RISE short film publicity

The client

Sci-fi passion project RISE was the result of four years of hard graft from rising Hollywood director David Karlak and team.

Karlak raised over $38,000 in a high-profile Kickstarter campaign to bring his vision to life: a film set in the near future, where sentient robots who display emotional symmetry to humans are targeted for elimination, leading to a revolutionary war for survival.

Karlak and the team were rightly proud of what they had achieved. They wanted to raise awareness of RISE among sci-fi enthusiasts, but also to capture the attention of major Hollywood studios in a bid to move from proof-of-concept to full feature film.

The brief

Karlak approached us with the task of maximising the reach of RISE and generating a press plan for the film. The aim was to increase awareness around RISE, but also to get the project into the eyes of major film distributors, with a wider goal of getting RISE optioned as a full feature film.

We approached this core goal via a multi-tiered strategy. Over the course of a month-long campaign, the team engaged high-profile press and influencers, suggested awards and speaking opportunities, and worked to disseminate the film through multiple social channels.

Working in this way, the buzz around RISE quickly increased, with fantastic results.

Our approach

PR strategy

We engaged a list of known contacts at tier-one publications read by industry execs and film fans alike. A well-crafted press release and supporting materials led to high-profile coverage in entertainment publications and beyond.

Wider awareness

Also in the mix were award submissions to major film festivals, speaking pitches to international film conferences, and co-marketing with technology vendors, where we developed stories about the tools used to create RISE – including a VR project.

Social stategy

RISE was disseminated through multiple social channels, using a network of connections to encourage engagement across reputable profiles. Social momentum, in part, led to RISE being selected as a Vimeo “Staff Pick”.

Proof of concept

Post-campaign, Warner Bros picked up RISE for a feature film adaptation, with hopes of further franchise development. David Karlak was signed to RSA as Director, and went on to complete the Alien Covenant: In Utero VR experience with Ridley Scott.