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Director Hits Studio Jackpot With Low Budget Robot Attack Short

by Warren Riddle on December 5, 2009 at 03:45 PM

Aspiring amateur filmmakers frequently parlay inexpensive digital shorts into viral sensations, but rarely does Net success actually produce tangible profits. If reports from Newslite are accurate, the previously-unknown director of the Web hit 'Panic Attack' has turned his $500, five-minute robot apocalypse film into a big budget, multi-million dollar project.

Representatives of Mandate Pictures apparently approached Federico Alvarez, an Uruguayan F/X magician, after his cheap yet visually impressive film began attracting significant attention on the Web. The short depicts massive robots and flying ships that violently descend on the town of Montevideo. Alvarez will reportedly receive numerous benefits, including a flat $1 million fee as well as a $30 million budget with which to create a long-form version.

Sam Raimi, the director behind 'The Evil Dead' series and 'Spider-Man' is rumored to be on board as a consultant, which would add some needed credibility. Mandate is, after all, the company behind 'Juno' and 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.' So, hopefully the studio won't drastically change the project into one about a socially awkward, teenage robot Michael Cera-misfit who just wants to dance. [From: Newslite]

Tags: mandate pictures, MandatePictures, robot apocalypse, RobotApocalypse, robots, top, viral video, ViralVideo

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