SPN Project: Spoiler screen.

[caffienekitty]

*sigh* I did say I'd post this if I made one...

Spoiler-Screen Construction for Spoilerphobic CW Supernatural Watchers.

As most of you are aware, last week the CW aired several spoilers for Season 4 in a ticker line during the repeat broadcast of Supernatural. Many people were not happy about being spoiled. Some (like me) avoided exposure because Supernatural fans kick ass and people on the East Coast who saw them spread the word.

However, knowing the bone-headedness of the CW Promo department, this may very well continue to happen in future airings of Supernatural during the hiatus, and possibly in the new season. :-P

So, in order to safely watch the episode tonight without fear of being spoiled, I constructed a Spoiler Screen. In case any other spoilerphobes are interested in constructing their own, whether to block spoilers or just block out that damned distracting ticker, here's how:



Step 1. Find piece of cardboard as wide as your TV. You want one where the corrugation (the inner structure of the cardboard) will be going lengthwise, so the cardboard will be easier to fold.




Step 2. Turn to a channel like CNN or CBC NewsWorld, one that's supposed to have a ticker line of text going across the bottom. Measure up the side of your TV how much space this takes up on the screen only and note it down.




Step 3. Play a previously taped episode of Supernatural (or find a letter-boxed (not wide screen) movie or show somewhere on TV) Measure the distance from whatever the TV is sitting on to where the letter-boxing ends and the picture starts.




Step 4. Add the amount of space the 'ticker' takes up to the letterbox size, then add a quarter-inch because god only knows if anyone's going to have a super-sized ticker, it'll be the CW. Added bonus, the extra height may block most of the dancing green baloney the CW throws up on the bottom of the screen during shows. :-P

ETA: Update from ficwriter1966, the CW crawl was two lines high last week, so add a full inch, maybe even an inch and a half, not a quarter. Grr.




Step 5. Score (slice a little with a knife or scissors) your cardboard. This will make it stay bent easier. Try to do this so that the more neutral side of the cardboard will be facing out, or it may be distracting. (I think I might have done the wrong side, it may work better to do the scoring on the outward-facing side. I also did step 6 before step 5 because I was trying to do this and get photos of each step before I left for work and the caffiene hadn't hit my bloodstream yet. Oopsie.)



Step 6. Lift your TV, one side at a time if necessary, and scootch the part of the cardboard not intended to block the ticker underneath until the folded section is flush with the TV front. If you have a CRT style TV (like me), this may be difficult to accomplish alone, but doable with patience and wiggling.




Step 7. Fold your ticker section up so it blocks the screen appropriately. It may not stay up on its own. If not, fold the sides of the cardboard (cutting as neccesary) around the sides of the TV and afix with tape. Do not leave tape on the TV when not blocking spoilers or it may leave gummy patches on your TV case. (Photo edited slightly because no one needs to see a reflection of my messy apartment or my elbow sticking out of Dean's ear.)

Step 7a. (Optional) If you are feeling particularly creative and MacGyver-y, it should be possible to rig up something with empty thread spools or some other improvised pulleys by which you can engage the spoiler screen mid-show as required by pulling on a bit of string or suchlike. This may however require cat-like reflexes and nerves of steel, as well as an iron willpower to avoid thinking "oh a little peek won't be so bad..."



Step 8. Watch with caution at first to ensure the tickerline is completely covered and no spoilers are visible. If any other CW shows are afflicted with the dreaded ticker as well, these might be good to test your spoiler screen on, although I'm not sure if the CW is airing spoilers for Supernatural in the tickers of its other shows. Doubtful, but I wouldn't put anything past the CW.

Step 8a. (Optional) If desired, and if it will not be a distraction to you, decorate your spoiler screen with pictures or art, or glitter, or whatever enhances your squee. (not shown, because I did this in five minutes in my PJ's this morning and didn't have time for creativity or squeeing. Darn evil work.)



And so, voila. Spoiler screen. Yeah, I went there. Bite me, spoiler-spouting CW promo department. ;-P

I will be road-testing this puppy tonight, so the instructions might get tweaked afterwards if there is a catastrophic structural failure or it explodes or something. o.O

ETA: Results of field test

Good luck! Stay safe! Duck and cover! Ever vigilant!

*is crazy*

Comments

[ravenrants.livejournal.com]

Applauds you.

[marinarusalka.livejournal.com]

You are so inventive. Dean would be proud.

[girlfan1979.livejournal.com]

And so, voila. Spoiler screen. Yeah, I went there. Bite me, spoiler-spouting CW promo department. ;-P

♥

Awesome!

[blucasbabe.livejournal.com]

LOVE IT.

May employ these directions for one of my own...

[ficwriter1966.livejournal.com]

Be aware, Your Earnest and Royal CaffieneGoddessNess, that yes...the damn CW text crawl is MUCH bigger (and situated higher on the screen) than a typical CNN crawl. It's like 1/3 of the way up the screen. I don't think you'd be entirely safe unless you covered the entire bottom half of the screen. As I remember, it's more than one line in height. Bastids.

But in keeping with my responsibilities as East Coast Spoiler Alert Team Captain, I will post and/or e-mail regarding tonight's situation.

[janglyjewels.livejournal.com]

You are so awesome!

[impalalove]

Good luck! Hope you don't get spoiled. Best idea ever, really. Out of country and a local station doesn't let me see the CW-related things. ^^;;

*crosses fingers for you*

[muses-circle.livejournal.com]

You are made of SO MUCH WIN for coming up with this. Now I can watch the repeats again! ♥

[aliaseverus.livejournal.com]

you would be a danger unleashed with a mind like that! Seriously, you should have a chat with your mother and make sure she wasn't hanging around with a fella named McGyver about nine months before you were born ;)

Brilliant darling =D

[soydolcelatte.livejournal.com]

YOU - are awesome!

Once again, one of those moments that makes me so proud of my fandom. Ingenuity and creativity. Hee! :D

[ewlyn.livejournal.com]

Why don't I think of these things?! So simple and yet... so... awesome.

[longhornhoney.livejournal.com]

Omg! This is so great and makes me remember how totally awesome this fandom can be! So simple and yet so clever at the same time.

Take that inconsiderate spoiler department!

[caffienekitty]

Thanks!

[caffienekitty]

Hehe. Thanks!

[caffienekitty]

\o/ Thank you!

[caffienekitty]

Thank you! If you do, I hope it works. :-)

[caffienekitty]

Ahah! I figured! I think looking back at my photos I might have added an inch instead of a quarter-inch, so it should do. I'll update the directions accordingly.

But in keeping with my responsibilities as East Coast Spoiler Alert Team Captain, I will post and/or e-mail regarding tonight's situation.

Thank you! It's good when spoilerphiles and spoilerphobes support each other. :-)

[caffienekitty]

Nawww, shucks!

[caffienekitty]

I'm in Canada and right now I've got a non-CW option in CityTV, but will be losing it with no hint of other alternatives as they are ditching all their science fiction programming in the new season for being 'too dark'. I guess I'm kind of 'transitioning' to get used to being stuck watching it on the CW. That and hopefully help out the US folk who never had an on-air alternative. :-/

[caffienekitty]

YAY!!! Hope it works for you!

[caffienekitty]

Seriously, you should have a chat with your mother and make sure she wasn't hanging around with a fella named McGyver about nine months before you were born ;)

Hee! Actually, I'm realizing I was quite a MacGyver fangirl when I was eleven and the show started. I used to carry around the most random collection of MacGyverism crap imaginable. I fixed my bike brakes with two paperclips and a rubber band and they worked fine like that for two years. ;-D

[caffienekitty]

Ingenuity and creativity.

*giggle* I try! I just hope it works! :-D

[caffienekitty]

We shouldn't have to think of these things, really, but the CW promo department has no clue when it comes to spoilers.

[caffienekitty]

This is so great and makes me remember how totally awesome this fandom can be!

Awwwww, thank you! :-D

[lnhart.livejournal.com]

As a technical writer in real life, I salute you and your steps and optional steps.

I suggest you send this idea to the CW. Maybe they can logo-ize these things and sell them to fans to make some cash (which Kripke can spend on rock music). The only downside is they'd probably fill the front with all Gossip Girl promos. Or that model woman. :-(

Way to stick it to the suits.

[missyjack.livejournal.com]

Brilliant! The Winchesters would approve of your ingenuity.

[gnatkip.livejournal.com]

I have never imagined such a thing, and the fact that you did fills me with delight. <3

[impalalove]

I had City, too. Are they dropping SPN on that station? Ugh, please say it ain't so! 0_0

If not, thankfully, I'll be going to uni, so I know the CW gets aired there.

[laine89.livejournal.com]

I was bummed about missing this and last week's episodes because I had to work. Now, I'm rather glad I wasn't able to watch them. I live in the eastern time zone, and I had no idea about the spoilery tickers. You know you're screwed as a spoiler Mary when the friggin' network is against you. *sigh*

Thanks for posting this.

[sams1ra.livejournal.com]

Hee! You're made of awesome =)
And hey, I don't remember who made this, but we made this call and Dean aggreed:

[balikpulang.livejournal.com]

Awesome. Everyone should watch the reruns (support our show!) but at least spoilerphobes can remain spoiler free :)

[caffienekitty]

Are they dropping SPN on that station? Ugh, please say it ain't so! 0_0

Oh, it's worse than that, they are dropping all their sci-fi/horror/weird shows, because they are 'too dark'. Here's the rant I posted when I first heard (has links) and here's the update in which they basically say 'go bug a different station' and different station has yet to say anything to anyone about whether they are airing it or not. It's still very frustrating. :-/

[caffienekitty]

As a technical writer in real life, I salute you and your steps and optional steps.

Hee, thanks! I have to use the degree once in a while.

I suggest you send this idea to the CW. Maybe they can logo-ize these things and sell them to fans

ROFL! Oh dear lord. Official CW spoiler screens. Hee! I'd buy several if it'd help the budget, but the CW'd funnel it all into 90210 :-P

Way to stick it to the suits.

\o/ Power to the lunatics! Hee! It appears the suits did not air spoilers tonight though, so maybe they got the message? *crosses something*

[caffienekitty]

Hee, thanks! Scrounging and improvising things from stuff is one of the things I've always really liked about the series. :-)

[caffienekitty]

Thank you! :-D There were no spoilers after all tonight, but the screen blocked all the bottom of the screen ads so I call that a win :-D

[caffienekitty]

They didn't do it tonight after all, so maybe they picked up the clue phone on that, but I would still watch with caution, because this is the CW after all. :-P

[caffienekitty]

That's a cute one! I've seen it around a few places :-)

[caffienekitty]

Absolutely! I saw so many people saying they would not be able to watch the show due to the spoilers, I was horrified, so I had to do something. Every rating counts!

[sadelyrate.livejournal.com]

I so have to test this, (possibly) modify it to fit the computer screen... especially if CW's going to be an asshat and put spoilers in the new episodes, too.

Thank You!
*hugs*

[caffienekitty]

They didn't on tonight's repeat, but I wouldn't assume they've stopped. My screen is also effective vs. the ads and green stuff they stick on the screen bottom, so I still count it as a win. :-)

MacGyverisms

[(Anonymous)]

So yep, you are definitely channeling him:) I think I will just avoid watching repeats, much as I love to, just to be safe. Mind you, I could just try your idea with one of my Amazon boxes..hmmmm. Now you got me thinking..hee hee. And yes, CW is evil..and stupid--like old 60's cartoon:P(sorry, was watching Drac Pack at Wombat's last night:P)

Sharon

Re: MacGyverisms

[caffienekitty]

It did block out the ads for other shows without much actual show obscurage, so yay. They didn't do the spoiler ticker last night, maybe they won't do it again, but considering this is the CW, I wouldn't bank on it not doing the most annoying thing possible.

Are they showing repeats on Space? I still haven't heard back from CTV about the show, I'm getting nervous.

Re: MacGyverisms

[(Anonymous)]

I watched a repeat on Space last week, so they still have it as far as I know. *crosses finger for fall*

Sharon