'Indigo' Grosses Nearly $1.4 Million
Through a unique and inspired distribution strategy, Indigo, a low-budget, high buzz feature grossed $1.397 million this weekend. Utilizing a targeted Internet campaign to sell tickets in more than 700 worldwide venues, Indigo had sell outs in all 50 states, 42 countries on 6 continents, including 100 AMC DTDS (digital) theaters for the January 29, 2005 premiere theatrical engagements. Non-theater venues included a wide variety of new thought churches, schools, and bookstores some of which had as many 1,000 movie-goers per venue.
Thanks to an intense viral marketing campaign created by Indigo executive producer/writer, James Twyman and his Emissary Productions team, results have been astonishing!
"We have a phenomenon on our hands. This is the beginning of a true sea change in the way independent films are promoted and distributed," says Stephen Simon, veteran Hollywood producer and director of Indigo (Somewhere in Time and What Dreams May Come).
Theatrical markets, all Sold Out, included New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Minneapolis, Denver, Houston, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.
Indigo was the surprise hit of the Santa Fe Film Festival selling 2,000 tickets in four sold out screenings as it won the coveted Audience Choice Award over more than 200 other films including Girl with a Pearl Earring and 21 Grams. "The intensity of interest in Indigo was unprecedented," proclaimed Clay Peres, Program Director for the Festival.
A wonderful family film, Indigo is co-written by and stars Neale Donald Walsch, whose bestselling book Conversations With God has sold approximately 7 million copies worldwide. This story of a young girl who brings a troubled family together speaks to spiritual principles universal to all mankind. Indigo is about taking responsibility for the choices we make. It's about the thin line that separates success from failure, and love from regret.
"For the 60 million Americans who consider themselves 'spiritual,' but not necessarily 'religious,' a new genre of film is rapidly emerging, films with heart and soul, called Spiritual Cinema. Indigo is a prime example of this," explains Simon, who is also co-founder of The Spiritual Cinema Circle which co-sponsored the premiere event on January 29th. In addition to watching Indigo on the big screen, movie goers were treated to a special introduction by the three principal figures in the film: Director/Producer Stephen Simon, Screenwriter James Twyman and Writer/Lead actor Neale Donald Walsch.
"The demand for tickets so far exceeded availability that we are now making plans to show Indigo again in theaters and alternative venues," says producer Twyman.
Future showings of Indigo will be announced at www.indigothemovie.com.
Shot on a $500,000 budget, Indigo was financed by screenwriter Twyman's organization from thousands of small contributions from people around the world who believed passionately that the film's powerful message needed to be brought to the world. Emissary Productions, The Spiritual Cinema Circle, the nation's fastest growing new DVD film club and monterey media inc., (which will ultimately distribute the film on DVD and other media in North America), sponsored the theatrical debut engagement of Indigo in AMC Theatres. "We are thrilled to present the unique experience of 'Indigo' children," offers Scott Mansfield, President and Managing Partner of monterey media inc. which is the distributor for all North American media for Indigo. MMI teamed with Andrew Fogelson, former Polygram President, for the launch of Indigo.
Thanks to an intense viral marketing campaign created by Indigo executive producer/writer, James Twyman and his Emissary Productions team, results have been astonishing!
"We have a phenomenon on our hands. This is the beginning of a true sea change in the way independent films are promoted and distributed," says Stephen Simon, veteran Hollywood producer and director of Indigo (Somewhere in Time and What Dreams May Come).
Theatrical markets, all Sold Out, included New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Minneapolis, Denver, Houston, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.
Indigo was the surprise hit of the Santa Fe Film Festival selling 2,000 tickets in four sold out screenings as it won the coveted Audience Choice Award over more than 200 other films including Girl with a Pearl Earring and 21 Grams. "The intensity of interest in Indigo was unprecedented," proclaimed Clay Peres, Program Director for the Festival.
A wonderful family film, Indigo is co-written by and stars Neale Donald Walsch, whose bestselling book Conversations With God has sold approximately 7 million copies worldwide. This story of a young girl who brings a troubled family together speaks to spiritual principles universal to all mankind. Indigo is about taking responsibility for the choices we make. It's about the thin line that separates success from failure, and love from regret.
"For the 60 million Americans who consider themselves 'spiritual,' but not necessarily 'religious,' a new genre of film is rapidly emerging, films with heart and soul, called Spiritual Cinema. Indigo is a prime example of this," explains Simon, who is also co-founder of The Spiritual Cinema Circle which co-sponsored the premiere event on January 29th. In addition to watching Indigo on the big screen, movie goers were treated to a special introduction by the three principal figures in the film: Director/Producer Stephen Simon, Screenwriter James Twyman and Writer/Lead actor Neale Donald Walsch.
"The demand for tickets so far exceeded availability that we are now making plans to show Indigo again in theaters and alternative venues," says producer Twyman.
Future showings of Indigo will be announced at www.indigothemovie.com.
Shot on a $500,000 budget, Indigo was financed by screenwriter Twyman's organization from thousands of small contributions from people around the world who believed passionately that the film's powerful message needed to be brought to the world. Emissary Productions, The Spiritual Cinema Circle, the nation's fastest growing new DVD film club and monterey media inc., (which will ultimately distribute the film on DVD and other media in North America), sponsored the theatrical debut engagement of Indigo in AMC Theatres. "We are thrilled to present the unique experience of 'Indigo' children," offers Scott Mansfield, President and Managing Partner of monterey media inc. which is the distributor for all North American media for Indigo. MMI teamed with Andrew Fogelson, former Polygram President, for the launch of Indigo.
