Press Release
Adelaide’s Epic Films will release three new films in their Wastelander Panda series on May 27th, beginning with a launch screening at the Piccadilly Cinema, and followed by an online release for fans around the world.
Wastelander Panda is a live-action post-apocalyptic tale about Arcayus, the Wasteland’s last remaining panda. Along with Rose, a human girl raised by his brother Isaac, he treks across a broken world ruled by anarchy, seeking revenge for Isaac’s death.
In January 2012, Epic Films released a three-minute Prologue for the series, which was seen 100,000 times in 150 countries during its first three days online. Based on this accomplishment, as well as a successful $25,000 crowdfunding campaign, the South Australian Film Corporation and Carclew Youth arts came on board to fund three films and an interactive map-based website that allows the online audience to explore the world of the Wasteland.
This made Wastelander Panda the first project to be funded by a government film body in Australia without having a traditional ‘market attachment,’ such as a distributor or broadcaster. The South Australian Film Corporation recognised the project’s potential to reach new audiences online, and funded the idea based on its proof of concept and audience through the Prologue and crowdfunding campaign. SAFC CEO Richard Harris noted, “Wastelander Panda offered the SAFC a great opportunity to try a new approach, and support a project that had its genesis online. We looked at both their entrepreneurial approach to financing and audience development, but also the strength of the project and the creative team, and overall it made a pretty compelling package to support at this development stage.”
The back-to-back launch screenings of Wastelander Panda will be held at the Piccadilly Cinemas on Monday May 27th, at 6:30pm and 7:45pm. Writer/Director Victoria Cocks and all cast and crew will be in attendance. The episodes will then be launched as part of the new Wastelander Panda website at http://www.wastelanderpanda.com. Producer Kirsty Stark commented, “We’ve spent the last year growing our audience online, and are lucky to have supporters in over 150 countries. The Internet affords us an amazing opportunity for all of those fans around the world to see the episodes on the same day, and we’re really excited that they can be part of the launch, no matter where they are.”
More information about the project and a link to the Wastelander Panda Prologue video can be found at http://www.wastelanderpanda.com, with press information and downloadable photographs available at http://www.wastelanderpanda.com/press. For videos of the new episodes or behind the scenes footage, please contact Producer Kirsty Stark.