Trendwatch: ARG (Alternate Reality Game) aka The Movie Mashup "Head Trauma"
Spotted on IGTrendcentral
Director Lance Weiler has created a “remix” presentation of his cult indie horror flick Head Trauma, the result of which sounds like a good approximation of the future of film. First shown in Philadelphia, the show combines film with live music, theatre, and gaming, resulting in a cinematic ARG (alternate reality game). While the film is shown, a live soundtrack is performed (past performers have included Marshal Allen (Sun Ra), Espers, and Bardo Pond) on top of the film’s dialog and sound effects; meanwhile, props and sets from the movie are strewn throughout the theatre and characters from the movie emerge through the audience for live action shows throughout the film.
Additionally, a phone number appears on screen intermittently through the film; viewers are encouraged to call the number to start a game that lasts through the film’s duration and even follows them home. Participants receive clues to solve a set of riddles, and interact with Head Trauma characters through phone calls and text messages that lead players to more clues online. As theatres increasingly compete with home entertainment, live film presentations such as this could be a way to keep audiences going out to movies. Look for Head Trauma to hit your city soon, as Weiler plans to take the remix on the road this summer, with stops in NYC, San Francisco and London in the works.
