Documentary on the NFL Draft to Be Released on Netflix and Through Free Screenings Hosted by Fans

Business Wire, Jan 14, 2008

Netflix Breaks New Ground With First-Ever Grassroots Screening Program Day and Date with Release on Netflix for DVD and Instant Watching on a PC; Innovative Program Directly Involves Football Fans in the Promotion of the Film

LOS ANGELES & AUSTIN, Texas -- Red Envelope Entertainment, a Netflix company, and B-Side Entertainment, Inc., an independent film discovery and distribution company, today announced the release of the film TWO DAYS IN APRIL through an innovative exhibition program that challenges the traditional theatrical release model for new films. This release marks the first ever "day and date" release of a Red Envelope Entertainment film both outside and inside the home, giving audiences the opportunity to see the film for free at grassroots screening events across the country and even host their own screenings. The release furthers the trend of making newly released commercial content available to audiences for free in order to leverage the power of fans to promote material through word-of-mouth communication.

"As the NFL season is in the midst of the 2008 playoffs, we are pleased to make TWO DAYS IN APRIL available via Netflix in a unique release anchored by a series of innovative nationwide grassroots screening events developed and managed by B-Side concurrent with DVD rental and instant viewing for more than seven million Netflix subscribers," said Liesl Copland, Head of Red Envelope Entertainment. "This exhibition program will put the film directly into the hands of viewers, whether at home with their families or assembled in community groups. B-Side has a proven track record of creating buzz for films by engaging audiences through tailor-made exhibitions, and we are using this platform to challenge the traditional theatrical model which we feel holds no allure for much of the specialty film market today."

TWO DAYS IN APRIL is a 90-minute documentary about the NFL draft seen through the eyes of four star college athletes. With never-before-seen access to the draft process, viewers travel with the players as they navigate the intense training and nerve-wracking emotions of a rigorous training camp, the 2006 Senior Bowl, the NFL "Combine" and draft weekend. It provides a behind the scenes look into the secretive, fiercely competitive and often brutal process of creating NFL players.

TWO DAYS IN APRIL, which was financed by Red Envelope Entertainment, is immediately available to Netflix members to rent on DVD or watch instantly on a PC. Through Instant Viewing, Netflix subscribers will be able to start watching TWO DAYS IN APRIL on their PCs in as little as 30 seconds. Instant Watching has been available on Netflix since January 2007, and scored over five million viewings in its first six months.

The film will also be exhibited via grassroots screenings across the country through a deal struck with B-Side. This non-traditional exhibition approach pioneered by B-Side has proven to be a strong alternative to the traditional theatrical release of films, paving the way for the success of the 2006 documentary BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES which screened for audiences at more than 300 fan-hosted events and is premiering on cable TV next month.

"Popular alternative rock band Radiohead has proven in the music industry that offering commercial content for free can drive significant marketing and economic benefit," said Chris Hyams, founder and CEO of B-Side Entertainment. "The exhibition of TWO DAYS IN APRIL will tap football fans, sports enthusiasts and others across the country to help generate word of mouth excitement and drive interest in the film. Most documentaries do not fit the big studio model for theatrical release, and by putting the exhibition of this film in the hands of the audience, we can give millions of football fans the chance to see a film that they would never see in a multiplex cinema."

Much like the players portrayed in the film, TWO DAYS IN APRIL had to overcome its share of obstacles, as the film faced legal challenges and delays. "Today's release is the culmination of a long and difficult process," said Dave Broome, producer of TWO DAYS IN APRIL and CEO of 25/7 Productions. Don Argott, director of TWO DAYS IN APRIL said, "As an avid football fan, directing this film was the chance of a lifetime. We were provided unprecedented access to the lives of four brave young men over four months between training camp and the NFL draft. Viewers will meet their families, see their home towns and feel the emotions of the process."

The initial grassroots screening event for the film on Friday night was well received by nearly 200 top NCAA all-star football players. The athletes watched the film the night before they competed in the 62nd Annual Hula Bowl on Saturday. The nationally televised Hula Bowl is widely viewed as one of the top events for college seniors to display their talents and perform in front of professional football scouts, general managers and personnel directors from every National Football League team.