EXCLUSIVE: Kevin Smith is looking to push the boundaries on indie distribution again and this time he’s auctioning off his latest horror feature anthology Killroy Was Here as an NFT (non-fungible token). The owner of the NFT will secure the rights to exhibit, distribute and stream the work, making it a means for whoever owns the movie to earn money outside of the blockchain.
“As an indie artist, I’m always looking for a new platform through which to tell a story,” said Smith. “And Crypto has the potential to provide that, while also intersecting with our almost 25 years of experience selling real world collectibles online and at the brick-and-mortar Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. Back in 1994, we took Clerks up to Sundance and sold it. Selling Killroy as an NFT feels very similar: whoever buys it could choose to monetize it traditionally, or simply own a film that nobody ever sees but them. We’re not trying to raise financing by selling NFT’s for a Killroy movie; the completed Killroy movie IS the NFT. And If this works, we suddenly have a new stage on which I and other, better artists than me can tell our stories.”
Back at 2011 Sundance Film Festival, Smith, working outside the Hollywood system, held an auction at the Eccles Theatre following the pic’s premiere for his movie Red State. That auction opened and closed with him buying the film for $20, much to the upset of buyers in the room. Lionsgate eventually obtained rights to distribute Red State on all packaged media, video on demand, subscription video on demand, electronic sell-through and TV in the US, while Smith’s SModcast retained theatrical rights. Smith will not obtain any theatrical rights after Killroy is sold as an NFT with whoever buys it maintaining sole ownership of the movie.
Additionally today, Smith is expanding his cinematic View Askewniverse into the Cryptoverse with Jay and Silent Bob’s Crypto Studio Crypto.JayAndSilentBob.com – an NFT gallery showcasing and selling art featuring the cult movie stoner duo.
Unlike the most recognized NFT marketplaces (Niftygateway, Rarible, OpenSea), Jay and Silent Bob’s Crypto Studio will be a boutique crypto gallery with its own .crypto address, curated by Smith and his crew. Regular Drops will be built around the Smokin’ Tokens, featuring 3D art that will commemorate a different Jay and Silent Bob movie every month. Audio from Crypto Studio co-owner Jason Mewes calls you a “non-fungible f***” while also identifying the color of your Smokin’ Token: green, orange, yellow, or purple. The three Platinum Token packs come with all four colors of the Smokin’ Tokens, along with an exclusive Platinum Token that grants the bearer a Crypto Cameo in Smith’s next film, Clerks III. Also in the first drop: a Killroy teaser NFT, which showcases 3D comic book and actual footage for the first movie ever sold as an NFT (which will happen in Drop 2). Smith is teaming with Semkhor, a media and technology company focused on digital content production and distribution. Over the next several months, Semkhor will be releasing NFTS in conjunction with Heavy Metal, Dylan McDermott, Marc Antony, Robert Whitman, and Gerardo. Phantasma, which Smith is also working with, is a blockchain for content distribution of NFTs, Gaming and dApps that is fast, secure and decentralized.
Two platinum tokens will be hidden among the Smokin’ Tokens and the Killroy Teaser NFTs. Those participating might have to buy an orange Smokin’ Token or a Killroy Teaser NFT to walk away with a Clerks III
Rounding out the first Drop are the fan art pieces in J&SB’s Crypto Studio. This part of the gallery will showcase emerging or established artists who want to create and sell NFTs that feature Jay, Silent Bob, Mooby, Buddy Christ, or The Secret Stash.
Says Smith, “This allows us to shine a spotlight on artists we love and introduce the community to their style by way of our characters. We provide the Jay and Silent Bob, you provide the art, our partner Semkhor mints the NFT, and we split the profits. I’ve earned money off of Jay and Silent Bob for years now, so it’s nice to provide a licensed place where others can do the same.”
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