The depths of Sanctum: Part II

Although there's no doubt us Aussies know all about 3D action adventure film Sanctum, Universal Pictures are resorting to some interesting methods to sell the film in the US. The studio have put together a mobile screening room which has been travelling the country showing 3D scenes of the film, complete with an introduction by executive producer James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar, Aliens).

Sanctum director Alister Grierson and producer/writer Andrew Wight flew over to the US to launch the initiative with Cameron in Las Vegas earlier this month.
``Andrew and I flew over for a day and they had built this kind of semi-trailer really,'' said Grierson.
``It's a fantastic idea because it's taking cinema to rural areas and they've kitted up a mobile cinema that can seat about 100 people - it's kind of like a Transformer.
``On the outside it's painted like the Sanctum poster, with the blurbs and all that, and so they roll up to a big event somewhere and people come in and they can look at three different clips from the film in 3D and Jim gives an intro.''
``I read that in Texas it shut down a whole street and caused a big fuss, which was great press for us.''Burleigh Heads local Grierson filmed the $30 million film at Warner Roadshow Studios last year. It follows the misadventures of a group of explorers who become trapped in an underwater cave system. Although Sanctum is set to do big things here in Australia when its released on Thursday, it's set to be a marketing challenge in the US thanks to the largely Australian cast, with the exception of Ioan Gruffudd, and the R rating. The Hollywood Reporter is also reporting ``some people'' think Sanctum is an IMAX 3D companion piece to Cameron's underwater documentaries Ghosts of the Abyss or Aliens of the Deep. Sanctum will receive one of the widest releases for an Australian film in years when it opens worldwide this week.

Stayed peeled for the final part in the Sanctum series tomorrow.