They've put Thriller in theaters a long time ago and they've earned plenty of money. Still no physical or online release, though.
"Thriller" was shown in select theaters for one week as a preamble to
The House with a Clock in its Walls in 2018. I'm not sure where this "plenty of money" claim comes from. Care to share any sources?
As I said before, they can do film restoration or plain simple video upscaling, lots of options available for improving video quality. With proper upscaling techniques (I'm not talking about AI), old short films can look much better. Right now the best source we have are mostly 480i DVD, and some in Vision are very compressed.
And I've stated lots of times, that I'd be happy to do their work for free, or very little money. I believe I can achieve better video quality than many professional video workers do.
Firstly, they're not going to hire a random fan to oversee the restoration of Michael's videography. I and many others have tried to weasel our way into the Estate circle with no luck. There's also zero reason to use upscaling technology when the 35mm reels are available, but I digress.
Secondly, I'm sure you know of the costs for film restoration, but for those who don't: on average, it costs $3,000 to $6,000 per minute for a 4K restoration of a full color and sound 35mm film negative (depending on the condition of the film, its length, and its unique technical specifications). Visual effects costs vary; some are on an hourly basis while others charge a flat fee between $5,000 and $40,000 per scene (depending on the complexity). Some short films may require re-editing, which is also a variable price. Annual storage for a 4K film negative hover around $12,500. To restore Michael's entire 38-video, 250-minute videography would cost anywhere from $750,000 to $1.5 million for the initial 35mm transfer and restoration process, untold thousands in necessary visual effects and re-cutting fees, and a yearly storage fee of $475,000.
Take note of how few legendary artists (e.g, Queen/Freddie Mercury, Amy Winehouse, Madonna, Prince) have restored their music videos in 4K, and how not a single one has done so with their entire videography.
It's one thing that they say and another thing that they do. I prefer to see what they do (or don't do).
You're right; actions speak louder than words. But it seems asinine to say this and then immediately jump to criticizing them before they've given any opportunity to prove themselves.
Just another excuse they've used for doing nothing. They use Covid-19 this year. They've been doing practically nothing long before LN. If that's the best they can do, they need capable people with real talents.
Translation: "Sure, the Estate produced the Journey from Motown to Off the Wall documentary in 2016; created an animated Halloween special, which was accompanied by a horror-themed soundtrack and special fan events that screened
Ghosts and "Thriller 3D" (the latter of which debuted at the Venice Film Festival), and partnered with Pepsi for another global campaign in 2017; oversaw a critically-acclaimed European tour exhibition, authorized a single that gave Michael his 44th Top 10 hit in the United States, hosted a Diamond Celebration in Vegas featuring Mark Ronson and Usher, and screened "Thriller 3D" in select theaters in 2018; and are currently preparing a Broadway jukebox musical that's due to premiere in 2021. But since I didn't personally ask for any of these things, I don't count them as projects. Unless it's something I specifically requested, I don't like it."
What excuses have the Estate provided prior to this FAQ, exactly? They said COVID-19 messed up their HIStory 25 plans, which is one hundred percent plausible given that the music industry is practically at a standstill. That's literally it.
Again,
I'm not saying that the Estate is perfect or immune from criticism. They've messed up countless times in the past and they will likely continue to mess up. But so many of us have adopted this undeserved entitlement, and it's ruining the community. Michael remains a major cultural icon eleven years after he died, and if you seriously think that the projects the Estate has authorized had nothing to do with that, you need to take a step back and look at things objectively. Yes, the fan community is ultimately what keeps his legacy alive. But you really can't compare Michael's ongoing existence in the public consciousness with any other deceased artist, partially because the Estate keeps him in the spotlight.