PIXELINTERNATIONAL

For those of you following this story - okay, so I'm deluding myself - but if you thought Billy and Brian are bonkers for trying to back their movie by selling ad pixels, it only gets stranger.

Today I got an email from an outfit in Germany who are turning the same trick. If you think The Ladies Man looks optimistic, how about this?

"Muenchner Filmwerkstatt is testing a new form of film financing. In May, the Munich-based, non-profit production association MuenchnerFilmwerkstatt will shoot "The Golden Nazi Vampire of Absam, Part 2", directed by Lasse Nolte. Information on the film can be found in the project presentation:

http://www.muenchner-filmwerkstatt.de/nazivampire.pdf

and on the director's website:

http://www.dergoldenenazivampir.de/

where a German language production diary is offered as a podcast.

Since the film has a difficult theme - a trash comedy from the times of the"Third Reich" - it was impossible to fund by broadcasters and public subsidies, so the Muenchner Filmwerkstatt is now raising funds in an unusual and innovative way. Credits as an associate producer are offered through eBay, donations range from 149 euros (for a presentation in the endingcredits only) to 499 euros (for a presentation in the opening and ending credits). The auction can be found at

http://search.ebay.com/W0QQsassZminorfilms

So earnest, so honest, so, well, German.

I checked these sites and sure enough - 'The Golden Nazi Vampire of Absam (Part 2)' is up for grabs. Just when it couldn't get any weirder. So now I have a dilemma - do I invest in The Ladies Man or do I dare throw my money at the exotic world of co-pro on Der Goldene Nazi Vampir? Which of these is the most likely to succeed in the cut and thrust of pixel ad-selling?

It almost makes form-filling seem attractive. Still, being a named producer on this would make for a more interesting obit.