District 9
District 9 is an upcoming science fiction film produced by Peter Jackson and directed by Neill Blomkamp. The film is set for an August 14, 2009 release date. It takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa.
District 9 is based on Alive in Joburg, a short film directed by Neill Blomkamp, Sharlto Copley, Simon Hansen and Shanon Worley. Copley also portrayed one of the interviewed policemen. The short film is about aliens landing in South Africa and becoming confined to a specific area and forced to work. In the movie these aliens are called “Non-Humans” and are overseen by Multi-National United (MNU), a company which is utilizing alien technology. In the movie, Dirk Michaels(William Allen Young) is a soldier working for the MNU when he goes into District 9 and finds a tube. He activates the tube and is sprayed by some sort of chemical that makes him change into a Non-Human and makes him a wanted man on both sides.
Viral marketing is used to promote District 9. Among the techniques used: an immersive website and, most recently, posters in various cities on bus stops.
The official website for the film, D-9.com, is “run” by Multinational United (MNU), a fictitious company from the film. After a 32-second MNU “safety alert” promoting the site and a phone number, the website presents the viewer with a short instructional video and two options: enter the site as human or “non-human” (the film’s cultural reference for “alien”).
Both versions of the site have obvious differences. The narrative tone of the human version of the website is calm and appealing. The narrative tone for the non-human is forceful and commanding. The map provided for the human version is mostly blue with very few restricted zones. The map provided for the non-human version, however, shows the majority of the map as restricted. The non-human site is written in an alien script, providing an option to “translate to English.” The human website does not provide a link to translate English to the alien script.
MNUSpreadsLies.com is a fictional blog run by a non-human equal rights advocate (“Christopher”), arguing that Multinational United is oppressing the non-human race. The website shows an uncensored version of the film’s trailer originally seen upon navigation to D-9.com. In it, the alien’s face is not pixellated. A translation of the alien’s responses to his interrogator are provided (blog entry 05-06-2009 “See The Real Me”). The blog is written in an alien script, providing an option to “translate to English.”
Advertising on the side of a building in Toronto, Canada.
Starting in June 2009, signs on bus benches reading “BUS BENCHES FOR HUMANS ONLY” began appearing in major cities. Similarly, posters reading “BUS STOP FOR HUMANS ONLY” began appearing at bus shelters. Other “no aliens” posters have appeared in businesses and comic shops. Posters encourage “reports” of “non-human activity” by calling a toll-free number: 1-866-666-6001. The call connects to the fictitious MNU company. The caller is offered a number of options, such as the ability to “report non-human activity” or explore “career” opportunities for humans or “labor” opportunities for non-humans available at MNU.
