Huffington Post:

When a Miami teenager, inspired by a screening of the new movie Archie’s Final Project, created a video announcing that he was “an Archie” and posted it to the film’s Facebook page, a social media movement was born. Since then, thousands of teens have joined the IAmAnArchie campaign – an effort to promote teen suicide awareness and prevention -- posting photos, videos, and words of support to the film’s Facebook, Twitter and website.

Archie’s Final Project is about a 17-year-old media-obsessed geek named Archibald Holden Buster Williams (played by Gabriel Sunday from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Taking Woodstock) who, in the words of director David Miller, “grew up in the digital sandbox.” As his final class project, Archie announces that he is going to kill himself on camera. For the first time in his life, this gets the attention of everyone at his school, including Sierra Silver (Brooke Nevin), the beautiful but troubled girl he loves.

Archie’s Final Project is a Catcher in the Rye for the YouTube generation, and in that spirit, it’s been endorsed by the poster boy for YouTube stars, Shane Dawson. I chatted with Shane about the film and he said: “A lot of kids tell me, ‘I want to kill myself, I don’t know what to do about it,’ and I feel like this film has so many answers for them. I knew it would speak to them because it’s so current and it’s so in their voice.”

After the New York Archie Premiere, I met with lead actor Gabriel Sunday on the rooftop terrace of the Park-Meridian Hotel to talk about Archie: the film, the social media campaign, and the character.

What drew you to the character of Archie?

The theme of connection -- trying to figure out how to reach out and somehow be really involved with people other than yourself -- was one of a lot of themes in the film that really intrigued me. The ADD nature, narcissism, suicide, depression, isolation, media overload, social pressure, kids feeling over-connected and completely disconnected… all those things were very relevant. The main thing Archie was trying to do was figure out some way to connect, and that really resonated with me. I started using the film as a way to figure out where I needed to go to heal myself.

You played an active role in creating this character. In what ways is Archie informed by your own personality and experiences?

Archie is obsessed with movies, he blacks out his windows, he’s obsessed with media and cameras, he’s into all this music… a lot of that was informed by me. My infusion into the character was giving him this wacky, crazy vibe that I feel very strongly about. Before I got involved, Archie was sort of this brooding, Donnie Darko teen figure. One of the things I have against modern film is that a lot of the teens are depicted by adults as this ambivalent, ‘I don’t know how to feel, I don’t have emotions’ type. Kids are emotional and they’re crazy. I’m so tired of seeing movies with that character who doesn’t talk because he doesn’t have a voice. That’s an adult who doesn’t understand kids. Kids have voices -- they’ve got loud voices these days.

Archie is a media child who is so overwhelmed with information. How do you think this constant interaction with media and technology affects young people?

I think the biggest things that are scary for young people, and which contribute to suicide becoming such an issue, is the obsession with instant gratification. If you want to buy something, talk to somebody, text your girlfriend or boyfriend, find information, or if you’re upset and you want to call somebody out on it, you can do it immediately. But if you’re kicked out of your house for being gay, if you’re struggling with mental issues, if you break up with a girlfriend or boyfriend, you have this deep pain and you’re so used to acting immediately. I think that’s why suicide is getting younger and younger.

Why do you think this film and the IAmAnArchie message has resonated so strongly with teens?

I think the reason this whole IAmAnArchie campaign started is because kids in the festival circuit would be like, “Oh, that’s me. Archie is me.” There are so many ways you can connect with that character and kids always connect with him, no matter what place or what country they’re in. They feel that sh** that he’s going through, and they’re living it. So they started giving that feedback and saying "I’m an Archie because I’m depressed and I hate my family, or I’m creative and I love making art but people don’t understand it."

I’ve been connected to the issue of suicide for six or seven years, and I know that what kids need to hear more than anything is that they’re not alone. That ended up being our message with IAmAnArchie: “Yeah, I’m scared, I’m depressed, I’m obsessed, I’m whatever, but I’m also an Archie because there’s a million Archies and they’re all going through crazy s***.”

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call TeenLine at 1-800-852-8336.

By RACHEL SALTZ

Published: September 29, 2011

September 27, 2011|By Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel

"Archie's Final Project" was directed by its author, David Lee Miller, and has among its producers Harold Ramis ("Ghostbusters"), Jimmy Iovine ("8 Mile") and Karyn Rachtman ("Boogie Nights"). In addition to its cast of young newcomers, stars include Mariel Hemingway, Joe Mantegna and David Carradine.

A portion of profits from "Archie's Final Project" support nonprofit organizations such as the Nick Traina Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The production also has partnered with national teen groups such as Teen Line and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

More info: archiesfinalproject.com.

Social Media Campaign Creating Demand for ARCHIE in Cities Across the Country

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Responding to demand from a passionate youth audience, AMC Theatres, a leading theatrical exhibition and entertainment company, is working with Big Air Studios, Interscope Records, Rocket Releasing and Eventful to bring ARCHIE'S FINAL PROJECT, the award winning and controversial movie about teens struggling with suicide, to a national audience. The film's run at AMC begins September 30 at the famous AMC Empire 25 in New York City. The movie will also extend to at least 10 cities based on demand from a highly successful social media campaign, run by Eventful, which has thousands of "Archie fans" requesting the film play in their neighborhood.

The grassroots marketing initiative combines Eventful's Demand It! campaign, a powerful Facebook personal testimonial campaign iAmAnArchie, promotion of the movie from celebrities via Twitter and much more.  The film's exclusive run at AMC will build upon previously booked limited-run engagements.

ARCHIE'S FINAL PROJECT is the first of many mainstream and independent films to be distributed by new film studio, Big Air and partner Rocket Releasing. It's being released at AMC through the AMC Independent program, which showcases and promotes independent films within the AMC circuit.

"This film is one that caught our attention with its style and storyline," said Nikkole Denson-Randolph, vice president of alternative & specialty content at AMC Theatres. "ARCHIE'S FINAL PROJECT continues the work we are doing with our AMC independent program to bring quality storytelling to our guests throughout North America."

The film ARCHIE'S FINAL PROJECT (formerly: "My Suicide"), was directed by writer David Lee Miller and captures the life of Archie, (Gabriel Sunday) a 17-year-old media student who announces that his final school video project will be filming his own suicide. This film has a dynamic cast, including Brooke Nevin, David Carradine, Joe Mantegna, Mariel Hemingway, Nora Dunn, and newcomer indie sensation Gabriel Sunday. The film dramatizes the current state of today's youth by vividly portraying the "self-inflicted" life of Archie as he documents every moment of his high school experience. This fast-paced story is supported by a poignant Interscope Records soundtrack and visually stunning editing.

The film's groundbreaking social media campaign, iAmAnArchie, and Eventful's Demand It! campaign has received celebrity buzz from superstar Adrian Grenier and YouTube's Shane Dawson among others, along with an army of fans that have invaded the film's Facebook page.  iAmAnArchie and all elements of the campaign, serve as an awareness tool for teens who find themselves drowning in today's oversaturated media world. Thus far, more than 15,000 avid fans have already shared their often-painful experiences of adolescent life, letting others know they are NOT ALONE, and more than 27,000 fans have Demanded to see the film. The production has partnered with such national teen groups as Teen Line (www.teenlineonline.org) to make sure that any teen expressing their issues finds help.

About AMC Entertainment

AMC Entertainment Inc. delivers distinctive and affordable movie-going experiences in 360 theatres with 5,128 screens across the United States and Canada. The company operates 24 of the 50 highest grossing theatres in the country, including the top three. AMC has propelled industry innovation and continues today by delivering premium sight and sound, enhanced food and beverage and diverse content. 

amctheatres.com.

About Big Air

Big Air Studios is a motion picture production, acquisition and distribution company focused on providing genre-targeted, high-quality entertainment to consumers anywhere, anytime. The company is delivering mainstream and independent films to the rapidly growing, digital-savvy media consumer via all platforms and business models. Founded in 2010, the company's management includes film industry veterans with expertise in production, distribution, marketing and new media. Big Air has formed partnerships with the world's leading entertainment, technology, retail and digital content to distribute filmed entertainment to over 150 million consumers worldwide.

www.bigairstudios.com/

About Rocket Releasing

Rocket Releasing is a distribution company with a marketing driven approach to acquiring and distributing a mix of genre movies, foreign language films and documentaries that are all joined by the common denominator that they are commercial, compelling and high quality. Rocket focuses on designing unique and specialized theatrical campaigns, and through their relationship with Big Air Studios, reaching the widest possible audience in every platform.  Rocket was founded in 2011 by Dan Griffiths, whose career in film distribution includes being a partner in international acquisitions firm Trans-Pacific Media, as well as stints at New Regency and Lakeshore Entertainment.

rocketreleasing.com/

About Eventful

Eventful, Inc., the leading digital media company connecting over 20 million consumers with live entertainment and motion pictures, and Big Air Studios, an innovative new motion picture acquisition, production, and distribution company, have announced a partnership designed to bring broad consumer awareness to a unique slate of mainstream and independent films.  

eventful.com/

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