After Dark Films and Massify.com are taking the internet plunge with a competition called Ghosts in the Machine.  The team up is an attempt to develop one of the "8 Films to Die for in 2008" from start to finish with the democratized aide of anyone who signs up.  Here’s how it works:

• Users register at Massify and pitch ideas, which are then voted upon by said users.  The top 10 are whittled down and voting starts from zero within that set, at which point a winner will be decided.  Winner becomes one of the film’s ‘producers’.

• Users then submit audition videos, which are then elected with the same procedures as the pitches.  The winning 10 (5 of either sex) will be flown to the set for screen tests, said tests will be uploaded to the set and a final cast will be elected by the users.

Interesting experiment, though not without a catch here or there:

The winning pitcher joins the crew as a "producer", but there is nothing in the rules that states said winner is then allowed to write their script.  Capacity as a producer is unclear as well.  Will they fly you to the set?  Will you have any assertive input?  Can they abort the project whenever they want?

There are zero mentions of financial payment for any of the winners or finalists.

No pitches that reference "major metropolitan areas or recognizable landmarks."

If your pitch does not make the cut, feel free to remove it from the site, but if it makes the final 10 things become a bit murky; you’re not allowed to delete the pitch (even if it doesn’t win), which leads to unanswered questions of copyright and ownership.

Like I said, an interesting experiment, even if a few areas are, currently, unclear.  Anyone interested?  Should HND field a pitch?  Mildly tempting, yet more than mildly lazy.