With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Fun With Viral Marketing: Cloverfield
Viral marketing, when done right, can be an absolute blast. Case in point, a pre-Transformers preview for a new J.J. Abrams film, tentatively titled "Cloverfield". What starts out as an innocent, hand-held video of a going-away party quickly descends into front-row footage of the apocalypse, with people running through the streets of New York City dodging flying cars hurled by an unknown source... not to mention a closing shot that already has people talking (I won't ruin it). To be honest, it's one of the best teaser trailers I've seen in a while. Now there's a website attached to it that you can find here and youtube videos you can check out here.
As is the case with most of Abrams' advertising (like LOST), there's a puzzle involved (that I'm still trying to figure out) complete with creepy sounds and clickable tiles. If you double-click the star in the upper left it will open an email with the address "van@ethanhaaswasright.com" titled "I'm one of you, help me". If you email Van, you'll get a response with clues to the puzzle. Really, this is a great way to get people interested in a film they know absolutely nothing about. I'm already sold.
2 Rumored storylines and the first video from Van after the jump...
Sponsored message
Rumor #1: The movie is a new take on an old H.P. Lovecraft tale, which would be amazing. Abrams channeling Lovecraft (and all his evil monsters) is something I'd be very interested in.
Rumor#2: This is the American "Godzilla" that should have been made instead of that abomination with Matthew Broderick, which is another option I think would be very cool.
Solve the first part of the puzzle and you end up with this video from Van. It's classic Abrams, with convoluted wording and just enough info to steal your attention without giving you any solid facts (just like LOST).
It looks like the whole film will be shot "Blair Witch" style, but with less motion sickness and more special-effects. I think this is an inventive and clever way to approach the standard "monsters destroy earth" plot. Looking at Armageddon through the eyes (cameras) of everyday people sounds incredible. We've got a long way to go before the film opens in January, but the website is a hell-of-a-great way to kill 20 minutes (or more, I'm still working on it) if you're at work and your boss took Friday off.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
