Victorians will be able to watch Kasimir Burgess’ debut feature Fell later this month at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image or on VoD for the same fee- $10.
The initiative continues the novel approach to exploiting the film being undertaken by producer/distributor John Maynard.
Fell was available on VoD in New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT, South Australia and Northern Territory for 50 hours after its world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival.
The results have encouraged Footprint Films' Maynard and the ACMI to stream the film for $10 from August 21 to September 27 from three outlets: ACMI's website, Fell's website and its Facebook page.
The film is booked to screen at ACMI for seven days, restricted to 20 sessions to try to maximise the attendance-per-screening, from August 21 at the same price.
Maynard is convinced high ticket prices at the major chains are deterring cinemagoing. He points to a recent Sydney Morning Herald article on the demise of These Final Hours, in which more than half of the 60 people who posted comments complained about the cost of tickets.
In the drama scripted by Natasha Pincus Matt Nable stars as a guy who is grief-stricken when his daughter is killed in a hit-and -run accident and vows revenge against the driver (Daniel Henshall) after the latter is released from prison.
“Audiences are telling us they want films at the right price, at the right time, and they want to choose where they watch,” Maynard said. “We’re trying a new audience-inclusive approach. There is mounting evidence that preview VoD supports cinemagoing.
"I am hoping this initiative will encourage others to do something similar. We are in the eye of a perfect storm of high ticket prices and the lack of availability of films when and where people to want."
ACMI senior film programmer Kristy Matheson said, "We're big supporters of innovation. We want to reach out and give audiences beyond the Melbourne CBD a chance to see this beautiful film."
Maynard plans a theatrical release of Fell and is confident he won't encounter resistance from exhibitors from the preview streaming.
The sites are: http://www.acmi.net.au/fell vod
http://fellfilm.com/vod and http://facebook.com/fellfilm