I was finally able to obtain satisfaction this week. The first inroad was made when I was finally able to at least access my FIFTH work ticket on the zen site. There, I left a specific message, along with a link to Zan’s post in which she reported success. Today I received an email, with a new password, and finally have access to my past purchases, but for a limited amount of time.
Whew. Now I have to budget 3.5 hours to watch The Crucible soon – to make it all worthwhile.
At this stage, with no really helpful reply or action from Digital Theatre, I’m proposing that Richard Armitage fans make a concerted, signal-boosted effort to get @DigitalTheatre’s attention and action – through Twitter and Facebook. (Meanwhile, keep those emails going)
Many Richard Armitage fans, and probably other DT customers, have faced a frustrating time these past weeks trying to gain access to The Crucible on the DT website. it started with change in Terms of Service, and hasn’t ended yet. The solution DT is proposing is just sending us around in circles, receiving the same useless email responses, IT order tickets, inaccessibility to the site, and most frustratingly – notices that they’re closed over a holiday that ended over a week ago.
It appears that although they are claiming a backlog – not ONE customer has had success. in accessing The Crucible or even getting resubscribed to the site.
You can check here , here (read the comments) and search Twitter @DigitalTheatre to read their feed and see for yourself the number of complaints, and lame responses, such as this one on Violet Dutchblogger’s FB page. 
Individual action doesn’t seem to be working; therefore, I’m proposing that we take concerted action on Twitter for those who are on Twitter, (@DigitalTheatre) and on their FB page (https://www.facebook.com/digitaltheatre/ )
Here are my ideas – I’m open to other suggestions:
What we need:
Please let us know through Twitter (@Perry3220) or comments here ( even if you don’t usually comment here) whether (a) you have a better idea and (b) whether you have a good 40 character tweet we can use or (c) whether you want to draft a note that can be used as a FB message and image attachment to a tweet.
Let’s face it, and DT should face it also – if they don’t come up with a workable solution soon, it is inevitable that The Crucible will be pirated ( if it hasn’t already) and this fandom will make sure that any fans who want it, will finally get it for their own private libraries. We have some of the most tech savvy fans around, and a very strong underground backchannel. We paid for it – we should own it, but we’re willing to work with DT’s promise of long term access.
As you may know, DT changed their terms of service making it impossible for those who purchased content, like The Crucible, to watch it at will off line.
This is their latest comment after complaints from some of our Richard Armitage fans:
What they are promising is that, if you reach out, you will have access to stream previous purchases for ” an extended period.” I haven’t tried it yet.
Let us know if you’ve have any success.
here Digital Theatre has been acquired by digital education experts Big Clever Learning. They’ve lost their producer, but luckily, not their fab director Robert Delamere. I hope their customer service is just as good.
excerpt:
Notable successes for the company include capturing a production of The Crucible, starring Richard Armitage, at the Old Vic, London, and Much Ado About Nothing starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate.
I thought this happened already, or maybe DT took it off the website for a while. Anyway, it’s available now for purchase or rental from DT.
I’ve enjoyed some of the marketing directed at the Richard Armitage fandom.
I liked everything about A.J. Hartley’s social media strategy to promote Hamlet: A Novel :I liked how he interacted in general ( he has his own fandom) and to the Richard Armitage fandom. His tweet that, in words or substance, the way to get 1 million followers on Twitter is to mention #RichardArmitage was brilliant.. He’s humorously self-deprecating, while purposefully advocating Richard Armitage. I’m sorry that, on social media, David Hewson and he had to demonstrate their intentional limitations on just what data they would provide.
Audible did okay in my book, as well. It issued a video, some excerpts and together with the authors, kept us up to date on the overwhelmingly positive response to the release . And then they gave the gift of Richard Armitage reading love poetry, which was also great fun on social media, I think
Digital Theatre’s social media personality, for the most part, has been informative and interactive – . But they do it in a nice way and as I feel about A.J. Hartley, I’m interested in their other products – so I want the marketing information.
Digital Theatre was savvy In jumping aboard a fan initiated event, #TheCrucibalGlobalView. I don’t know if the fan version included live tweet viewing. The initial details on how to participate were a little vague. I thought it was to be a comment, quote or other tweet or post, appropriate to the hashtag. Yes – there’s the feeling they want to get every drop of revenue. DT’s target audience.market were predominantly Richard Armitage fans, having come from his fan sites; therefore, a hefty portion of the target audience have probably purchased The Crucible and the Interview.
Nevertheless, any negativity I might feel, and it’s hardly any, is outweighed by the notion that the fans started the idea and a promoter/producer/distributor not only acknowledged it, but got involved. DT worked with the fans and gave something back.
Meanwhile, Warner Brothers gets away with murder in the promotion department.
So, I’m very okay with this kind of marketing.
.
NOW- if they would only make their Yaël Farber Interview available to all.
Armitage Agonistes 