The Art Institute Of New York City Has The Spirit

PRLog (Press Release) - Nov 06, 2008 -
Lionsgate will release Frank Miller's motion picture adaptation of the classic Will Eisner Comic, THE SPIRIT, in New York City as well as in theaters nationwide on Christmas day.

As part of a special component of the film's promotional campaign, The Art Institute of New York City's best and brightest students were hand selected to work together as a guerilla marketing team to promote the film.  The group included graphic designers, digital filmmakers and web designers, all under the direction of Dr. Stephen Pite, Tory Jones and Karen Dillon.

On a warm autumn night when the sun went down, students launched their unique comprehensive marketing campaign in Manhattan's SoHo, TriBeCa, Upper West Side and Lower East Side neighborhoods. Digital filmmakers coordinated flash mobs, video projections and worked with web designers to post viral  videos online; graphic designers distributed specially-designed posters,  drinking coasters and postcards to New York bars and coffee houses. The inspiration of using Come2meNYC as the group name was inspired by  the line from the film, "Come to me...lover," and was used to tease New  Yorkers in one final performance on the stairs of Union Square.

The campaign offered a great opportunity for the students to gain real work experience with a major motion picture company, and to showcase their work while running a guerilla grassroots campaign.  Come Christmas, more New Yorkers will be familiar with The Spirit's signature red tie which will take over their city, as well as the box office.

LIONSGATE® and the film's producer Odd Lot Entertainment had partnered  with nine prestigious art schools nationwide, to create student-designed  advertising campaigns to promote the film.

The SPIRIT Art School Program gave students at these institutions a showcase for their work. "It's a wonderful way to continue the cross-generational exchange of ideas that is so important in every art form," said Frank Miller.

Adapted from Will Eisner's comic book series, THE SPIRIT is a classic action-adventure-romance genre-twister written for the screen and directed by FRANK MILLER (creator of 300 and SIN CITY).   It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as the SPIRIT to fight crime from the shadows of Central City. In the vein of BATMAN BEGINS and SIN CITY, THE SPIRIT takes us on artfully-executed, action-packed, fun-filled adventure with a hero who is born, murdered and born again.  THE SPIRIT's stellar cast includes Gabriel Macht, Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson, Dan Lauria, Paz Vega, Jaime King, with Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson as "The Octopus." Odd Lot Entertainment and Lionsgate are production partners on the film which is written for the screen and directed by Frank Miller and based on the comic book series created by Will Eisner. Odd Lot's Deborah Del Prete and Gigi Pritzker are producing along with Michael E. Uslan of Batfilm Productions Inc. Batfilm co-founder Benjamin Melniker and Steven Maier are executive producing, along with Odd Lot's William Lischak and Lionsgate's Michael Paseornek and Michael Burns. Odd Lot's Linda McDonough and Batfilm/Comic Book Movies' F.J. DeSanto are co-producing. Jeff Andrick serves as Co-Executive Producer.

The college-level participating schools were provided with creative assets from the LIONSGATE® marketing portfolio, and were given wide artistic latitude to design a campaign pertinent and unique to their cities.    

For more information about THE SPIRIT, please visit www.mycityscreams.com/

For further information about the partnership please contact:

Midge Elias
Director of Public Relations
The Art Institute of New York City
212.625.6027
melias@aii.edu
http://www.artinstitutes.edu/newyork