trailer break: ‘The Graduates’

The Graduates’ executive producer Matthew Gielen tells me:

We're self-distributing, for the most part, so we're doing a lot of cool things with social media, alternative venues, viral marketing, etc. and I think fans of indie film and indie filmmakers would find it pretty cool and informative.

He’s right. We’re going to be seeing a lot more of this kind of thing in coming months and years, and I heartily approve. This is how we’re going to find the next hot, creative, innovative filmmakers: they’re not gonna come out of the studios.

So, The Graduates is opening in New York City at the Astoria Beer Garden (which is actually called The Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden, but no one calls it that) this weekend, with screenings on both Friday night, May 1, and Saturday night, May 2. This is one of the funkiest spots in the city, one of those retro anti-trendy places that your grandfather would have hung out at, a place that’s under the radar and yet it’s always packed (especially on a beautiful spring or summer day) with people of all ages... but mostly hip younger folks. It’s the perfect place to get your movie on the radar of a crowd that likes under-the-radar. It sounds contradictory to suggest that it’s a good thing to promote something like a movie by making it something of a secret, something you have to be in the know to know about, but that’s how you spark word of mouth.

The Astoria Beer Garden is at 2919 24th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, easily accessible from the N train. See the film’s official site for more details, including advance tix, which are recommended.

The film will also open in other cities over the next few months, and will be released online and on DVD simultaneously. You can order the DVD or get the soundtrack free at the official site.

Purely by coincidence, I’ll be at the Astoria Beer Garden on Saturday afternoon (though I can’t stay for the movie). If you see me there, stop by and say hi.

The Graduates opens in NYC and releases on DVD and online on May 1.