THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON

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THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON 80 years in
15 minutes Jonny Green - Technical
Director FrankiJonny
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WHAT IS THIS? This is a short presentation about
the website and viral campaign we built for a
film called The Assassination of Richard Nixon.
But first a little bit about film websites in
general...
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THEY ARE BAD They are bad because they are often
commissioned once production is complete. Once
the finished film is ready for
release. What are you left with? Stills?
Yes Trailer? Definitely Synopsis? Check Cast
Crew biographies? Easy Enough of the story to
make a tenuous game? Maybe Sound
familiar? Engaging, emotive insight into why
this film exists? Er
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AND NO-ONE KNOWS THEY EXIST Unless the film is a
success - then the film is advertising
the website Unless the viewer has seen the film
already - which is not going to improve box
office Unless someone tells you about it Now
youre talking. But it has to be good.
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HOW DO WE MAKE FILM WEBSITES GOOD? A few ground
rules Make them informative Make them
intriguing Make each visit an experience Make
them accessible to viewers who havent seen the
film yet
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HOW DO WE MAKE FILM WEBSITES GOOD? Go
deeper Use the material available in an
interesting and imaginative way Use
interactivity - get the user involved Do some
research - uncover facts about the production,
the cast, the crew Explore the films themes and
draw in other relevant sources Create an
interactive experience that is entertaining in
itself, for new viewers and those who have seen
the film already. An experience they want to
talk about and recommend.
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• MAKING NIXON GOOD
• We had three opportunities
• This is a real story - based on true events
• Its topical - Presidential assassinations/terror
  attacks
• The period is historically significant - the
  loss of innocence

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CREATING CONTEXT So, whats the story? The
Assassination of Richard Nixon is set in the mid
1970s. The story of Sam Bicke, a failed
salesman, a failed husband, and a failed father,
as his life crumbles. An honest man surrounded by
successful liars.
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CREATING CONTEXT Some key plot points He is
failed by the American Dream He blames President
Nixon and the other liars for his failures He
hates his job as an office furniture salesman He
tries to join the Black Panthers (Sam Bicke is a
white, middle-class man) He talks to Leonard
Bernstein about his problems He plots to
assassinate Richard Nixon by hijacking a
passenger jet and flying it into the Whitehouse
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DELIVERING CONTEXT The reasons for Sam Bickes
demise, his actions and their repercussions are
painted across the history of modern America We
created a timeline, spanning 80 years of US
history, from 1931 to 2005, to deliver this wider
context. How you explore and reveal content is up
to you. The result (hopefully) I need to see
this film to find out the full story
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The Assassination of Richard Nixon
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The American Dream - the single minded pursuit of
the Cadillac
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Nixons crooked reign - selling the US people and
Watergate
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Civil rights - from Martin Luther King to The
Black Panthers and beyond
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Presidential assassination attempts - its not
just Oswald and Booth
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Terror attacks - the climate of fear built up
over decades
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Film facts - Director (Niels Mueller), Sean Penn
(playing Sam Bicke). The trailer. Screening times
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Powerisastateofmind.com - a spoof pysche
evaluation test, delivering the user into the
site, with their own personal file
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SUCCESS? Yes 12,000 unique users during week
leading up to film release 20,000 people saw the
film during the opening weekend UK box office -
opening weekend - 157,000
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THANK YOU