2 posts tagged “nextny”
The movie is well put together and sweet and not any longer than it needs to be.
BUT the very special thing about this movie is the fantastic story of it's distribution because it is probably one of the first feature films really suited for web distribution.
What happened (as far as I can tell ) is that they started making a video podcast about the making of the movie to get generate some interest outside of the indy filmfest scene. Great timing, because a lot of people were talking about videos on the internet and looking for something interesting, unusual, worth watching repeatedly, more than 'viral'..etc. These people loved the Four Eyed Monsters podcast. And so this film truly found it's audience by going online. The The storyline couldn't be more perfect for the videbloggers (and bloggers,YouTubers, myspacers, et al.) because it's about being young and getting frustrated by trying to communicate with eachother and the world (such classic youthful angst) with the unique addition of the uber-mediated day-to-day existence many of us now have.
People on the internets not only watched the podcast but they rallied and helped the film get some nice theatrical distribution by, well... using the internet to say they wanted to see the movie that this podcast was about. AND now, the filmmakers have made a deal with YouTube to host the entire film for a week to drive people to an online film community who will then pay them for every new member they bring in. Talk about flipping the system upside down.
Last summer I met the nice hipsters who made it and they recognized me from a video of me on the internets, and I them! That was funny because I am a very very minor internet celebrity, like D-list internet celebrity which is like Z-list for over all celebritatstic-ness. And that is what this whole online video thing is about, right? !
A few questions remain..
What is YouTube's long term strategy for feature length videos?
Will the filmmakers ever pay off their credit debt?
Will this promotion make Sprout.com the next cool online hangout?
Would it pay off for Sprout to do similar promotions for other filmmakers? and if so how many times before they start devouring their own tail?
How could other websites or content makers create similar deals?
Is being on the Z list awesome? That's an easy one - YES, it F'n Rocks!
I have been having a blast being involved in The L Word Island project in Second Life. It is a really interesting project that I think is the perfect proof of concept for how an entertainment property can work with a virtual space to build and support actual community. To be fair, The L Word is a special case, and not many television programs can boast such a lively, eager ( and downright demanding!) fanbase.
This is a photo taken at a Starlette Sunday party held in The L Word Island in Second Life.
You can see the avatars getting down (one of the most popular activities in SL is dancing, because it's actually really funny to watch) in front of a video screen with a live feed from a parallel real live dance party
Snapshot_008, originally uploaded by d13vk.
And this is a picture of Wanda, the super cool host of the Starlette Sunday party dancing for the friends in SL at Orchid Lounge in NYC.
I have been very impressed with the entire Electric Sheep Company crew but the ladies of Electric Sheep really, rocked this special event. With camcorders and cables and laptops in tow and looking totally glamorous, in their classy evening ware, they managed to keep a live feed running from the club into SL 'till the wee hours of the morning.
