Online Content Delivery that Pays (in Theory)

This is a growing list of online retail/rental/streaming sites that pay filmmakers something for their content. Discuss your experiences with these sites and find out who is good to work with in the forums!

Amazon VOD (was Unbox)- Amazon’s new service is direct streaming to TiVo and online. CreateSpace is the indie portal to access this market.

Babelgum- BBC service

BitTorrent- “ad-supported” network,

Caachi - Features independent and documentary, with ITVS as a main partner. Pretty niche but if this is your niche, maybe you will find some sales. Download and/or streaming. Filmmaker sets price, 75/25 split.

CinemaNow - Does streaming and downloads. An article from TechDirt.

Documentary Film Network - UK site. While it looks a little sketchy, it allows filmmakers to upload docs and stream for free or to assess a commission of their choice- in the latter case, the site charges a fee of €1.50. They can also sell the DVD.

EZ-Takes - With quite a few distribution partners and a large catalog, this is one of the bigger DL-to-disc services. They have a sophisticated web site and offer iPod downloads in addition to the downloads to DVD. Filmmakers can deal directly with them “if they have over 20 titles” (!) otherwise they have a parter called “Picture Palace” whom you should contact first.

Film Annex- another download site

Film Baby- Sell DVDs and downloads for small-budget films

Film Fresh - another site focusing on independents. They both sell physical DVDs and downloads.

Hulu - mostly TV but do buy films- as evidenced by Cinetic’s recent placement of HOOP DREAMS.

HungryFlix - Aimed at the portable market, features more “user-generated” and undistributed content, revenues are split 60/40 and filmmaker sets price though featured downloads are typically $.99. No DRM.

imeem- Social networking/ film sharing

Indiepix- Sells DVDs and downloads to disc. Filmmaker friendly.

iTunes - the biggest player in pay-for-download at present, they offer both sales and rentals and the filmmaker generally gets a cut of the gross, minus fees- you need to negotiate. (see TuneCore)

ITV

Jaman.com- focuses on independent film. Rentals are $1.99-$3.99 and play on Jaman’s software. They can’t currently migrate to iPod. Of the standalone websites, they have the most sophisticated apparatus for selling smaller arthouse and documentary films. Filmmakers can contact them here.

Joost- monetized through ad revenue

Vongo - all-but-defunct defunct Starz ne

MovieFlix- streaming, unclear revenue model

Movielink- download rentals to PC or TV. Major studio affiliation as well as IFC.

Netflix - Now offers streaming in addition to their DVD subscription service- will probably become much more popular with the growth of their set-top box that allows streaming to conventional TV sets. The licensing fee is very low and is a flat fee, as a rule, but being on Netflix is good profile.

Reeltime Australia DL to DVD + DLs. TechCrunch article (unflattering).

SnagFilms- Distribution of full-length documentaries by way of a widget that allows users to share via blogs and social networking sites.

TuneCore- get your films onto iTunes for a fee (and no matter who you go through to get on iTunes, you pay, so this is actually a pretty good deal, even at about $800 for a feature).