The MySpace MovieMashup launching this week in London should garner some UK attention for the social networking site. MySpace is partnering with Film 4 and Vertigo Films to produce a £1 million ($1.96 million) movie with a director chosen by a combination of panel and votes, Variety reports. Candidates—the only qualification is that they be UK residents—will post shorts on MySpace; the partners will select a dozen, a celebrity panel including Sienna Miller and Anthony Minghella will choose three from that. MySpace users will vote on the winner, who work with the partners to select a project; users then will take part in the production by commenting on the script, choosing the title, etc. They can also try for acting roles.
Variety says distribution for the finished product has yet to be determined but it will probably go theatrical via Vertigo with near-simultaneous releases on MySpace and Film 4 VOD. Not sure how that collapsed window will go over with the UK exhibition chains currently protesting plans by 20th Century Fox to shorten the release of the “A Night at the Museum” DVD in the UK to 13 weeks after theatrical release.