'After Film School' Available For Streaming with Canada Screens ... on the big screen and online, is an opportunity for
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: First Of Its Kind: First Weekend Club Launches A New Film On Video On Demand Directly Following Whistler Film Festival World Premiere ‘After Film School’ Available For Streaming with Canada Screens Whistler, B.C. (November 18, 2014): First Weekend Club proudly presents Canada Screens, the first Video On Demand service to launch a new film immediately follow a Canadian World Premiere. Whistler Film Festival will host the AFTER FILM SCHOOL World Premiere on December 5 at 7:00 p.m. PST at Millennium Place. Immediately following, at 8:30 p.m. PST, the film will be made available for $9.95 for a limited time at nfb.ca. With the new world of online and mobile app content access, Canadian film content needs to remain technologically relevant. The inaugural AFTER FILM SCHOOL release, being shown on the big screen and online, is an opportunity for Whistler Film Festival and First Weekend Club to get ahead of the Canadian film industry curve, and respond to heightened viewer demands with a trailblazing initiative. “If successful, this could point to a different type of film distribution. VOD sites will bring Canadian films directly to consumers online without the frustrations of token theatrical releases and minimal television sales, common for modestly-budgeted Canadian films,” says WFF’s Director of Programming Paul Gratton. “Canada Screens offers an innovative extension of the film festival experience, allowing events like WFF to extend their support for exhibiting Canadian films without geographic limitations.” Canada Screens addresses the marketplace gap for giving Canadian content a home, providing a globally recognized online cinema where film fans can discover, enjoy and engage with Canadian films and content creators. It is a cost efficient and user-friendly platform without a huge corporate infrastructure. “Canada Screens is unlike any other VOD service. Our goal is to provide content, as well as connect filmmakers and talent with online audiences through moderated Q&As, panel discussions, exclusive behind the scenes footage and interviews,” says First Weekend Club’s Executive Director Anita Adams. “Canada Screens engages viewers in a way that will keep Whistler Film Festival Society • Charitable Registration #: 856677844RR001 213-1200 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler, B.C. V0N 1B1 • 604.935.8035 or 1-877-838-FILM (3456) • whistlerfilmfestival.com
them coming back for more Canadian content.” AFTER FILM SCHOOL, a hilarious mockumentary directed by Joel Ashton McCarthy, is about the travails facing film school graduates as they try to find money to mount their first features. A rather talentless, would-be hack substitutes his own script for the work of a deceased roommate who actually has some financing in place, and the result is a hilariously tasteless film within a film, High School Murders - The Musical. The premise behind AFTER FILM SCHOOL was a reality for Joel Ashton McCarthy, struggling to make his first feature length film without proper funding. With a large volunteer cast and crew and a lot of donated services in-kind, he put together a remarkable film. Now, WFF and First Weekend Club are helping to turn this real-life struggle into a success story, hoping to garner enough revenue through Canada Screens to cover the filmmakers’ costs. “I think what separates us from the pack is that our film doesn’t hold back any punches, and conveys a real story about millennial artists by millennial artists,” says AFTER FILM SCHOOL Director Joel Ashton McCarthy. “Canada Screens is an amazing way for people to see our film while it’s hot, which is an invaluable opportunity.” As a way to celebrate the launch of this great initiative, First Weekend Club and the Whistler Film Festival are giving away a double pass to the festival and a two-night stay at the Summit Lodge Boutique Hotel. To find out how to enter the contest, visit www.firstweekendclub.ca. The Festival’s online box office is now open for industry and festival passes, ticket packages, and individual film and special event tickets (until December 7). The Festival Box Office is also open for phone sales (1-877-838-FILM) and on November 28 for walk-in sales. WFF’s film, event and industry Summit lineup and schedules are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com. The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, ELLE Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, The Harold Greenburg Fund, Cineplex, CTV, Pandora, Sorel, Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb, Promosa and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler. -30Whistler Film Festival Society • Charitable Registration #: 856677844RR001 213-1200 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler, B.C. V0N 1B1 • 604.935.8035 or 1-877-838-FILM (3456) • whistlerfilmfestival.com
Media inquiries, please contact: Kim Bowie | Account Manager I Jive Communications
[email protected] | p. 604.790.2301 About the Whistler Film Festival: From December 3rd to 7th, 2014, the Whistler Film Festival (WFF) will celebrate its 14th edition. Featuring innovative and original films from around the world and opportunities to connect with the people who made them, this year’s five day Festival will be filled with a solid lineup of premieres, star-studded guests, lively celebrations and unique industry initiatives. Find out more at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com. About First Weekend Club: First Weekend Club is THE ticket to Canadian films. Since 2003, the non-profit organization has supported over 300 great films and countless talent across Canada. We give audiences a chance to be in-the-know about upcoming films, access to exclusive giveaways, video interviews, invitations to special member-only events, and much more! The best part? Membership is free at: firstweekendclub.ca - Join our mission of building audiences for great Canadian films.
Whistler Film Festival Society • Charitable Registration #: 856677844RR001 213-1200 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler, B.C. V0N 1B1 • 604.935.8035 or 1-877-838-FILM (3456) • whistlerfilmfestival.com
