UPDATED: Zzyzx Gets a Second Life
This past weekend I had the pleasure of watching the genre-bending Zzyzx (review here), and now comes word from its director Richard Halpern that the film will have the first ever “Cyber World Premiere” at the popular 3-D virtual world known as Second Life.
Second Life is a vast digital continent inhabited by almost 7 million people from around the globe teeming with entertainment, experiences, and opportunity. Says Halpern, “We were looking to have a theatrical release for Zzyzx just before its June 12 DVD release [but] after being introduced to Second Life, I felt that premiering our film here would create a one-of-a-kind experience for one to see a motion picture, in addition to offering us a unique system of marketing and distributing our film.“
Second Life Theater designer Tanya Ramona explains the concept, “Once you’ve explored Second Life, one soon finds the perfect parcel of land to build their house or, in this case, business, where the value of the land can rise and be sold for real U.S. currency. Having the ability to build from the ground level our own unique movie theater with floating seats, innovative concessions, creative architecture from around the world, whatever one can imagine, is a very exciting experience for me.“
Zzyzx, which stars Kenny Johnson (Lemonhead of FX’s “The Shield”) and Robyn Cohen from The Life Aquatic, will red carpet premiere for free within the Second Life World at the Yarble Theater on Tuesday, June 12, at 8:00 PM (same time for both East and West Coasts) with a meet and greet in the theater’s courtyard at 7:00 PM EDT. There’s even an after party at Second Life’s Club Syn, adjacent to the theater.
It definitely sounds interesting, but exactly how does one participate?
All you need is a Quicktime player (click here if you don’t have one), and then sign up for a free basic subscription to Second Life. (Note: Computers with Windows Vista may not work with Second Life; visit secondlife.com for the latest update.) You can access the premiere via a special Second Life link in the News section of the Zzyzx home page. The premiere will be open to the first 500 users who enter the courtyard on June 12, and the theater will remain open continually after that.
I have to say it’s one of the most original concepts I’ve heard yet, and even if you can’t make it to the premiere, be sure to click here to preorder the DVD from EvilShop!
Contemplate this newfangled virtual premiere idea in our forums!
Want free stuff? Bring us new blood!
Categorized:
