In the past several months, many UI students received Facebook invitations or messages from the group “Vote for Russell Brand and Jonah Hill at the University of Iowa.”

While we may have lost this competition among the Big Ten schools to Pennsylvania State University, the Hawkeyes will not walk away empty-handed.

The movie that Russell Brand and Jonah Hill star in, Get Him to the Greek, will be shown at 7 p.m. today in the Bijou. Admission is free.

The mastermind behind the Facebook groups and the advanced screening (the film isn’t set to be released until June 4) is Kesley Zahn, a senior at UI and an intern for Universal Pictures. She said she was able to get the film to Iowa City because of Universal’s campus-view program, which creates publicity for films that have not yet been released and provides audience feedback for the filmmakers.

“We were trying to get Russell Brand and Jonah Hill to come to the screening ,” Zahn said. “We wanted to win, but unfortunately we didn’t. But we still got a free screening, which is great.”

In addition to the online competition, it’s Zahn’s job to promote Universal films in other ways, too.

“I do a lot of stuff with KRUI — I give away prizes through it, as well as the Campus Activities Board,” she said. “Along with 10 free DVD coupons, [Universal Pictures] sends me promotional items, such as key chains, water bottles, T-shirts, and I have to give those out around campus.”

Molly Golemo, a senior who is the Campus Activities Board film director, helped Zahn promote Get Him to the Greek on campus. She met Zahn when Zahn got the position as intern for Universal.

Together, they put fliers in Anne Cleary Walkway and residence halls. Campus Activities Board also sent out a mass e-mail to students promoting the event.

Golemo said one of the most beneficial things about Campus Activities Board promoting any event is the large number of peoplewho are involved in the organization.

“There’s a crazy word-of-mouth thing,” she said.

While a large part of Zahn’s energy has been put into promoting the film, she isn’t finished after the movie screening. It’s her job to report back to Universal Pictures how the audience reacts to the film.

“If it’s a comedy, when people laugh at a funny quote in a movie, I write down the quote,” she said.

She said that Universal makes the screening free for students for one reason in particular.

“They want it to be free so students can go see it, and from there, they can spread the word,” Zahn said.