Charlie shows off the invention that makes him so good at what he does, then gets ready for a night out.

Charlie decides to dig a little deeper into the identity of Mitchell Kelsey, a man who’s been in business with Gary in Atlanta for over a decade, and realizes he’s getting drawn deeper down the rabbit hole. And hopes he’ll be able to get out.

WEB SERIES THE STEPS TO PARTNER WITH CARTA FOR FEBRUARY RELEASE

CHATTANOOGA, TN / JANUARY 20, 2010 – The producers of the contemporary noir Web series The Steps have announced that the advertising campaign for their February 19th online release will be launched in conjunction with a CARTA bus rider initiative that will promote free WiFi on all of its city buses.

The Steps, a ten-episode online series created by Chattanooga resident and actor Dylan Kussman (Dead Poets Society, Leatherheads, Delta Blues) and shot entirely within the city limits by local cinematographer Tim Cofield, was funded in part by a MakeWork grant from CreateHere. It tells the story of a corrupt Los Angeles private investigator (Kussman) who arrives in Chattanooga and begins living under an assumed identity in order to escape his dark and criminal past. He fails to stay hidden for long, however, as powerful forces he’d hoped were permanently left behind seem determined to flush him out and hunt him down.

Serving the mutual interests of the series creators and the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority, the bus advertisements will not only encourage the public to “Watch The Steps”, but also convey an important message that both parties hope will increase bus ridership citywide: unlike automobile drivers, bus riders are free to check their email or watch video content while they are driven to their destination in comfort.

CreateHere will be hosting a release party for the series at its Main Street headquarters, 55 E Main Street, Suite 105, Chattanooga, TN 37408 on February 19th at 8 p.m. A first of its kind, this “device party” will feature live streaming of the first four episodes of The Steps via Ustream. Invited guests will bring laptops and streaming video-capable phones so they can have the episodes literally broadcast live into the palms of their hands. Outside, an ad-covered CARTA bus parked in front will give partygoers the option to hop onboard and view the world premiere from a passenger seat.

10 EPISODES. ONLY ONLINE.

“The Feb 19 premiere in Chattanooga is a first-of-its-kind ’device party’ where viewers stream the premiere live into the palms of their hands…”

New episodes of The Steps can be found beginning February 20, 2010 here at www.followthesteps.net

PRESS INQUIRIES

For The Steps:

GiantLeap Industries

323. 639. 3445

GiantLeapIndustries@gmail.com

For CreateHere:

Helen Johnson, Helen@createhere.org

423.648.2195

BRAND INQUIRIES

Gennefer Snowfield

Space Truffles Entertainment

(310)564-6984

Refusing to play the victim, Charlie decides to do some detective work to find out more about Gary Prudholme, the man he believes framed him for murder. His research turns up some curious information, and Charlie quickly realizes he’s only beginning to scratch the surface of the dangers lurking in Chattanooga.

After finding the Tremont Tavern bartender dead, Charlie falls off the wagon and in this latest drunken rambling reveals his fears about the murder on his hands and his suspicions that Gary and Tamara are in cahoots.

Faced with being framed for a murder he didn’t commit, Charlie realizes these vlogs will serve as documentation of the sordid events unfolding in Chattanooga as he sets out to prove his innocence.

Against his better judgment, Charlie did the job for Gary because he needed the cash, but his gut tells him something stinks… and that he may have just made the biggest mistake of his life.

Concerned that his attempts to lay low in Chattanooga aren’t going quite as planned, Charlie figures out how to work his web cam to document what’s happening in case he doesn’t make it out… alive.

Entrants must correctly identify all four clues from episodes 1 – 4 and submit a total of 4 tweets with the hashtag #THESTEPS to be eligible for the prize. Entrants may only enter one answer per episode during the 4 weeks. Answers must be received within the week the episode was released.

Legal Disclaimers

‘THE STEPS’ NETBOOK GIVEAWAY RULES:

1. The following promotion is intended for viewing in the United States only and shall only be construed and evaluated according to United States law. Persons residing in other jurisdictions are not eligible to win any prizes in connection with this promotion.

2. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO PLAY:

A valid Twitter account is required to win. For purposes of these Official Rules, all times are Eastern Time (EST).

3. SWEEPSTAKES PERIOD:

‘The Steps’ Dell Netbook Giveaway will commence 12:01 am EST February 22, 2010 and end 11:59pm Mar. 20, 2010. Winner will be announced Monday, March 22, 2010.

4. ELIGIBILITY:

All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. Cast, crew, and producers of ‘The Steps’ web series and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter this sweepstakes.

5. GAMBLING PROHIBITION:

This sweepstakes may not be used in connection with any form of gambling.

6. ENTRY:

‘The Steps’ Dell Netbook Giveaway will commence 12:01 am EST February 22, 2010 and end 11:59pm Mar. 20, 2010. Winner will be announced Monday, March 22, 2010. One entry per person per episode per week. Bulk entries will be immediately disqualified. Each question must be answered in full and correctly via a valid and active twitter (www.twitter.com) account with the twitter hashtag (#) that reads ‘#THESTEPS’.

The preceeding methods are the ONLY means allowed to enter the Sweepstakes. No faxed, mailed, e-mailed, or phoned in entries are allowed. No responsibility is assumed for any late, lost, garbled, misdirected, incomplete, or damaged entries. By entering, you grant permission to ‘The Steps’ production to use your name and entry for publicity and promotional purposes without any compensation.

7. MAILING LIST:

By entering ‘The Steps’ Netbook Giveaway you consent to your Twitter account being used for notification purposes for the marketing of ‘The Steps’ web series.

8. WINNER SELECTION / PRIZE DRAWING(S):

One (1) Prize winner will be selected in a random drawing to be held on Tuesday March 23, 2010. Contest provider reserves the right to award winner an alternate brand of netbook so long as the product type is of equivalent type, style and/or value as advertised.

‘The Steps’ producers will conduct all drawings. By participating, You agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the decisions of ‘The Steps’ production team, which shall be final and binding in all respects.

9. PRIZE(S)/APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE/ODDS OF WINNING:

(1) Prize winner will receive a Dell Netbook Computer comparable to the Inspiron Mini 10. Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible entries received. ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OR USE OF ANY PRIZE ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNER.

10. WINNER NOTIFICATION & HOW TO CLAIM PRIZE:

Winner will be notified by Twitter Direct Message (DM) with further instructions on how to claim the prize. To claim prize, winner must respond per the DM instructions within 7 days from the date of notification and provide ‘The Steps’ with all information necessary to verify their eligibility. ‘The Steps’ production team will attempt to deliver any prize notification returned as undeliverable a maximum of up to two times. Any prize or prize notification returned as undeliverable may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Any prize that is not claimed within 7 days of notification will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner.

By accepting any prize, the winner grants permission to ‘The Steps’ web series to use their names and/or likenesses for publicity and promotional purposes without further compensation, unless prohibited by law, and agree to execute a written consent. In the event of a dispute about the identity of any entrant, entries will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the Twitter account submitted at time of entry. “Authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person to whom the Twitter account name is assigned. A potential winner may be required to provide the sponsors with proof that the potential winner is the authorized account holder of the Twitter account associated with the winning entry, as well as proof of US residency and age.

11. GENERAL RELEASE:

By participating in ‘The Steps’ Netbook Giveaway, you release and agree to hold harmless ‘The Steps’ production team and any of their subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, directors, officers, employees and agencies (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any liability whatsoever for any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with ‘The Steps’ Netbook Giveaway or acceptance, possession, or use of any prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries and losses related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory.

12. INTERNET/TECHNOLOGY PROBLEMS; RELEASE; DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY:

If for any reason the Internet portion of the program is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of ‘The Steps’ production team which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this sweepstakes, ‘The Steps’ production team reserves the right at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend ‘The Steps’ Netbook Giveaway at any time. Released Parties assume no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries. No responsibility is assumed for lost, late, misdirected, incomplete or garbled transmissions. None of the Released Parties are in any way responsible or liable for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by ‘The Steps’ production team on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participation in ‘The Steps’ Netbook Giveaway. The Released Parties reserve the right at their sole discretion to disqualify any individual who violates these Legal Restrictions referenced herein or engages in any conduct detrimental to ‘The Steps’ production team, ‘The Steps’ Netbook Giveaway or any other entrant (in each case as determined in ‘The Steps’ production team’s sole discretion) or to lock out any individual whose eligibility is in question.

13. OFFICIAL RULES / WINNERS LIST:

This Giveaway is subject to these Official Rules. Sweepstakes entrants agree to abide by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of the judges, which are final on all matters pertaining to this Giveaway. ‘The Steps’ production team reserves the right to change these Official Rules at any time, in its sole discretion. Official Rules may be obtained on the Follow The Steps website at www.followthesteps.net.

14. HEADERS:

The section headers contained herein are provided for convenience purposes only and shall not be used to modify or interpret the terms of these Legal Restrictions.

15. SEVERABILITY:

In the event that any provision of these Legal Restrictions is found invalid or unenforceable pursuant to judicial decree or decision, the remainder of the Legal Restrictions shall remain valid and enforceable according to its terms. The parties intend that the provisions of these Legal Restrictions be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Accordingly, the parties agree that if any provisions are deemed not enforceable, they shall be deemed modified to the extent necessary to make them enforceable.