Animation Source Forums

Here's the deal :

I assume everyone here is a Balto fan. And as such, you probably all know that this is not a very well known film, and that it deserves much more popularity. Since there are many improvements that Universal should do for that license, why not making a petition to let them know that there are more than enough fans of this film (or series)?

That's why I thought we wouldn't have anything to lose by making one. At worse, it will be ignored, and that's all. At best, Universal will answer to our calls...

Now, if we make a petition, it should be better to make the subject of the petition for something every Balto fan will agree with, in order to everyone can sign it. That's why I made this topic : I want everyone to give ideas.

For example, I thought of the following things :

- release a special edition of the Balto DVD, with widescreen, deleted scenes, commentaries and such things
- same things for the sequels (make them in widescreen)
- making a Balto video game
- restart making Balto merchandises (plushies, books...)
- release the soundtracks of the sequels on a CD

I agree...... well I have been waiting 4 a topic like these SO I'm going to give the best ideas that I have!

Balto T-shirts.
A balto video game
Maybe a Balto product on those general mills boxes
Shool supplies with Balto on them
(I know this is not a product but still) I think they should make a Balto series

Me neither! I agree for this petition.

(Make a Balto series, IMHO, would be great!)

But... uh.. How can I sign it? Well, how this idea would be bring to life? We all sign an electron form, or...
Gosh, it's so hard to explain this for me in english! Sorry, okay?

Sounds cool... A Balto video game... I've beening thinking about something like that for a while... maybe I'll take a crack at in it in about 3 years after I finish CP. ^^

Do you have never signed an online petition? In general, it is something like "If you promise to buy (this product) if it's released one day, sign here" and you fill your name, your email (you have an option for displaying it or not) and you can also add some comments.
I'll have to search on the web a site to make one.

Thanks, steetboris! I'm just new in these things.

No problem There's this site, for example (I think it's the most well known):

http://www.petitiononline.com/petition.html

And here's an example of petition :

http://www.petitiononline.com/BmanBox/petition.html

In fact, I believe we could put all of the ideas above in the same petition, and then ask in option more precise questions, like in the example. ("would you buy a balto video game if it was released?")

Oh, and I expect all the Balto sites to give a link to the petition if we do it (I'm especially talking to GK and AJ here )



I didn't understand what you meant by that? What does "mills boxes" and "shool supplies" mean?

Here is an idea. How about they reshow the balto movies in theaters again. I know it's a long shot but it would be really cool. It would be great if Balto2:WQ and Balto3:WoC could be seen on the big screen

I think that they should make a box set with all 3 movies and start selling Balto merchandise again. People might start to watch the movie if they can see what it repersents and how it doesn't matter if you are different and when they see how cute the characters are maybe they will start to watch the movie and fall in love with it like everyone here has.

Also making a video game is a good idea and might catch the attention of some people. There is a lot of dog lovers of there and wolf lovers that would be perfect fans for this show and game. They just don't know it's out there.

Balto T-shirts is a good idea I also think we should all make one there is this store in the mall that is called Laser disk patterns or something and they have made a lot of things personally for me and they put any picture on a cup, hat, shirt, hoodie, I think even stickers for your car.

They should also start making a television series with all the characters coming back or the Balto four should be a ending for Balto. It would be so beautiful.

Well....yeah I'm done

Good ideas everyone

This idea is a crazy one by far, but here it is anyway. Since Universal owns theme parks I figured that maybe we could petion to have them build some sort of Balto themed ride of something Balto themed that would exist in their park. It would definatly increase the number of people expossed to Balto. It is a long shot of course, but if it ended up happening that would be awsome

I don't think they'd look good. Too many bloopers. If you slow motion the film just about every frame of B2 has some sort of animation blooper. I've done that. They weren't meant for the theater too. B3 isn't as bad with the bloopers, but there are still quite a few. The bloopers would be way too noticable on a big screen too. I'm rambling again.

I'd definitely love to see a re-release of the original Balto though, and a special edition of the DVD in widescreen. And Balto plushies. They need to make a Steele and Star plushie.

I don't think a release of the sequels in theaters would be such a good idea, and only the fans would go see it. No, but re-releasing the original would be a good idea (especially now, since no new american traditionnaly animated film will go into theaters), even if I doubt it would happen.

So, I believe I have to take that petition under my responsability...
Here's a temporary summary of the petition that I wrote myself :

Title :

Balto : A call from the fans


Text in front page :

Balto is an animated film that never got the recognition it should have had.
From year to year, the Balto community of fans has grown up and up, at the speed of people get to know of its existence.

We (Balto fans) feel that Universal never got to realize the potential of this license. We would want a better future for the Balto license than just making sequels after sequels in a "Land Before Time" way.
We have to let Universal know that there are a lot of Balto fans out there, especially in comparison of the (still small) number of people who got the chance to see it.

And as such, this animated film should be recognized the way it should be : as a great classic, which had great potential and yet never got to be well known because of a lack of advertising, weak efforts and wrong marketing choices (releasing the film at the same time as Toy Story was probably the biggest error possible...)
But, we feel that it's not too late, and there are a few things Universal should do to exploit their license in a good way.

A list of things Universal Pictures should do includes :

- release a special edition of the Balto DVD, with widescreen, deleted scenes, commentaries, a good cover,...and the same for the sequels,
- making a Balto video game,
- restart making Balto merchandises (plushies, books, t-shirts...),
- release the soundtracks of the sequels on a CD,
- a TV series,
- reshow the original film in theaters,
- build a Balto ride in one of Universal theme parks
- make a box-set with the three Balto films,
- better distribution (for example, Wings of Change was difficult to find at its release, even in the USA,
and the original Balto is still difficult to find...)

We would already be glad if Universal would realize one of these "fan wishes", because it would say that even big companies like Universal can understand the fans. We also think that both Universal and us (fans and customers) would win if such things were to happen.


So, if you like Balto and think that it deserves to be more popular,
sign the petition!


And the additional questions asked in the form :

Would you buy the products previously listed if they were released? Yes/No
What are your feelings about the Balto films?
Any other comments?


Tell me what do you think of it, and if there are things to add/change. I want that everyone agree with the petition, so that's why I don't want to make everything myself...I think there are also a lot of spelling and grammatical errors that need to be corrected...

I agree with everything. Very diplomatic petition. I sure sign it, and you has listed here everything, that Universal should do. I have nothing to add!

It's just perfect. I fully and thoroughly agree, and so do my Latvian Balto Fan friends