‘SCREAM’ ACTOR MATTHEW LILLARD SETS UP NEW ‘DECENTRALIZED MOVIE STUDIO’; FIRST PROJECT IS A VAMPIRE MOVIE
Matthew Lillard.
It’s a scream, baby! Actor Matthew Lillard, best known for his roles in the hit films SCREAM and SCOOBY DOO, has launched Midnite Movie Club, an NFT-based project, along with writer-director Bill Whirity, which allows for holders to participate in the first-ever “decentralized movie studio.”
The duo launched the project with a desire to hand power back to movie audiences, letting them decide what films the company produces, whose focus is specifically in the horror, sci-fi, action/adventure, and fantasy genres. Midnite Movie Club’s first project will be a “high-concept vampire movie,” called LET THEM DIE, which will go into production this summer.
Midnite Movie Club co-founder, Bill Whirity. Photo credit: Stephanie Bassos.
FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:
Midnite Movie Club is set up as a DAO or Decentralized Autonomous Organization, which is a fancy way of saying a community that makes decisions together. Thanks to blockchain technology, the voting will be fair and transparent.
How it works is rather simple. Each NFT allows its current owner one vote (the more NFTs you own the more votes you can cast). The blockchain records each vote, ensuring only holders can vote and only cast their allotted votes. Once a vote is cast, it is recorded and immutable.
Using this system, you will be able to both vote on which films get greenlit as well as on creative decisions the filmmakers offer up to the community throughout production. They already have one film ready to begin immediately. A few examples of things you will vote on are: deciding which actors we will make offers to first, picking costumes, props, or creature designs, choosing our movie poster design, and more!
In addition to choosing what movies the company will produce, the community will also be given exclusive access to special features like viewing audition tapes, set photos and videos, concept art and storyboard, and participating in Live AMAs and live tours from the sets.
“NFTs, blockchain and Web3 are the future of the internet”, say the founders. “In the coming years, this technology will revolutionize many aspects of our daily lives and the film industry is no exception. Most people think of NFTs as just the artwork, but it is the underlying technology behind them that makes the Midnite Movie Club possible. The MMC is a private community, like a country club or a gym, and your NFT acts as your membership card. It is your key to the kingdom, so to speak, and it is how you cast your vote and help the filmmakers develop their films.
We believe NFTs are a fun way to give members access to our community perks through a collectible item. There is a major crossover for collectors and movie lovers so offering NFTs as part of our project is a natural choice.”
5,555 NFTs will be offered up on the Ethereum Blockchain at 0.09 ETH for 1 or 0.08 ETH for 2+ (around $250-275 USD).
Matthew Lillard is a veteran of both stage and screen, well known for his performances in over 50 films and television shows. His films have generated nearly a billion dollars worldwide with movies like SCREAM, SCOOBY DOO, and the Academy Award winning film THE DESCENDANTS among his most popular credits. He recently worked on David Lynch’s TWIN PEAKS, the worldwide hit GOOD GIRLS, and can be seen on Showtime’s BILLIONS in 2022. His directorial debut, FAT KID RULES THE WORLD, won the Audience Award at SXSW.
Bill Whirity is a writer-director from Chicago. He attended film school at Columbia College before moving to Los Angeles where he snuck into classes at AFI. His short film “Prey” was selected as a Fresh Blood pick for BloodList XI, Hollywood’s yearly list of up-and-comers in the genre space. This was the first time a film/director was featured on the list usually reserved for scripts/writers.
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