I do love me some Kevin Smith and I do find him enlightened as a film maker and storyteller, but even now I have to question his sanity. I tried not to take it personally when he took shots at journalists who didn’t pay to see his movie (advanced press screenings) and gave it a poor review. I don’t treat a movie any differently when I review them based on whether I paid to see them or if it was an advanced screening.
But his strong feelings on press reviews and traditional publicity have pushed him to flip the bird at convention and deny any press screenings, press kits, or any other publicity to promote his first stab at the Horror genre with Red State.
“I’m not press-junketing at all, anywhere,” said Smith, adding that journalists will have to listen to hours of his Smodcast if they want to get any information about his film. He is, however, considering transcribing a Questions and Answers session for “SUPER lazy writers.” Basically, “nobody needs to talk to me anymore anyway, as anyone who’s curious can always know what I’m thinking 24/7 right here on Twitter.”
While I think Kevin Smith is an amazing storyteller, and I am really looking forward to what he says or does with Red State, I worry that his passive aggressive stand against traditional media (which he is ironically a part of) will hurt his career and this film.
As of yet, Red State is not purchased for distribution and an unwillingness to follow traditional means of publicity might sound like a morality stand for him, but a giant red flag for the marketing and PR of major distribution chains.
On the other hand, sites like this one who do follow his Smodcast and Twitter are doing all the PR for him. And we are free!
I just worry that his views on the PR machine and promotion are starting to make him sound like Alan Moore kind of crazy. Doing it for the art, and hating on the process that makes it a movie.
Still looking forward to what he does with it.
