Hollywood studios have been pulling out all the stops to make an impression at San Diego Comic-Con the last few years, and this year it looks like promotional efforts surrounding the show will ratchet up yet again.  Walden Media is taking a somewhat different tack by spending a huge amount on a very small number of press covering the event in the hopes that its efforts will translate into the elusive “buzz” that studios seek as the major benefit of the show.  According to Variety, Walden has tricked out a private two-car train for its film City of Ember, and will use it to transport key press from Los Angeles to San Diego.  One car will be filled with props and costumes from the film, the other will screen an excerpt.  The director, screenwriter, and producer will be on the trip. 

City of Ember, based on the literary property by Jeanne Duprau, stars Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Mary Kay Place and others in the story of a city of glittering lights that are about to go out.  It’s slated for release this October.   

This continues the recent expansion of San Diego Comic-Con, at least in an informal way, far beyond the reaches of the San Diego Convention Center to the full metropolitan area (see “Interview with David Glanzer”), and now beyond.  Filling the mighty Hall H, with its 6500 screaming fans as well as a major press contingent, is now only one of many ways TV shows or movies are attempting to reach the uber-geek demographic that passes the word on what happened at San Diego Comic-Con.