An upstart distributor is making indie films exciting again.
Ava was beautiful and enjoyed tentative conversations about life and love. When curious brogrammers ran across her Tinder profile at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin last year, they swiped right with gusto. “What makes you human?” she would text, before instructing her suitor to click through to her Instagram feed, which included a video hyping Ex Machina, a chic and heady science-fiction thriller directed by Alex Garland, along with convenient details about the movie’s American debut, at the festival later that weekend.
The men had been catfished. Ava was a bot, designed by Ex Machina’s New York - based distributor, A24, using a photo of the film’s lead, Alicia Vikander. The guerrilla campaign, which took just a month to plan, barely dented the film’s marketing budget but garnered global headlines. After an enthusiastic reception in Austin, Ex Machina opened in limited release and ultimately took in more than $25 million domestically—not bad for a $15 million production with no bankable stars.
In an industry where creative courage is increasingly rare, A24 has made this sort of boldness a hallmark. Taking on about 18 to 20 films annually, the four-year-old indie distributor has earned a reputation for putting out unconventional fare that appeals to literate and artistically adventurous people in their twenties and thirties, whom major studios generally ignore, and employing savvy digital marketing and shrewd release strategies to reach them.
This story is from the February 2016 edition of Fast Company.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2016 edition of Fast Company.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Where the Clean Energy Jobs Are
A data-driven guide to the skills you need and the opportunities you'll find
CAN WWE PIN THE WORLD?
AS IT MAKES ITS $5 BILLION NETFLIX DEBUT AND PREPARES FOR A GLOBAL AUDIENCE, WWE IS STILL WRESTLING WITH THE TOXIC LEGACY OF ITS COMPLICATED FOUNDER.
RADICAL VISION
POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE EMBRACING AI-ENHANCED SURVEILLANCE IN THE NAME OF STOPPING CRIME. HERE'S HOW ONE SECURITY FIRM IS LEADING THE EFFORT AND PROFITING OFF OUR FEARS
Brands That Matter
Our annual look at standout brands encompasses 130 honorees in nine categories, including the inaugural CMOs of the Year. Here's how 12 of those brands and three top CMOs stake out the intersection of business and culture.
The Future According to Google
Google DeepMind, the tech giant's internal AI research lab, isn't just racing to beat OpenAI to market. Under Nobel laureate CEO Demis Hassabis, it's the \"engine room\" of the entire company.
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
SEPHORA HAS GROWN SO POWERFUL THAT IT CONTROLS WHICH BRANDS LIVE OR DIE IN THE $30 BILLION HIGH-END COSMETICS INDUSTRY. IN THIS BEAUTY CONTEST, SEPHORA ALWAYS WEARS THE CROWN.
CULTURE WARS
Brands on the Run Why Harley-Davidson, Caterpillar, and other masculine\" brands are caving to anti-DEI crusader Robby Starbuck
WORK LIFE
Law Roach, image architect and educator, answers our career questionnaire.
The AI Gadget Debacle
Here's why you shouldn't expect any mind-blowing AI-powered gifts anytime soon.
Why the future workplace will feel more like a hotel
REVEALS WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO CORPORATE STRATEGY AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT