Bigg City Port, a Tugs
Fansite has been working on the Tugs DVD Campaign in association with Sodor Island Forum
since late 2003 when it was clear that people wanted to replace their
gradually wearing out VHS tapes with higher quality DVDs. Tugs inspired
many people to have an interest in maritime life, from the work of
tugboats and shipping to watersports such as sailing and kayaking. Like
Thomas the Tank Engine it used live action animation which reached out
to Autistic children helping them to learn about human emotions in a way
that few other programs do. The length of Tugs episodes were 15 to 20
minutes long which gave greater character depth and more developed
storylines too.
The sets and models used to film the series were
extremely beautiful and well detailed, this encouraged many fans of the
series to get into modelling, some even creating their own custom made
models of the characters.
In 2013 the Star Tugs Company acquired
the main character's models and in 2014 opened its first semi permanent
exhibition to display the models and took a selection of other character
models on a tour of the UK. These exhibitions showed the vast number of
people who remembered the series and the greater number who were
interested in buying it on DVD or legally downloading episodes. The
release of the series for DVD and download would help to make the Star
Tugs Exhibitions viable so that fans old and new can enjoy the
opportunity to see them.
Fan
power brought Fraggle Rock to DVD after Warrick Brownlow-Pike started a petition in 2002. In 2005 HIT Entertainment and
the Jim Henson Company released the DVD for sale. Its happened before, together we can do it again all we have to do is get
enough people to sign up.
The
main difference between Tugs and Fraggle Rock is that the rights are split between three different parties
so there is no single place to send the petition however we believe that we can overcome this hurdle. To support the
Campaign you can follow the link by clicking on the banner above or by following the banner below with Zug's image to
watch the episodes on YouTube. Alternatively on Facebook you can use #TugsDVD.
If you would like to support the Campaign it is requested that you please bare the following points in mind.
1) Please refrain from contacting former cast and crew.
Why? If hundreds of fans being to chase down these people they might in
future decline any official sort of interview for a DVD which some are
striving for at the moment. As with all media productions no one owns or
controls Tugs Fandom, but out of consideration for their right to a
private life we ask for some restraint towards these people that is all.
2) TUGS Rights. It’s fairly universally known that the Tugs
rights are fractured. At this time chasing up buying the rights is not a
real option. What the DVD campaign is trying to do is get the current
rights holders to communicate to get a DVD release or the rights all
consolidated to one holder to aid with the release of said DVD. Right
now bringing back TUGS as a series, is not the intention of the
consolidating the rights .
3) The Thomas connection.
Tugs
and Thomas shared many things but unfortunately not any more. Fans
suggesting HIT Entertainment has knowledge over props , rights and the
Master Tapes is nonsensical. HIT got any Tugs props still around when
they bought out Britt Allcroft. Any Tugs props that remained were used
on Thomas and became Thomas props, others were thrown away. Puffa
appears to have been cut up and used as scrap so his model most likely
does not exist anymore. Britt Alcroft as a company that was eventually
taken over by HIT Entertainment was an entirely different company to TVS
Television, Clearwater Features and Castle Communications. The
successive takeovers of these companies assets took the ownership rights
to the Tugs TV series in a completely different direction which brings
us back to the issue made in point number 2.
4) Merchandise,
Without the rights to the show any Character merchandise from models to
erasers CANNOT be made. Whenever merchandise is mentioned or asked for
models of the Tugs is repeatedly asked for , this is positive as it
shows a demand for such items. But like with a DVD no rights means no
merchandise.
5) One Name Many Voices speaking together.
When
the Star Tugs Trust and the Bigg City Port Fansite are looking for when
asking for help with merchandise ideas or support towards a campaign
they are not hundreds of individuals regurgitating old facts, asking
for what can’t be obtained, pestering people etc. We are looking for
constructive ideas and the fandom to unite in one voice. If you have
realistic and viable suggestions great but if its lost within 50
comments asking for Top Hat…it might be missed. What Tugs need is the
fandom united behind one banner so ALL fan voices can be heard clearly
to the powers that be. The Star Tugs Trust's main focus is the models
from the TV Series and promoting them and their heritage as an
attraction. Bigg City Port's main focus is trying to unite people who
would like to see the original 13 episodes released on DVD. By liking
our social media pages you are supporting our efforts to reach our goals
together and create a viable future for Tugs.
6) Bigg City Port
is not a member of the Star Tugs Trust and while it supports the
organisation's work it doesn't speak for them.
7) If you want to keep up to date with the DVD Campaign and the worldwide
network of Tugs fans and even Thomas the Tank Engine please follow the links to one of our social media partner websites.
There is a wealth of information and
