12 Days of Viral – DAY SEVEN

On the seventh day of viral, my movie gave to me…..


Facebook interaction.


I am picking three films to discuss on this day, because those three films use Facebook in such an interesting way. The most common thing to do nowadays is to post the exact thing, on all forms of social networking. It gets tiring after a while. We need originality, and these three gave it to us.


Let’s start with the first on the list, 9. This Facebook page was used almost as a prequel of sorts. Giving you clues on how the characters came to be, and gave you a look at the man who created them. Clues were given on this page, which in turn lead you to the main viral page, which in turn lead to different areas of viral such as Twitter and contests.





Next, we see the film 2012. This movie had a few pages. A couple of them that, as mentioned, just posted what was in their tweets, as well as their site. Nothing great there. But as we got closer to the release of the movie, one of the pages took a turn. A turn for the good.

Farewell Atlantis ended up secretly giving out coordinates to the locations of their “drops” by giving out locations of the book signings. With the help of sites such as ours and unfiction, places were swarmed with hopes of being part of one.





Finally, we look at Sherlock Holmes, which has moved completely out of the arena of Facebook pages. This page, is not really a page at all. It’s a game, where you and a friend, team up as Holmes and Watson, and search for clues. This is genius! Right up until the genius turned out to be someone in 7-11′s corporate office and decided what better way to tine in Slurpee’s, and Robert Downey Jr.

I give them credit. For trying.





Other Days In The “12 Days of Viral” Series:
A trailer without a title
A Twitter account with the truth
Three Websites
My face on the site
800 Numbers
Password protection

Golden Globes Announced, District 9 and Sherlock Holmes Get Nominations

The nominations for this year’s Golden Globes were announced yesterday. Without surprise, the same actors who seemingly are nominated every year for their work are represented again. Only this time, it appears one nomination for Meryl Streep wasn’t enough. And Rob Marshall’s musical, Nine, managed just five nominations. You would figure a film whose sole purpose appears to be winning awards would at least lead in nominations (Up In The Air had six). But I digress, it appears my resentment for Marshall’s previous musical, Chicago, and the mockery of the 2002 Academy Awards hasn’t been fully suppressed.  To see a full list of the nominees, click here.      

 

Ranting aside, arguably the best news to emerge from today’s nominations is that Neill Blomkamp is in the running for Best Original Screenplay for District 9. In addition, Robert Downey Jr. was nominated in Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for Sherlock Holmes, and Avatar was nominated for four awards, including Best Picture and Director. Although few have seen the latter two films, I think today’s news bodes well for their public reception (although I can’t stray too far from my above stance that most award shows are a joke). The fact is though that if successful films are employing viral marketing, then we are more likely to see viral campaigns with more films in the future. That’s good news for us.

 

Do you have any reactions to the nominations? Think District 9’s chances of garnering Oscar attention has improved? Let us know by leaving some comments.

Avatar and Sherlock Holmes Featured on Tomorrow’s ‘Behind the Screen’

Tomorrow seems to be the Official “See More of Robert Downey Jr.” Day, because along with Entertainment Tonight’s segment on the upcoming Iron Man 2, MTV’s series ‘Behind the Screen’ will preview Sherlock Holmes, along with Avatar. The show will have exclusive clips from both movies as well as an exclusive new interview with Avatar director James Cameron. MTV believes you’ll be impressed by the footage, so definitely check it out when it airs at 4pm EST/1pm PST.

Confirmed: Iron Man 2 Teaser Will Debut in Front of Sherlock Holmes

There’s been a lot of speculation the last few weeks about when we’ll finally see an Iron Man 2 teaser. First, we thought it would premiere in front of Sherlock Holmes, since it’s a big film sharing the same star (Robert Downey Jr.), and it’s perfect timing. Then we thought it might be tacked on in front of James Cameron’s Avatar, another big film around the same time. Well, now we know the answer.


IGN Movies has confirmed that the trailer “will definitely run with the Christmas release of Sherlock Holmes” and debut online on Apple. So, now I have two reasons to see the Guy Ritchie film. The teaser could potentially be helpful in figuring out the supposed “clue” in the Iron Man 2 image we got yesterday, so watch it closely!


Sherlock Holmes



In other Sherlock Holmes news, Slashfilm has 37 High Res photos from the film (including the one above), so be sure to check that out.

Read the Diary of Sherlock Holmes’ Landlady

Because even we miss things here on MovieViral, we have a Sherlock Holmes update that is not exactly new. If you’ve been playing the 221B game, you may find this one useful. You can now follow Mrs. Martha Hudson’s Diary on Twitter. If you’re not familiar with the film or the Holmes universe, then this may not mean much to you at first glance. For those in the know, you’ll recognize Mrs. Hudson as Holmes’ landlady. She is played in the new film by actress Geraldine James (picture below).


Geraldine James


So, why follow Mrs. Hudson? Well, you obviously get more insight into the world of Sherlock Holmes. It also tells a good narrative that could intersect with the game. The account has been updating since early last month, so you have a good read ahead of you.


Sherlock Holmes opens Christmas Day. You can follow the movie and its viral by checking out our Sherlock Holmes page. Check out Unfiction for updates on the 221B game.

Bad Idea of the Day: See Sherlock Holmes in a Motion Seat

Thanks to the guys at Cinema Blend, we’ve learned that you can watch the upcoming Sherlock Holmes in a moving seat, at least in the select theaters that offer the technology. You may be familiar with the concept: While watching something on a screen, your seat moves to mirror the motion you see. This is very popular in theme parks and even in arcades to a smaller extension, where it is usually done in a first-person perspective. For example, in Disneyland’s Star Tours, you are in a ship that is rocking around.


Sounds great, right? It is…for rides. The technology (called D-Box) is only used in a few theaters, and for good reason. It distracts from the film and doesn’t really add anything to non-action films. Could you imagine watching The Proposal in a motion seat? The point is, Sherlock Holmes does not meet the requirements for the type of film that could benefit it from the gimmick. You need a film experience like 2012 (which has used the tech), otherwise you’re paying for either nothing or a lot of random jostling around.


dbox


Josh at Cinema Blend brings up an interesting question. Doesn’t anybody just want to sit and watch a movie anymore? We’ve had 3D, motion seats, and many other distractions. I understand this point, but I’m going to play devil’s advocate here. With home entertainment technology improving exponentially and prices dropping just as fast, it’s hard for actual movie theaters to compete. Why overpay for tickets and food just to sit next to (not to mention have the film shown by) people you don’t know and usually don’t act appropiately? Just wait 3 months and you can buy the movie on Blu-ray and watch it on your 50″ HDTV with surround sound. In order for theaters to survive, they have to find innovative ways to get butts in the seat. The experience is what has to draw audiences. Right now it looks like they are investing in 3D, with fringe technologies peeking through as well.


Will any of this actually work to help the ailing theaters? Would you see Sherlock Holmes or any major studio film in a motion seat? Let us know in the comments below!


Sherlock Holmes opens nationwide Christmas Day.

Sherlock Holmes: New International Featurette

Our friends at SuperHeroHype have a new international featurette for Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan and Kelly Reilly. Check it out below:

What do you think? Are you interested in Sherlock Holmes? Are you just going for the rumored Iron Man 2 teaser? Let us know below!

Sherlock Holmes, directed by Guy Ritchie, hits theaters everywhere on December 25th, Christmas Day.

First Iron Man 2 Trailer Tied to Sherlock Holmes?

Outside of Comic-Con, the general public has not been able to see much footage from the upcoming Iron Man 2. With the film only 6 months away, we may finally be seeing the first trailer, and it’s conveniently attached to another Robert Downey Jr. project, Sherlock Holmes. Granted, the evidence we have is light, but it does make sense. Check out this tweet the other day from Jon Favreau, director of Iron Man 2:

RT @Ann_Howard: @Jon_Favreau PLEASE tell us the trailer is coming soon – w/Sherlock Holmes, perhaps??



Like I said, it’s thin, but he must have retweeted it for a reason. The timing is right, as Iron Man 2 is just over 5 months after Sherlock Holmes. Plus, Downey Jr. stars in both, and Holmes should be a big hit, perfect for debuting a trailer. The only reasons it might not happen are if the trailer’s not ready in time, or because Warner Bros. is behind Holmes, while Iron Man 2 is made by Marvel Entertainment.


What do you think? Sherlock Holmes opens Christmas Day, and Iron Man 2 opens in May.

Follow In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes

How’s this for a tourist attraction? The VisitBritain tourist agency is teaming up with the new Sherlock Holmes to help you plan a unique tour of London fit for any Holmes fan. When you go to the agency’s page dedicated to the campaign, you can actually see an interactive map of the many locations around Britain that are in the film and the character’s other stories.


Among the many famous Holmes-themed locations in London, the map includes the iconic 221B Baker Street, original home to Holmes, and current home of the Sherlock Holmes Museum, as well as St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is featured in the film. The site has entire itineraries if you’re not great at planning.


Sherlock Holmes



If I were travelling to London, I would definitely use this guide. When I think London, I think Holmes, so I can’t imagine missing out on these spots, including the Sherlock Holmes Pub. Check out the site for more useful information, including details on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the books, as well as practice things like links to hotels. This a great way to promote Sherlock Holmes and tourism for London, and both should see the benefits of cross-promoting.


Sherlock Holmes, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Robert Downey Jr., opens Christmas Day. For more information on the viral campaign or the film itself, check out our Sherlock Holmes Page.

Sherlock Holmes: Let 7-Eleven Be Your Watson

Warner Bros’s Sherlock Holmes is teaming up with 7-Eleven to not just bring you Holmes-themed Slurpees, but also to help you with the ARG. The stores are putting up banners and other point-of-purchase (POP) signs, along with using Holmes-ish taglines to promote their food. This is a pretty common practice, especially in the fast food industry. In fact, I just saw a Burger King commercial involving New Moon, which opens this week.


What makes this co-op marketing interesting is that the store is actually involved in the viral campaign. Participating 7-Eleven stores will have “How Holmes Are You?” coffee cup sleeves that contain a clue and the Web address www.7-11.221B.sh, which is of course a microsite for the game we’re already playing. If you grab a cup of joe at 7-Eleven, check out the site and let us know what you find!


Sherlock Holmes


Sherlock Holmes, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Robert Downey Jr., opens Christmas Day. For more information on the viral campaign or the film itself, check out our Sherlock Holmes Page.



(via Convenience Store News)