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About a week after the post about the letter writing campaign I sent mine. I used the template Kevin suggested and modified it so the first paragraph was my own so it would not be a strict form letter.

February 17 I got this from Jerry Bruckheimer Films:


This is with reference to your letter regarding RIFTS.

Because so many unfounded claims of plagiarism are asserted against motion picture producers, this company has made it an invariable rule that neither it nor its employees read or consider unsolicited literary or visual material, ideas, or suggestions of any nature whatsoever.

Therefore, as required, I am returning your correspondence unexamined and without retaining any copies.

We hope that you understand our policy. Good luck and thank you for your interest in Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

Sincerely



Did this happen to any one else or is it just my luck?

Have not heard anything back myself. Did you give story idea for what you would wanted in the movie?

Huh, thats weird, I didn't get a letter back either.

Was your letter in a regular #10 business letter envelope?

Chances are, you're all likely to receive something similar. However, that's not a bad thing as the idea will be made that there's growing interest in the movie.

I think it was the RIFTS logo on the template.

So letter writing doesnt work?

If they're sending them back, unopened, then I would have to classify this venture as an epic fail. I don't see how "growing interest in the movie" can be seen by the producers if they aren't opening the letters to read them.

The real question is has anyone else gotten one back. I haven't and I sent mine out right after the campaign started. I haven't seen any posts by anyone else who has gotten anything back. I forgot to ask for my signed 8X10! Darn!

As I tried to explain before, it's not message but volume that's important. For the person processing the mail, they new this was about Rifts and it's logged. The more letters they receive the more that log is going to show and the message will continue. I am curious what his letter/envelope looked like to make them think it was an idea or what have you but we'll have to wait and see what others get back. Even if everyone receives a similiar letter, the plan will still have worked.

I did not get my letter back either and its been several weeks. One of two things may have happened:

1) Robroy may have accidently said something in his letter than the secretary interpreted as an "unsolicted idea." No big deal, send another!

2) Or Robroy's letter showed up on Overzealous Intern Day when the secretary was sick and Overzealous Intern could not tell the difference between fan mail and a script pitch. Again, no big deal, send another!

Fan mail campaigns are powerful. Don't doubt that.

Oh it was opened but like there letter said I am sure it was unexamined.

Did not picht anything. It was the templet Kev posted. My addition was to say what a fan of RIFTS I am, how many books I have, and how I would love to see it on the big screen.

I don't think it was a bad idea, but if nobody reads the letters and they just send them back, then I have to agree with the above. Epic.

Hmm, that raises an interest question. Robroy, what did you put on your envelope that they new it was about Rifts?

The envelope just had the address on it.

It was opened

I think someone went to reed the letter, saw the RIFTS logo, and recoiled in possible lawsuit horror

To be perfectly honest, chances are that someone in the mail room did read it and sent you back the standard form to prevent lawsuit.

Send any mail to the WWE for example and you'll get the same form. It doesn't mean that no one read your letter, it just means no one that has anything to do with the creation of the movie itself did so that they can't be accused of stealing your idea if it does get used. It doesn't mean it doesn't get logged and the reason for the letter isn't reported, it just means that Brukheimer didn't read it himself.

I think the key part is:
"read or consider unsolicited literary or visual material, ideas, or suggestions of any nature whatsoever."

If all we're doing in the letter is congratulating them for considering the Rifts movie, not suggesting that they make one, and we're not using including any logos, ideas, or suggestions, then I don't see the problem.

Besides, I agree with Artemis; volume is more important than specific message.
As long as they're getting a lot of letters about Rifts, they're going to know that there's interest.

Worst-case scenario, each of us wastes a sheet of paper, a stamp, an envelope, and some ink.
I for one am quite prepared to take this risk, and to encourage my friends to do the same.

(Though admittedly I haven't actually sent any letters myself yet; printer is on the fritz)

youre an optimist and enthusiast, and I appreciate that. but I dont see "growing interest" in returning this RIFTS-letter to sender. even worse, whoever opened it, didnt understand the letter nor know about the RIFTS-movie.

I'm not an enthusiast, I just how how this works from the other side. What you don't seem to realize is that in a mail room, everything is logged, even 'return to senders'. They're usually logged by sender, date received, post date, and subject. Now, what do you think will happen when their marketing and communications teams (the ones that review the logs) see RIFTS more often than not?

Considering this appears to be the only returned letter makes me wonder what happened here and what he had in his letter to make them use the plagerism excuse...

But regardless. It's not the letters or what's in them that matters, it's the showing that there's an interest. CBS for example brought back Jericho for an extra season after canceling it because they received almost a ton of peanuts from multiple senders. Did the people who opened those letters for CBS understand what the peanuts were for when they started receiving them? Doubtful. (It was in reference to a CBS Producer that made some comment about how it takes more than peanuts to make a show like jericho...).

I can confirm this. Mailrooms log for both marketing and legal reasons.



Overzealous Intern or Newbie in the Mailroom.




Yup. Interest announces the existence of fanboys. Fanboys are key to opening weekend success. Since most films make 50% (or more) of their total BO in that weekend, fanboys are crucial.

A 60% drop between 1st and 2nd weekend is normal. Films with big 2nd weekends are those with broad appeals or those whose fanboys have created enough word of mouth to draw in non-fanboys.

This thread makes me think I wont hear anything either...So it's time to write 2 letters!

I also sent a letter a few weeks ago. I've not received anything back.

Darnit, I'm making copies and handing them out to all my players this weekend to sign, We'll all send out multiple copies over the following weeks. It's what little I (we) can do.

A good rifts movie is just too cool not to do a little something about, and you guy's have convinced me it can make a difference ... if enough of us are doing it!

-Rifter6

Wow! And it only took them five months to convince you.