While I'm still trying to figure out what the damn title is going to be (most likely 1-18-08 will give way to Cloverfield) there has been a detailed marketing campaign for this picture something that we have perhaps not seen since The Blair Witch Project strategy. So, via mail the other day, I receive a Rubik's Cube-shaped package from Overture Films. My thinking process as follows:
A. “Cool just the thing I need for my gym looker”.
followed by
B. Those folks are having fun with this campaign and are putting me in a position where I will write about this – let me take a picture just for show. So who is “they?” and “what are they getting away with?”. I know that the Paramount film follows a group of people trying to stay alive during a monster attack on New York City.
followed by
C. Hey wait a minute…
followed by
D. Research into IONCINEMA.com's database…
Overture Films is of course the new indie distribution unit that is prepping for their first release: Mad Money. The dramedy is based on a British telefilm Hot Money. The film will be an Americanized remake of the true story of three women who worked as a night cleaning crew in the British Treasury and managed to skim money from the department before it was incinerated. The women then used the money for charitable causes.
E. …followed by a google search: click here for results.
The catch. It is being released on January 18th 2008 – same day as the Paramount picture. So I go back to the package it came in and compare visual notes – the “M” marks the spot. I wonder how many others have received this item and took a moment to figure out this is a rare head-to-head marketing of one picture over another?
