Feature Film "Assisting Venus" Will Take Unique Approach at Getting Buyers' Attention
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4, 2010 — Charles Huddleston, the director of the independent feature film "Assisting Venus," will launch a custom-made smartphone app for film buyers and the general public to use at the upcoming Berlin Film Festival to access an online screening of the film. During the festival, anyone near the festival venues in Berlin will be able to use their GPS-enabled iPhone, BlackBerry or Android mobile phone to confirm their location and receive a special code to access the virtual screening at . This marks the first time an individual filmmaker has used geolocation technology to pinpoint a target audience.
According to Huddleston, "Like all low-budget filmmakers, I want to put my movie in front of as many people as possible, but I realize not everyone will be able to attend the screenings at the theater. This technology will ensure my film can be seen by a much wider audience. The deck is always stacked against the indie filmmaker, but that just means we have to continue to be more innovative and I believe this tool will be a powerful weapon in our arsenal. Using these apps, a distributor, journalist or film buff can request an invitation from their phone while traveling between theaters during the day and then go back and watch my movie in the comfort of their hotel room that night."
With the piracy risk of handing out screeners, Huddleston's film app will quickly become a tool all indie filmmakers can utilize to get their films safely in the right hands. Screening codes are individualized and designed to expire at the end of the festival or 24 hours after first viewing.
Inspired by Masoch's novel Venus in Furs, "Assisting Venus" is a romance that turns the Pygmalion archetype upside-down by making the young woman dominant. This is the first feature film by Charles Huddleston who said, "Audiences may be shocked to see a woman so confident in the kind of relationship she desires and so unapologetic in her pursuit of it." Fans of Michael Steger from 90210 may be surprised by his serious turn as the young submissive in this provocative story and audiences will be intrigued by newcomer Michele Martin, who fully embraces her complex character. The ensemble cast includes Jordan Bridges and Julian Sands in the kind of romantic role that began his career.
The Assisting Venus App is free and can be downloaded and installed via iTunes App Store, BlackBerry App World or Android Marketplace.
PRESS CONTACT: Jim Dobson / INDIE PR (818) 753-0700
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