Monday night we had our first meeting with our hardcore student volunteers, who are hopefully blanketing NYC with posters and postcards, announcing the October 6th opening of Idiots and Angels.
I've been doing a lot of guest lectures at local film schools to help drum up excitement about the film, and then I announce how I need people to spread the word throughout the city about the opening. We usually get about 5 kids per appearance, so we should be in good shape with our “Team Idiots”; that's what it says on their keepsake shirt.
Now, whether posters and postcards all over the city will drive huge numbers to the theatre, that's a different and interesting question - We hope so, because without the money for a full-out publicity blitz, I'm forced to use more street guerilla tactics. Eager student volunteers seem to be the most efficient way.
Alexia Anastasio, who is now in the process of doing a documentary about me, took charge of group A - four kids from the School of Visual Arts - and asked them to try and get the proprietors of the establishments, whether it be bar, club, Laundromat or whatever, to pose outside with the poster and we'll post his picture and street view of his business on our website. So hopefully it will be a kind of symbiotic relationship, promoting the business and promoting the film.
Friday we'll meet with Group B. I'll let you know how that goes.
Bill