Firefly

’Serenity’: Jam creating online buzz

LONDON - Joss Whedon’s well-reviewed sci-fi action film ’Serenity’ is being backed by an online campaign featuring an exclusive preview of the first nine minutes of the film, written and directed by the creator of ’Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ’Angel’.

The campaign, created by Jam, consists of online advertising in the UK and internationally with character-based designs, video media, overlays and banners featuring a Japanese-inspired animation.

Visitors to the website are given the chance to submit questions directly to Whedon and the cast of the film, which will then be published on the site.

The film, which is now at cinemas nationwide and worldwide until February 2006, stars Nathan Fillion who featured in ’Saving Private Ryan’ and played the bad guy in the final series of ’Buffy’; and Gina Torres, who has been in the ’The Matrix Reloaded’ and ’The Matrix Revolutions’, as well as the season four of ’Angel’.

Most of the cast also featured in the TV series ’Firefly’, which was axed after one season but unusually given the greenlight to be turned into what looks like to be a gritty sci-fi cult smash.

Jam has also created the official international website with content previously made exclusively for the webmasters featuring a screensaver, video and fun quiz to find out which member of the ’Serenity’ crew you are most like.

Daniel Robey, managing director of Jam, said: "Reaching fans directly online has been an integral part of strategy for this action-packed film and we have been thrilled to be at the centre of both the creative and technical aspects of this international campaign."