ATOMFILMS AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOWCASE EMERGING FILMMAKERS AT SUNDANCE

"gulp" by Jason Reitman, "Little Man on Campus" by Morgan Lawley and "The Kiss" by Anthony and Joe Russo Debut as the First Films Produced by Ford Division/J. Walter Thompson and AtomFilms

January 22, 2001, Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah — AtomFilms, the leader in next generation entertainment, will present its first three short films co-produced by Ford Motor Company and J. Walter Thompson in Park City during the Sundance 2001 festival — marking this unique alliance as a first for each company and their respective industries. This partnership features the creative talents of Atom filmmakers, providing them an opportunity for exceptional industry and consumer exposure through Atom's extensive online and offline syndication efforts. This significant brand alliance melds the entertainment expertise of AtomFilms and the brand cache of Ford Focus with the amazing talent of Atom filmmakers — creating innovative short films that capture the viewers' imagination.

Each of the films will debut at the AtomFilms 'All Access' Lounge located at 427 Main Street (Harry O's) in Park City, coinciding with the Sundance Film Festival. Each director will be the star of his own Atom premiere, with screenings on January 22, 23 and 25. Three-time Sundance notable Jason Reitman (shorts include "In God We Trust" '99 and "Operation" '98) will be showcasing his short, "gulp," depicting the rather pathetic efforts of a young man trying to save his tropical fish with somewhat humorous difficulty. Reitman's "gulp" will debut as part of the Official Sundance Selection on January 24 at 8:00 p.m. at The Sundance Screening Room, with its AtomFilms 'All-Access' premiere on January 25 at 5:00 p.m.

"Little Man on Campus," from director Morgan Lawley, tells the story of an undersized, uncoordinated high school student who has trouble living up to his father's macho-jock hopes. In the end, of course, he gets the car (a new Ford Focus), the girl (a dazzling blonde), and becomes the most popular kid in school. As a star bonus, there's a cameo appearance by Barry Livingston, who played Ernie in the long-ago TV show "My Three Sons."

"Little Man on Campus" will kick off the AtomFilms 'All-Access' lounge screenings at 427 Main Street on January 22 at 5:00 p.m.

"The Kiss" deals with just that, and the situation gets pretty steamy. Co-directors and brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo, build anticipation for several minutes before the viewer gets an unexpected payoff. "The Kiss" opens at AtomFilms' 'All-Access' lounge on January 23 at 5:00 p.m. In March, the Russo brothers are scheduled to go into production on their feature-length film, "Welcome to Collinwood," produced by Stephen Soderbergh and starring Courtney Love.

These three comedic shorts each have a 2001 Ford Focus playing a supporting role and will also debut online at the 'Focus In Film' spotlight on the AtomFilms Web site at www.focusinfilm.com. Ford will also help promote these shorts and respective trailers as a component of some of its Ford Focus branding efforts. The Focus In Film filmmakers, along with Atom's online Sundance filmmakers, will be the central focus of the AtomFilms' Barn Party at the National Abilities Ranch on January 24 — connecting filmmakers with important industry folks, avid fans and even a mechanical bull or two.

"Ford and JWT are truly committed to the spirit of independent filmmaking," says Bill George, manager, public affairs, Ford Division. "From co-producing these three films to being a driving force in promoting the films online, Ford is dedicated to empowering emerging filmmakers to create quality short films."

"This relationship demonstrates how AtomFilms can help traditional advertisers break through to consumers, while supporting independent filmmakers at the same time," says Seth Levenson, AtomFilms' vice president of sales. "These three filmmakers will receive tremendous exposure to the industry and consumers, which will help boost their career — thanks to their creative vision and the magnitude of this partnership."

About AtomFilms
AtomFilms is a leading next generation entertainment company focused on redefining the way entertainment is created, distributed, marketed and consumed. AtomFilms has the largest catalog of award-winning animation and live-action entertainment available. A loyal supporter of independent filmmakers and animators, AtomFilms has built a platform for artists seeking worldwide distribution. AtomFilms markets and distributes high-quality short form entertainment to more than 100 partners and to audiences worldwide, with significant presence on major Internet sites, broadband services, television, airlines, home-entertainment companies, as well as handheld and wireless devices. The AtomFilms Web site ( www.atom.com) is consistently ranked among Media Metrix's top twenty entertainment sites.

Founded in 1998, AtomFilms is a private company based in Seattle, with offices in Los Angeles, New York and London. Recently, AtomFilms and shockwave.com announced a merger to create the world's leading next generation entertainment powerhouse. The newly combined company will be based in San Francisco with regional offices in Los Angeles, New York, London and Japan. For more information on AtomFilms, please visit www.atom.com.