designed, shipped and built the CAGE (and the MAGNIFICENT figure of Tom that went in it!), which was definitely the biggest attention-getter at the Prey table (I heard a little boy who was rushing by with his parents yell, "There's Tom!")--Margaret, La Peep (truly a lovely lady!), Karen, Jeanne and Benny (I hope I've spelled his name right--Jeanne's treasure of a husband who actually built it).  And, of course, Bill Schmidt and Larry Andries for climbing into it and giving us the photo op of a lifetime (which we will be getting good mileage out of, believe me!). 

*CAMPAIGN STRATEGY FOR JULY/AUGUST* 

- In the past week, we have had more feedback on the PFU Campaign and it's effect than we have for a very long time.  I, and everyone at the minicon, was very encouraged and elated, both by Mr. Schmidt's comments and by the fact that Sci-Fi has really NOTICED our passion for Prey! So--let's keep "doing what we've been doing"--but I'd also like us to take it to an even higher level--we've got the momentum going, so let's keep with it! 

- IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER now that Mr. Schmidt is back on the case that HIS function is to push for Prey--he's a professional, and he knows what he's doing.  OUR function is to go on asking TPTB for what we want--ultimately, to get Prey back into production--and to publicize Prey and the PFU Campaign.  It's VERY IMPORTANT to keep Prey ON THE AIR, so we need to continue targeting Sci-Fi so that they will keep running the existing episodes, as well as asking for Prey marathons, chats, mechanise, etc.  Our priority right now, as I'm sure you'll agree, is to keep pushing with redoubled force for new episodes. 

- KEY CAMPAIGN.  Since the SCI-FI CHANNEL has taken notice (finally!) of the key campaign, let's go for another 500 posters/keys BY THE END OF JULY.  If Prey is taken off their primetime schedule for the summer, it's important that they
keep being hit with the message that their viewers WANT PREY.  You can use the available posters, or design your own (there were some nifty new designs on the Prey table!).  Use your ingenuity!  And, of course,  letters with keys would be great, too! Also, as before, please LET ME KNOW how many keys you will be sending, so that we have something approximating hard numbers.  Kiera had a wonderful idea about a "flag campaign" to follow up the key campaign, but let's send those 500 keys before we start that one in August!  GOOD SOURCES OF KEYS (besides the junk drawer) include craft stores, buck stores and uncut keys from keymakers (sometimes they'll let you have them for free!). ADDRESS: Bonnie Hammer, Executive Vice President, General Manager Sci-Fi Channel, 1230 Avenue of the Americas; New York, NY 10020.  When I can get the name of the new woman at Sci-Fi that Bill Schmidt mentioned, I'll post her name, too! 

- Mr. Schmidt also emphasized that IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO WRITE TO PETER ROTH AT WARNER BROS., asking for them to make a new season of Prey, since it's WB that owns the rights.  By all means throw a key in, if you have
one!  Letters--to WB or Sci-Fi--should emphasize that we want Prey because it is an intelligent, thought-provoking, quality program, and that there's an audience out there for really good programming--namely, US!  ADDRESS:  Peter Roth, President, Warner Brothers Television,  300 Television Plaza, Burbank, CA 91505.  You might also want to send a letter to LEN GOLDSTEIN, DIRECTOR OF DRAMA DEVELOPMENT at WB. 

- I WILL BE SENDING a full dossier of material on the PFU Campaign (especially anything that's been published about us) to Bonnie Hammer, Peter Roth, Brian Lowry and a few other Sci-Fi/WB execs (whose names I'm not totally clear on, right now) as well as a follow-up letter to Bill Schmidt to bring him up-to-date on the Campaign, including the dossier (I'll send that one express!). 

VARIETY AD 

- At the moment, I can "unoffically" say that, thanks to your donations--and especially to "takings" at the minicon--we are now able to pay back the Queen of Prey in full.  Can you believe it, nobody at the con thought to buy a copy of Variety on Thursday (I was in aeroplanes most of the day, as were many others), but I've already received one email in response to the ad, and Erin has already mailed me copies of the  paper.  I'll get copies to those who made donations. 

OTHER NOTES 

- I am going to ask for Bill Schmidt's "blessing" so that we can be recognized as the "official Prey fan club." 

- V will look into getting Prey into the Sci-Fi Channel Virtual Con, held around Hallowe'en every year.  She tried last year, but they wouldn't let us participate because Prey wasn't airing on Sci-Fi--but that's changed, thanks to US! 

- SINCE CRAIG ENGLER HAS BEEN VISITING THE SCI-FI MB, don't forget to 
post there, too! 

- MANY THANKS to those of you who participated in the campaign strategy session on the Sunday evening of the minicon (it actually started at the online fandom panel in the morning), and in advance to all of you for putting the strategy into motion! 

- I haven't been able to report on EVERYTHING that happened, so I give my "blessing" to all of those who were at the con to share! 

Mary Ann, Prey For Us Campaign Coordinator 

  "It's in my head somehow, like a dream I can't remember" (Tom Daniels in   Prey).