Movie Producer Okay With Internet Pirates

Get wind of this. I just read a press release regarding the independent science fiction film The Man From Earth which has jumped from #11,235 on IMDb’s movie meter to #6 in just two weeks. The movie, about a professor who is actually a centuries old caveman, is based on the last work of writer Jerome Bixby (Twilight Zone, Star Trek) and is now ranked as the 14th best Sci-Fi film of all time. These are staggering results that the movie’s producer Eric D. Wilkinson publicly acknowledges as being a direct result of internet piracy–and he’s oh so thankful for it.

Wilkinson publicly thanked Realeaselog on the site for what was, in effect, free advertising, as well as anyone who had downloaded the film and shared the word about it:

“Our independent movie had next to no advertising budget and very little going for it until somebody ripped one of the DVD screeners and put the movie online for all to download. After that happened, people were watching it and started posting mostly all positive reviews on IMDb, Amazon and other places. Most of the feedback from everyone who has downloaded “The Man From Earth” has been overwhelmingly positive. People like our movie and are talking about it, all thanks to piracy on the net!

What you guys have done here is nothing short of amazing. In the future, I will not complain about file sharing. YOU HAVE HELPED PUT THIS LITTLE MOVIE ON THE MAP!!!! When I make my next picture, I just may upload the movie on the net myself!”

Even in a year in which Radiohead offered their album online for a price of your choosing, Wilkinson’s statement is a pretty stunning response from a producer. And his decision to embrace the file sharing may serve as a precedent for other independent movie producers in the future.

Link: The Man From Earth