With the online debut last month of "Hang Loose," the new feature from Kinetic Films, Hawaii filmmaker James Sereno has taken his movie marketing experiment to the masses.
The 90-minute comedy is available only online, replacing the communal experience traditionally found in theaters with the intimacy of personal computers, cellphones and tablets.
Sereno is still waiting for specific numbers to gauge success, but he’s banking on two gut-check barometers: So many people sought to purchase the film during the first five minutes of its Dec. 14 release that Sereno’s site crashed, and nearly 600,000 people have viewed the trailer posted that same day by YouTube sensation and "Hang Loose" star Kevin Wu.
Sereno is convinced that online viewing offers a promising future for indie filmmakers. The process gives them more control over distribution and eliminates the need to woo a large company to market and screen the film.
"It’s pretty exciting," he said. "Is this the future? I don’t know. But I think it is definitely a viable option for indie filmmakers and guys who want to get their films out there."
Success won’t be measured by large numbers, Sereno said.
"We don’t have to get millions and millions of people to watch our film, although that’s great," he said. "We can be successful on a smaller scale and be profitable enough to grow."
"Hang Loose," which was directed by Kinetic’s Ryan Kawamoto, was shown in college theaters last spring, but there are no current plans to return to theaters.
THE ONLINE process is similar to Netflix streaming, Sereno said. Viewers can purchase the film online or from a smartphone for $5 and then watch it on up to two devices as often as they want, he said.
Wu brought an established following to the project. His YouTube channel KevJumba boasts more than 2.5 million subscribers. The 22-year-old comic began making videos while in junior high school, and he usually pokes fun at himself and what it’s like growing up as an Asian-American male.
The film also stars established actor Dante Basco, who helped write the screenplay.
Sereno said "Hang Loose" was a good project even before it was decided to screen it online. But Wu’s following and Basco’s stature as an actor cemented the idea.
Basco also starred in Sereno’s dark story "Paradise Broken," which could end up online as well. Sereno even declined a distribution offer for that film.
"Man Up!" — another film undergoing editing — could also end up online, and Sereno said he is committed to four projects a year aimed at online audiences. He’s already preparing a musical that Kawamoto will direct.
Sereno has heard arguments from purists who have criticized the loss of the theater experience, but the 46-year-old filmmaker said going online is a simple recognition of younger viewing habits.
When "Hang Loose" went live, he watched it on his tablet with his 19-year-old daughter. The shared experience was priceless, he said.
"It’s a different kind of communal experience, where people want to watch the movie, and once they watch it they want to communicate about that experience," Sereno said.
You can find "Hang Loose" at www.hangloosemovie.com.
AND that’s a wrap …
Mike Gordon is the Star-Advertiser’s film and television writer. Read his Outtakes Online blog at honolulupulse.com. Reach him at 529-4803 or email mgordon@staradvertiser.com.
