Columbia Pictures' 'Hollow Man' to Usher in the Latest Advancement In Motion Picture Marketing

Columbia Pictures' "Hollow Man" will be the first film ever to be promoted via a live, interactive press junket known as an ijunket (http://www.ijunkets.com/), scheduled for July 29. For the first time, hundreds of entertainment-oriented web sites will participate online in interviews with the film's director, Paul Verhoeven, and star, Kevin Bacon. The "Hollow Man" ijunket represents the latest development in promotional technology and a new and exciting way to connect fans to the film. The ijunket is a service of DNA Studio. Columbia Pictures is the first studio to take advantage of this new development in web technology.

"The ijunket will help bridge the gap between movies, the stars and the audience," said Sony Pictures Entertainment President of Worldwide Marketing Bob Levin. "This exceptional development is only the beginning. With the ijunket, the future of junkets and movie marketing is now as exciting and creative as the movies they promote."

"With the ijunket, we can accommodate the needs of internet sites as well as potentially provide a great deal of flexibility to those cast and crew members unable to attend the traditional junket," said Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Dwight Caines.

"The ijunket will enable studios to dramatically reduce the cost of reaching entertainment sites and their fans with original content while achieving greater depth and reach with both the on and offline press," said Chris Gibbin, chief operating officer of DNA Studio. "We're delighted to be partnering with Sony, a studio that fully understands the value of this type of innovative film marketing."

Done in conjunction with the film's traditional junket, scheduled for July 29-30 in Los Angeles, the "Hollow Man" ijunket will utilize the power of the internet to make the film, its stars and filmmakers available to film-oriented web sites around the world. These sites, crucial to the promotional campaign, bring fans closer to the movie by eliminating the intermediaries employed by traditional print and electronic media. The ijunket represents a major step toward the development of entertainment marketing in the dawning broadband era.

In general, despite their increasing influence in the industry, the majority of web sites are not invited to press junkets and even fewer are provided with promotional materials such as photos, trailers and production notes on studio releases. Now, for the first time, these sites will participate in live interviews once reserved solely for their traditional press counterparts.

The first half of the ijunket will consist of brief, one-on-one interviews with major branded web sites. The second half of the ijunket will be a press conference-style interview wherein a multitude of web sites will post questions to the film's stars and director.

In addition, the ijunket ...

... connects web users with film product in the most immediate, creative and technologically sophisticated manner available.

... reaches the press without the expense of shipping press kits and trailers by providing online access to those materials.

... allows soundbites, questions and other materials from the junket to be accessible online for use any time after the event.

... can potentially include traditional media outlets via the internet without requiring their physical presence at the junket.

At a top secret military lab, a group of brilliant young scientists have just unlocked the secret of invisibility. In "Hollow Man," the provocative new suspense thriller from the mind of controversial director Paul Verhoeven ("RoboCop," "Total Recall," "Basic Instinct"), the team's arrogant leader, Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon), ignores the risks and decides to test the dangerous procedure on himself -- only to discover his fellow scientists (Oscar® nominee Elisabeth Shue and Josh Brolin) are unable to reverse the effect. Working around the clock, Caine's colleagues struggle to devise an antidote. But Sebastian's intoxication with his new-found power is growing, and he's come to believe his colleagues may be a threat to his very existence.

Columbia Pictures' "Hollow Man" is a Douglas Wick Production of A Paul Verhoeven Film. It is directed by Verhoeven from a story by Gary Scott Thompson and Andrew W. Marlowe and a screenplay by Marlowe. The ambitious, innovative project is produced by Douglas Wick and Alan Marshall. Starring as the three key scientists in the clandestine government experiment are Academy Award® nominee Elisabeth Shue, Kevin Bacon and Josh Brolin. Kim Dickens, Greg Grunberg, Joey Slotnick, Mary Randle and veteran actor William Devane also star.

The brilliant creative team includes director of photography Jost Vacano, A.S.C., production designer Allan Cameron, editor Mark Goldblatt, A.C.E., senior visual effects supervisor Scott E. Anderson, costume designer Ellen Mirojnick and composer Jerry Goldsmith.

Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment (SPDE), an operating unit of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), oversees the activities of SPE's digital production and online assets which include Sony Pictures Imageworks, Sony Online Entertainment and Columbia TriStar Interactive (http://www.spe.sony.com/). SPDE focuses on three areas: 1) producing and developing of visual effects and computer-generated imaging (CGI), digital character animation, and original content for motion picture, television, online and PlayStation audiences; 2) tapping SPE's film and television libraries and its talent relationships to develop new forms of online content, games and interactive programming; and 3) leading SPE's efforts to provide video-on-demand, interactive television and the distribution of other forms of digital content and services over the emerging broadband networks.

Columbia Pictures is a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company. Sony Pictures' global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home video acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities, development of new entertainment products, services, and technologies, and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.spe.sony.com/.

Award-winning DNA Studio, with offices in Los Angeles and New York, is one of the entertainment industry's top companies for digital media and marketing solutions. DNA is a full-service agency integrating proven strategies with innovative rich media solutions to create both traditional and non-traditional online marketing campaigns and original content. Implementing next-generation technologies like VR environments and on-demand digital audio and animation, along with innovative use of streaming media, Shockwave and Flash, DNA Studio generates extensive digital marketing solutions. Some of DNA's clients include 20th Century Fox Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures Entertainment, MGM, Fox Searchlight, Nickelodeon, Paramount Television, Maverick Records, Sony Music and Atlantic Records. The DNA Studio web site can be found at http://www.dnastudio.com/.

Press contact for DNA Studio: Bumble Ward, bward@bumbleward.com or Bebe Lerner, blerner@bumbleward.com, 323-655-8585

For more information, contact: Dennis Higgins of Columbia Pictures, 310-244-7547.

® Academy Award(s) and Oscar(s) are registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

SOURCE: Columbia Pictures

Contact: Dennis Higgins of Columbia Pictures, 310-244-7547; or Bumble
Ward, bward@bumbleward.com or Bebe Lerner, blerner@bumbleward.com, both for
DNA Studio, 323-655-8585

Website: http://www.ijunkets.com/

Website: http://www.dnastudio.com/

Website: http://www.spe.sony.com/