The
R-evolution Begins: The Millionth
Monkey’s Movie has Launched
Filmmakers’ Gimmic? Addictive Christmas Challenge? Or a
revolution in audience participation for the movie industry?
Filmmakers (D-Media) and Film Fans (Close-Up Film) have come
together to challenge our perceptions of how great movie ideas are born. With a
sense of fun and an open mind, the Millionth Monkey’s Movie was launched on 6th
December 2011 at 6pm.
Zero-one in Soho was the perfect venue as over 100 people
from the creative industries gathered for the live countdown for the launch,
with Moira Morrison winning a limited edition monkey t-shirt for being the
first to officially sign-up.
So
what’s it all about?
How many times have you seen a movie and said, “I could do
better than that”? Well here’s your chance to put your money where your mouth
is and see how many people want to watch your movie!
With social media challenging the old order, we can listen
to the audience and reach out for the best ideas. The Millionth Monkey is
meeting the challenge and is supported by the film industry.
Andrew
Smith, Pinewood Studios: “This is an innovative way to cut through the
red tape and let original concepts find their audience. Good luck to the
entrants!”
Sean
Pertwee, Actor: “The
talent is there, bubbling up, in Manchester, Cardiff, London and more, those
who are prepared to be brave and invest now will succeed. Its time to start
doing, and the Millionth Monkey is a good start.”
Jon
Holmes, Writer &
Broadcaster: “No more knocking on doors and pitching to the money
men. This is where the audience will decide exactly what movie they want to see
made. And it could be yours…”
Who is it for?
Everyone! If you have an idea – whoever you are, wherever you are – we want
to hear it! This is the people’s movie.
Is
this also for experienced filmmakers? Yes!
For those with experience, this is a chance to try
‘co-creation’: to work with your fans to develop commercial ideas.
How
does it work?
Pitch it, Promote it, Pick-up the prize!
Start with an
idea, a character, a place, a plot, a sketch.
Post it on
the website
Tell your
Facebook friends, Tweet family, and anyone else you can reach, to see if
they are intrigued enough to come and have a look.
Get them
involved, sharing ideas, passing comments, or just having a look.
Add to, alter
and develop your movie pitch and see how many people you can get wanting
to see it on the big screen.
The more interest you get the higher you move up the leader
board. Ultimately, the movie concept with the most fans wins.
Running over three months, from 6th December
2011, entrants first build up support for their movie concept. Voting opens on
1st February 2012 and no new projects can be submitted to the site.
Voters can vote for as many of the pitches as they like, but only once for each
idea. The leader board will show the top ten projects each week
The
Prize:
The Winner, will get two thirds of the net money received
from the entry fees for the competition and the support of D-Media to help the
film get made, starting with a tour of the facilities at Pinewood Studios. Gina
Fegan (The Tournament, Devil’s Playground)
will also be appointed executive producer of the film to support the project.
The Runner-Up, will get a tour of Pinewood Studios, including
an industry lunch, and one day with D-Media and Close-Up to develop a realistic
outline of how to take the project further.
The Weekly Winner, will get profiled on the weekly leader board
and will win two cinema tickets.
Even if you don’t win –
you will be supporting independent film!
Why now?
Jean Lynch, Close-Up Film, “This is a great opportunity for our viewers who are passionate about
film to get their ideas in front of the industry, to find their voices and get
them heard!”
Gina Fegan, D-Media Network, “Working with Close-Up Film gives the industry access to film fans and
supporters. It will help filmmakers to find and engage their audience from the
start. I really believe that the more people put into the Millionth Monkey’s
Movie, the more they will get out of it!”
To find
out more and enter the Millionth Monkey’s Movie Competition, go to: www.millionthmonkey’smovie.com
Watch our launch video on youtube:
http://youtu.be/A5LGLOv5lUI
Follow us on twitter: @1Mmonkey
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/millionthmonkeysmovie
For D-Media go to: www.d-media-network.com
For Close-Up Film go to: www.close-upfilm.com
Ends.
Contacts:
Jean Lynch, Head of Communications, D-Media
Tel: 07519 659547 Email: jean.lynch@d-media-network.com
Gina Fegan, CEO, D-Media
Tel: 07919 340334 Email: gina.fegan@d-media-network.com
Images & interviews available on
request.
Notes for Editors:
Why ‘Millionth Monkey’?
They say give a million monkeys a typewriter
and one will come up with the works of Shakespeare, but what if you gave them a
movie camera? Would we get the next Tarantino?
Could YOU be the Millionth Monkey?
The Companies Behind The Millionth
Monkey’s Movie
D-Media Network was launched
at BAFTA in March 2011 at the D-Media Global Conference, with over 400 industry delegates & speakers A
network of networks, the convergence of convergence, D-Media works with over 20,000 businesses in the UK, and 40,000
globally.
CEO Gina Fegan is the
former Chief Executive of the South East
Media Network and prior to that was the founding Chief Executive of Screen South, the regional film
development agency for the South of England.
She is also the producer of the feature films The Tournament, starring Robert Carlyle, and the award-winning Devil’s
Playground, starring Danny Dyer,
Sean Pertwee & Colin Salmon.
The D-Media
Steering Committee – The Ambassadors – include key representatives from Pinewood Studios, Microsoft, Reed Business
International, ITU Telecommunications and Manchester City Football Club!
www.d-media-network.com
Close-Up Film has been an online
film magazine since 2002, for people who care about film. It receives 2.5million hits per month from 85,000
unique visitors. It enjoys close working links with leading film
distributors, publicists and journalists,
covering high-profile film festivals, red carpet premieres, press conferences
and preview screenings, and carries the latest reviews, features and news. It
has always championed independent film and co-founded the annual 2 Days Later 48hr Horror Shorts competition,
now in its 9th year.
www.close-upfilm.com