Ok, so now I have a plan.

Since I've begun the work of helping Bob Funk into a healthy theatrical release, the challenges and demands of a successful viral marketing campaign have been crystallizing in my brain.  One lesson above all is clear: START EARLY.

With that in mind, I began aimlessly puttering with websites and such.  Wisely, I think, I've targeted five cities where I would like to begin Sam Bailey's theatrical run in the United States.  I've posted online petitions to the cinema exhibitors in those five cities, where supporters and fans can voice their intent to buy a ticket.  I did the basic work of setting up a Yahoo group for newsletters, and I've got it all linked up on my website.  For those who don't view Sam Bailey's backstory as spoiler material, I've got my site set up so folks can let themselves in on the secret.

All the same, all of this is kind of last-stage involvement.  Only those who already love the material want to sign a petition, right?  So how do I get the world of Sam Bailey out there, without spoiling the story?

My friend Marcus suggested fliers and cards, and of course he's right.  Even when I was starting to make up t-shirts, it was clear that "Who is Sam Bailey?" is a question I should plaster on every available surface.  But how do I make that question a gateway for all the possibilities Sam Bailey represents as a character, without giving anything away?

FInally, I got it!  My approach will be to get a website going, where the people involved in the film can masquerade as conspiracy theorists.  Each of us can adopt a pet theory based on spotty evidence of Sam's existence, and argue those points with new research and so forth on a weekly basis.  That way, we all share the burden of generating new content, the whole thing stays fun, and as more and more people come onto the project, the marketing gets more silly and complex. 

As readers research the folks making these wild posts, the complete picture comes into focus.  Diligent readers will realize a movie is being made, and when they find their way to www.8sidedfilms.com, they become part of the inner circle.   Then they sign petitions, join mailing lists, and perhaps even make posts on the Who is Sam Bailey conspiracy blog themselves!

After I finish the fourth draft, I'll take the script to my two main actors, and make sure they're with me.  With their support, I'll get some key art commissioned for www.whoissambailey.com, and we'll get the conspiracy site up and running!  Then, we'll begin flyering for that site in the five cities I want to open in, both near the indie moviehouses and at places like the WGA and DGA.  From there we can make people curious enough to find www.8sidedfilms.com on their own.  Certainly, www.whoissambailey.com can never cop to being a movie site.  It's a chance for the actors and filmmakers to play with the mythology, but we all need to keep it in character.  That way, newcomers will always encounter an element of mystery.

It's a plan, right?  Let me know where you see room for improvement!

In the meantime, the fact that you're reading this means you're an insider!  So get over to www.8sidedfilms.com, sign your local petition, and join the Sam Bailey mailing list!