A New Benchmark



Every time we’ve put Echotone on the big screen in Austin, we’ve sold out the theater, whether it was the “Cast and Crew Screening” more than a year ago or the 2 screenings at the Austin Film Festival, people came out in droves. Theater rules were bent. Lawn chairs came out. People hung in the rows and hid in the shadows against the back wall. Or there was Marfa (Austin in the desert). Almost 50 people had to be turned away. But we never expected this.

Every night of the 4 nights sold out. Then the 5th night the Alamo Drafthouse gave us. The most remarkable part about it, something that could only be seen on the ground level, was how the lines grew with each passing night. Faces became increasingly unfamiliar. It was testament to the power of word of mouth and all the good press boiling up all at once. It got people out. I stood in the lobby, watching people asking for tickets and getting turned away.

It has truly taken a community to prop up Echotone. I just started writing a list to acknowledge everyone responsible, but immediately backed off. It’s ENORMOUS. The lines between friends, colleagues, and family all blurred together.

And now that the Drafthouse has agreed to give us a FULL WEEK run starting this Friday, May 6th, we’ve reached a new benchmark. If we do well this week, the possibilities open up even further for our future: more screenings in Chicago, New York, LA. It also helps raise our profile and opens us up to more opportunities to continue shooting this fascinating story nationwide.

We’re slated to shoot the pilot for Echoton Chicago this summer and plan to do the same in LA and NYC by the end of 2011. It starts here. Please spread the word and help get people into seats for our extended Austin run! If we’re as successful as we have been, the sky’s the limit!

Thank you!

-Nathan