In March 2008, Second Skin premiered opening night of SXSW. Without any news of a theatrical or DVD release, Second Skin landed extensive coverage in Newsweek, NPR, Wired, BBC, The Dr. Phil Show, Boston Globe, Variety and dozens of other major media outlets. Second Skin was also voted the #4 Documentary of 2008 by internet juggernaut Ain’t It Cool News.
In August 2009 Second Skin became the first widely released movie about virtual worlds, shown in NYC, LA, Austin, Boston and San Francisco as well as Hulu.com. Soon after it was released on DVD and became available on Netflix streaming in January 2010. It was one of the most viewed documentaries on Netflix for weeks after.
Awards
Best Documentary 2008 ACE Film Festival
2009 Adobe MAX Award for Entertainment
Reviews
Variety
“…the human dramas of individual gamers are what really make this technically polished docu so fascinating and potentially commercial.†– Joe Leydon
Los Angeles Times
“…deft…riveting… You don’t need to be a gamer to appreciate this involving and well-paced character study.†– Gary Goldstein
The Austin Chronicle
“Mixing expert opinion with amazingly true testimonials, Second Skin might just be the most accurate and entertaining glimpse of the economy and psychology of technology since Tron.†– Darcie Stevens
Ain’t It Cool News
#4 DOCUMENTARY OF 2008. “This is by far the best documentary of the online gaming phenomenon known as MMORPGs out there. The filmmakers touch on just about every angle of these online games as they could.â€-Monki
Film School Rejects.com
“Behold, the first truly great, visionary film from this year’s SXSW Film Festival. At its core, this is a brilliant vision for a film. Like a 101 level college course for understanding an entire generation, it provides insight into a cultural phenomenon that is often looked down upon by those who don’t take the time to understand it.†– Neil Miller
Film Festivals
Official Selection 2008 SXSW Film Festival
Official Selection 2008 Hot Docs International Film Festival
Official Selection 2008 Boston International Film Festival
Official Selection 2008 Sheffield Doc/Fest Film Festival
Official Selection 2009 World Cinema Showcase
Official Selection 2008 Camden International Film Festival
Official Selection 2008 9th Annual Santa Fe Film Festival
Official Selection 2008 Fantasia Film Festival
Official Selection 2008 Calgary International Film Festival
Official Selection 2008 Edinburgh Interactive Festival
Official Selection 2009 Docaviv Film Festival – Tel Aviv
Official Selection 2009 Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival, China
Official Selection 2008 Bradford Animation Festival
Official Selection 2008 Fantasia Film Festival
Synopsis
Second Skin takes an intimate look at three sets of computer gamers whose lives have been transformed by online virtual worlds. An emerging genre of computer software called Massively Multiplayer Online games, or MMOs, allows millions of users to interact simultaneously in virtual spaces. Of the 50 million players worldwide, 50 percent consider themselves addicted. From individuals struggling with addiction to couples who have fallen in love without meeting; from disabled players whose lives have been given new purpose to gold farmers, entrepreneurs and widows, Second Skin opens viewers’ eyes to a phenomenon that may permanently change the way human beings interact.
In March 2008, Second Skin premiered opening night of SXSW. Without any news of a theatrical or DVD release, Second Skin landed extensive coverage in Newsweek, NPR, Wired, BBC, The Dr. Phil Show, Boston Globe, Variety and dozens of other major media outlets. Second Skin was also voted the #4 Documentary of 2008 by internet juggernaut Ain’t It Cool News.
In August 2009, Second Skin became the first widely released movie about virtual worlds- a movie for the 50 million gamers who spend most of their time in virtual worlds, and all those curious to understand this phenomenon.