'Rideshare' first feature film shot entirely on the iPhone

Lightyear Entertainment is proud to announce the release of the revolutionary ensemble comedy film, Rideshare.

On June 24, 2010, the filmmakers stood in line at an Apple store and were first in line to buy five of the new iPhone4’s on the first day they went on sale. Production began that day. In 2011, the film debuted at various film festivals, winning awards at three of them: The Audience Choice Award – Ventura Film Festival; Best Performance in an Experimental Film, Narisa Suzuki – Los Angeles New Wave Film Festival; and the Gold Kahuna Award – Honolulu Film Awards. The final version of the film was completed in late 2012.

Rideshare focuses on three complete strangers with nothing in common, driving a car from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., largely on the legendary Route 66. As they share this epic, heartfelt adventure, they help each other with the life crises that led each of them to take the journey.

Why shoot a film on iPhones? Director Donovan Cook explains: “I get this question a lot and the answer is simple – because the story required it. It is built into the concept that the film is shot by the characters using iPhones that they have been given specifically for this purpose. My intention is that the audience quickly forget that they are watching the first full-length feature film shot with a phone because they get so wrapped up in the characters and their story.”

In keeping with its new-tech creation, Rideshare will not be released on DVD. It will debut on Video on Demand, with some outlets such as Verizon and AT&T premiering it on February 10, 2013 and others (including Comcast, Time Warner, and Cox) on March 15, 2013. On April 2, 2013, it will debut on iTunes, Playstation, Xbox, Vudu and Amazon, through eOne Entertainment.

The film stars Narisa Suzuki (Ecstasy of Gold), Susan Isaacs (Plains, Trains and Automobiles, Parks and Recreation), and improv veteran Ryan Fox (Romantic Weirdos).