“A true boy-meets-girl and falls in Love 2.0 story that speaks to our time in a way that other contemporary art works haven’t yet.”

Boy and girl meet online. Boy and girl date, but only via handwritten notes, videos, instant messaging, art, and emails–no talking. In the process, they fall in love, document their relationship, make an award-winning film, and start a digital grassroots movement in an effort to get “Four Eyed Monsters” in theaters and inspire other independent artists. What started out as an art project for Arin Crumley and Susan Buice has turned into a larger conversation about the unique role of web technologies in getting voices heard and movements started. Susan and Arin will join Beyond Broadcast 2007 to continue the conversation via video chat from the Film Independent’s Spirit Awards in Los Angeles (where they have been nominated for two awards).

“When we first played film festivals,” Arin says, “we hoped someone would take the film and release it to the world. That never happened, so we decided to make a video podcast and build our own audience.” And that’s just what they did. Distribution of their video podcasts through their website, MySpace, iTunes, and Youtube has garnered enough interest to get their film in over 20 festivals and screenings in cities nationwide, including a special screening in Second Life this January where Susan and Arin were available–in avatar form–to interact with the audience. Viewers of the podcasts (and there have been over one million views so far) are encouraged to submit their email address and zip codes, which are then charted on a Google map to see how many people in an area want to see the film. When they reach enough responses in an area, Susan and Arin arrange a screening. Says Arin, “Through all these media, we’re having sort of a conversation with our audience.”

In addition to being nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, “Four Eyed Monsters” recently won the 2006 Sundance Channel Audience Award for the indieWIRE’s “Undiscovered Gems” Film Series. They also produced a daily video blog from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, which can be found on Youtube.

The duo is about more than making movies that entertain — their work exemplifies an empowered approach to media and policy. Arin has made two popular online videos advocating what is called “network neutrality,” contributing to the recent chorus of citizen-produced media that raised awareness around the issue and helped win victories in congress and the FCC. Says Arin, “This is a language that we should all be literate in. Not only should we be able to understand the moving picture, but we should also be able to author in it. […] Have you ever felt like you had something to say but nobody was around to listen? Well this is your opportunity. What do you want to say? Get your camera out and say it.”

more about the flim is at foureyedmonsters.com