Virtual Cannes for "X-Men: The Last Stand"

Second Life, Linden Lab's virtual online interactive space, has teamed up with 20th Century Fox at the Cannes Film Festival to create the first virtual red carpet event. Second Life members were able to log on and experience the premiere of "X-Men: The Last Stand" at Cannes through the Internet on May 22. Actress Ellen Page, who plays Kitty Pryde in the film, hosted the event live through streaming voiceover. According to David Fleck, vice president of marketing for Linden Lab, this is the first of many Hollywood premieres that the site will produce.

Fleck said that Second Life is currently talking to a number of Hollywood studios to create live events within the virtual world to target fans of particular films. Because Second Life is free, it opens a large audience to these types of specialized sites. He added that through streaming video and voiceover, fans can actively participate in lavish Hollywood premieres, rather than simply reading about them or watching 2D videos of the event. Each film world will be created within the virtual space and fans will be able to join with others and talk about the event, socializing while enjoying the experience.

Rivers Run Red, which produced the "X-Men" event for Linden Labs, has additional clients that are interested in exploring this new way of targeting a film's audience. These types of events tend to keep an audience for a good duration of time, which is what everyone is looking for. On Linden Labs' side, it generates awareness for Second Life. For Fox, it generates awareness for its film.

Second Life partnered with MTV for "G-Hole's Second Life Fashion Show" on March 9, which saw an increase of membership. The company also worked with the SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, TX to showcase Machinima. These events allowed attendees to meet new friends with similar interests and experience virtual entertainment.

Hollywood is just starting to tap into the potential of the Internet, and Second Life opens new doors for marketers to target specific audiences. Look for more movie premieres and TV events within the virtual space in the coming months and years. This is a niche that will only grow.