Luc Besson's New Film 'Home' Debuts on YouTube

by Jordan Yerman | June 4, 2009 at 09:49 am

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Luc Besson's Home, a 50-minute environmental film, has officially debuted on YouTube at the same time it appears in cinema and on TV. (I say "officially" because Besson is uploading the film itself, as opposed to some pirate action).

The film will premiere as part of World Environment Day on June 5, 2009.

This is a chance for YouTube to lure bigger advertisers, who tend to steer clear of user-generated content, due to its unreliable quality.

Also, this is a useful experiment to see how small-screen launches affect big-screen box-office performance. A 50-minute documentary may not be the best possible test, though I don't foresee many studios having the guts to attempt this with a big-budget Bruce Willis flick.

The massive video sharing site, which has been largely avoided by major advertisers because of its unpredictable user generated videos, is looking to change its image and boost ad sales by promoting more professional content.

Speaking to Bloomberg News about the forthcoming movie premiere, Anthony Zameczkowski, Development Manager for YouTube in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, explained: "We're more than just dogs on skateboards. With us, you have the ability to reach 350 million unique users a month."

Well, sure, they're also keyboard cats, Line Rider runs, people attempting Parkour, and people's horrified reactions to girls/cups; but Zameczkowski's point is valid: YouTube's daily audience is absolutely massive compared to the relatively tiny amount of original content that gets uploaded.

Additional coverage here.