Volunteers Worldwide Join To Help Kiwi Filmmaker

Make Mark's Movie.Com

Volunteers Worldwide Join To Help Kiwi Filmmaker

27 year-old Auckland filmmaker Mark Prebble is utilising the internet to finish making his first feature film - Futile Attraction. His efforts have inspired a growing international team of grassroots volunteers, strangers until recently, who are joining forces to help him complete his labour of love.

In 2002 Mark directed the low-budget digital feature in New Zealand over an intensive 3-week period. He has been editing Futile Attraction ever since.

Faced with $25,000 of further post-production work Mark decided to go directly to the largest and most generous source of financial support in the world - the general public.

He created a website - http://www.makemarksmovie.com - that allows people to contribute money online and get their name in the credits of the film. Credits range from "Thanks To" to "Executive Producer" depending on the size of the contribution.

The website has been online for about 2 months. The main publicity has been e-mail word of mouth. The response has been amazing. Says Prebble:

"What blows me away is the creative ways complete strangers are offering to help. One woman in Seattle is tracking down musicians for me. Another woman in Australia is organising a fund raising performance poetry night and a UK teenager is designing posters. Web designers, editors and other filmmakers are all coming on board to help out. I'm even getting writers sending me scripts to read and actors wanting to audition for my next film. Thousands of people in over 30 countries are e-mailing each other, posting info on internet bulletin boards and linking their sites to mine.

One such volunteer is 28 year-old Enric Giro of Hertfordshire, England whose energetic efforts have seen him promoted to UK Publicist. Says Giro:

"It's incredible to think that a short time ago, I knew nothing about this film. Now, I'm publicising it! It's electrifying! I found out about the project accidentally while surfing the net. I saw this as a unique opportunity to just do something weird and fun, and to bear witness (even though 13,500 miles away in England!) to a genesis in the budding careers of its cast and crew.

It was a pleasant surprise when Mark asked me to be the UK Publicist, but I guess it's just further evidence of how the internet is bringing people together internationally and changing the face of filmmaking for this generation."

Futile Attraction is a mockumentary comedy about a film crew making a Reality TV Show about a couple brought together by a dating agency. However, the couple is so incompatible that the crew has to manipulate the relationship to get the footage they need.

It stars Michelle Ang (Neighbours, Xena, The Tribe), Alistair Browning (Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Vertical Limit, Rain) and a host of up and coming New Zealand talent.

For more information contact Mark Prebble - makemarksmovie@paradise.net.nz, http://www.makemarksmovie.com