"Witnesses" Smashes the Competition in iTunes Trailer Downloads

[Doctor Scratch]

Well, well! What do you know? The Mopologists have scored a real coup this time around! Dr. Peterson can barely restrain himself over at "SeN":

I'm pleased to report that, based on views and shares, the Interpreter Foundation's theatrical film, Witnesses, is currently ranked Number Two nationally on iTunes Apple Trailers. (To put this in perspective, Above Suspicion, starring Emilia Clarke, comes in fifth, and The Misfits, starring Pierce Brosnan, ranks seventh.) It would be fun if we were able to reach the Number One slot. So, if you want to help, please watch the trailer and share it as widely as you can:

Yes: wouldn't it be fun to be Number One? Of course, the other side of this is that if they *fail* to reach Number One, then all they ever achieved was second place. Not getting Number One is the same as failing to be Number One. And did you notice how he skips down to the 5th and 7th-ranked films? Well, they just need to beat out indy film The Unthinkable in order to claim the Number One spot. (*That* film actually has reviews attached to it, and they are rather mediocre, I'm afraid: it scores a 2.8 out of 5 in the iTunes ratings. We are still going to have to wait for the reviews on "Witnesses," I'm afraid.)

In any case, well done, Mopologists! I'm sure all of us are curious how the rankings work. Is it really downloads and sharing on social media? (Which social media?) And can one pay for this to be done--i.e., get people to click and share things? Like, pay some guy $10 an hour to download the thing over and over again?

Only a few weeks more to go!

[Moksha]

Despite all the calls from supporting members, Salt Lake remained the number two location to DesMoines, Iowa in places that loved Jell-O the most. The residents of DesMoines really phoned in their love of Jell-O.

Wiggle to the left
Wiggle to the right
Witnesses
Witnesses
Fight! Fight! Fight!

[Dr Exiled]

My money is on someone or a group being paid to view the trailer and share it among themselves over and over again. I don't see an appetite out there for religious "theatrical films" unless done by someone who the public knows will be making fun of religion or exposing cult aspects of it or where religion is not the main topic.

However, good luck DCP.

[drumdude]

I remember my ward being asked to promote the "I'm a Mormon" campaign as heavily as possible. I'd imagine some of that happening here.

Little did we know we were doing the work of Satan, based on Nelson's recent prophetic utterances.. If I were LDS I'd tread lightly on DCP's little pet project, you never know where The Adversary is lurking.

[Philo Sofee]

What I want to see is how high do the number of baptisms go up because of the film... that, after all, is the important number, not how many discussions were taught... if 50,000,000 watch the film (and this is excitement simply over the trailer?!) and no one joins the church, then, meh... it's like saying "Hey guys! 390 Egyptologists read my Master's thesis on Fac. No. 3 in the Book of Abraham!" That's great! How many of them accepted your information.? Oh, none of them, but they read it! That's really impressive!"

[drumdude]

I think the main purpose of the film is NOT to convince outsiders that the Book of Mormon is true.

It's purpose is to shore up the increasing deluge of doubts about the Book of Mormon among Church members. A growing number of prominent LDS members are coming to the inescapable conclusion that the Book of Mormon is fiction, and Peterson is trying desperately to do anything to stop it. He can't show any archeology, no one cares about chiasmus, so this film's argument "look how miraculous this retarded farm boy wrote a whole book" is all he can do.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Over at the DCP household there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth. It looks like any success the Witness trailer had was very fleeting. It makes me wonder if the trailer actually reached #2 or if this was just wishful thinking. Maybe DCP was viewing the trailer through spiritual eyes?

DanielPeterson,

I think your math might be off. When I click on the link you’ve provided it shows that The Witnesses is actually number 32, not number 2.

Am I missing something? Here is your link:

https://trailers.apple.com/...

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeters ... qus_thread

[drumdude]

You see, when Peterson says #2 he means page #2. Just like horse means tapir.

[Dr Exiled]

2 or 32 ... who is counting anyway? Only the antis from the sewer, that's who.

Don't worry Dr. P, we all know the "theatrical film" as you call it didn't have much of a chance given the general apathy of religion. If a few see it in theaters, I'd quickly declare victory and move on. I'm still wishing you luck but realize the thing was always destined for download only or showings in front of bored BYU students/institute students.

[Gadianton]

If it really is #2 in trailers, then they really owe Doctor Scratch because he pretty much single-handedly crafted that trailer into its final form.