The working title for my film has always been COVID. I discovered that COVID is the title of a feature film coming out in December of 2023.
I was excited to rename my film COVID APOCALYPSE. Apocalypse tied in with the quote I had placed at the end of the titles. I spent a day redesigning the posters and press material. Then while online that evening I found out a book had the title COVID APOCALYPSE. WT actual F.
Hell, the distressed type on the cover was even similar to my poster design. The book came out 3 months before I started chasing a unique and searchable title for my short film. Unfortunately I had contacted the Chicago International REEL Shorts Film Festival and told them I was renaming the film to COVID APOCALYPSE. As I was scrambling to redesign everything they updated their website.
Yesterday I changed the title to COVID DYSTOPIA. So far I have not found a book or film with that title. But give it a week and I bet one will pop up. Rather than ask the festival to once again change the title, it will screen as COVID APOCALYPSE at that one screening.
A week ago, I printed 50 post cards with the title of COVID. Those post cards will be real collectors items like the upside down airplane on a postage stamp.
I added COVID DYSTOPIA to the opening scene and the end credits. Lets hope it sticks.