"self-distribution"

"self-distribution"
press release, March 1998
GLASS EYE PIX

10 years after: Halloween 2007, HABIT finds a place on the shelf with other seasonal classics.

Habit was distributed theatrically in the U.S. for over a year by Glass Eye Pix & Passport Cinemas which means 2 people, Larry Fessenden and Michael Ellenbogen booking and promoting the film, fighting for screen time and press. In May '98, booking was taken over by Planet Pictures.

HABIT was screening in some corner of the country every day for a full year from October 29 1997 until Halloween 1998 when it became available on video through Fox Lorber.

Our grass-roots publicity was generated by a network of supporters, critics, festivals, venders, volunteers and fans combining to give the film a public life.

Some of our newspaper campaigns: Chicago, L.A., and New York.
GLASS EYE PIX

Where We Played

HABIT had its commercial premier at Factets Cinematheque in Chicago March 21, 1997.

HABIT opened October 29 1997 at Llaemle's Music Hall in L.A. and expanded to four additional venues including United Artists Theaters in Torrence and Woodland Hills and midnights at Llaemle's Sunset 5

HABIT opened in New York City on November 14 at Cinema Village.
Additional NY engagements included Midnights at Angelika Film Center
Brooklyn Heights Twin, and the Thalia at 96th Street

Cinema Village in NYC, and our poster campaign in L.A.
GLASS EYE PIX

we also played:
Angelika film Center, Houston, Texas
Real Art Ways, Hartford, CONN
Dobie Theater, Austin, Texas
Lobo Theater, Albuquerque, NM
University Of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Uptown Screen, New Orleans
The Capri, Anchorage, Alaska
High Museum, Atlanta, GA
Fine Arts, Kansas City, KS
Cornell Cinema, Ithaca, NY
Bloor Cinema, Toronto, Canada
Alliance Cinema, Miami, FLA
Cornell Cinema, Ithaca, NY
Grand Illusion, Seattle, WA
Ragtag Film Series, Columbia, MO
Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI
Neighborhood Theater, Philadelphia, PA
Hippodrome, Gainesville, FL
and many other venues.

Promotion & Publicity

We made trading cards ("collect all eight") and matches to promote the film. They were given out free. We distributed about 7000 cards. In 20 years I figure they'll be laying around at yard sales in Boulder, Colorado.

NYC, December 4 1997 1AM.

Fessenden & Ellenbogen are arrested and thrown in jail for wheat pasting Habit Posters on Houston Street.

We were spreading the word about Fri/Sat Midnight shows at the Angelika Film Center. Three undercover cops swerved up in an unmarked car. We were cuffed and taken to the precinct. One of the three undercover cops says to us, "I guess you didn't get into Sundance." Then they told us about a script idea they'd been tossing around.

They took us to the precinct where they film NYPD Blue and threw us in a cell with eight other guys. We spent an hour and a half in the cell getting processed and printed. We gave HABIT trading cards to the other prisoners, who were taken away in a chain of handcuffs. Some were going away for a long time. We were the last to leave at 3:00 Am. We asked the cops to take this picture. We were charged with "graffitiing" city property.

NYC, February 6, 1998

And so my brothers and only friends, viddy well with your own glassies, how it came to pass that your humble narrator and his hapless droogie were sentenced to a day of community service after pleeding the case two times before a judge. So There we were, bent over in Tomkins Square Park, getting the old in-out from the authorities, and we were cured, oh my brothers, we were cured.

Some thank yous:

Bob Hawk, Peter Broderick, Charles Coleman,
IFP West, IFP, FilmCore & NY Underground Film Festival, The Llaemles, Cinema Village
the theaters that show us, the Festivals that took us.

Thanks to the critics who have supported the film.

Our L.A. Publicity and Morale Team:
Tom Harris and (pictured) Ellenbogen, Margot Gerber, Lance

GLASS EYE PIX

In New York:
Heather Glassberg
Donna Cusamano
Cast & Crew
Quentin Dunne
Matt Marello at Kim's Video
Two Boots Video
Cinema Village
Nation
people at Nada
New York Hangover
Phil Higgs aka PHIGS

Many others I can't think of right now.