Finns share model for Star Trek spoof success (Reuters)

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The young makers of an Internet spoofof the science-fiction classic "Star Trek," seen by 3.5 millionpeople in less than two months, are planning to create afilm-making community on the Internet.

Relying on free distribution over the Web, "Star Wreck: Inthe Pirkinning" became Finland's most viewed movie ever at theend of last year.

The Star Wreck team is now working on a Web site that wouldenable anyone to provide ideas and offer know-how tofilm-makers, who would be able to sort through and decide whichinformation they want to use.

"The potential of the Net is enormous. If you're aBulgarian film student, it might be an architect in Japan whocould help you," director Timo Vuorensola told Reuters in aninterview.

"When Hollywood dominates 90 percent of the whole movieindustry, it is hard to break into the international scene fromsmaller countries," he added. "Internet communities are bydefault international, and with the potential of the Internet,if you do a good movie, it will fly."

Homemade film remixes have become increasingly popular dueto the introduction of inexpensive computer software that canreplicate expensive recording studios and film sets and tolow-cost distribution on the Internet using peer-to-peertechnologies such as BitTorrent.

"Blockbusters have their own space. We are aiming to offera good alternative and a channel for smaller players, who mighthave a very different style. We hope to bring the culture backto the film culture," Vuorensola said.

BARE-BONES

"Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning" is a full-length feature inFinnish with English subtitles. It was made by a group ofstudents and other amateur film-makers with a bare-bones budgetand a few personal computers to create elaborate specialeffects.

The film has made some revenue from sales of DVDs throughthe group's Web site (http://www.starwreck.com/).

"I think it gave (Star Trek studio) Paramount a heartattack," said Ted Cohen, a senior executive for music companyEMI at a mobile media conference in Helsinki on Monday. "How doyou monetise that?"

The success of Star Wreck comes as the film industrygrapples with the threats and opportunities of the Internet.

Movie studios are fearful of the rampant piracy that hasravaged their counterparts in the music industry, but they arealso hoping to use the Internet to cut distribution costs andopen up new markets.

The team announced on Tuesday they had started to work onthe next movie, a science fiction comedy entitled "Iron Sky"(http://www.ironsky.net/).

"We are interested in science fiction, and since Finland isa technology country, there is demand," Vuorensola said.

In Finland, which is home for top mobile phone maker ,Star Wreck has been shown in theatres only on special occasions

For the new movie, the team may charge for Internetdownloads and plans to seek theater distribution.

"The Internet will be one channel, because payment methodswill have definitely developed a lot by the time it's out. Butit is still an open question whether it will be distributedalso for free. We would very much like it, but it will depend alot on the financiers," Vuorensola said.

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/