Indie Films Find New Home

Skip the travel to the theater and enjoy Indie films at the click of a button in the comfort of your own home. Fandor.com has recently launched an online film service offering over 2,500 licensed indie and international films, making it available for Indie fans to enjoy films they missed or want to watch.

www.Fandor.com

Fandor was established in 2010 by founders Dan Aronson and Jonathan Marlow, who understand that independent films can usually fall off the wagon, rarely ever making it to Hollywood status. They strive to help struggling filmmakers, producers and distributors by getting their work out there to be appreciated. In 2011, the newly launched website, currently offers a list of 26 genres from comedy, documentary, action, to sci-fi.

Independent film makers often find it hard to get their films viewed by the masses, as independent films usually end up in select theaters that are not as abundant around the world as gigantic movie theater chains, AMC, and Regal Entertainment.

Films that get submitted and approved go on to show for a week but no more than three. If you miss it, it is too bad for you because very rarely do these folks at the Independent film theater have the resources to sponsor moviemaker’s film and publicize it into DVDs.

We Are What We Are

Just how difficult is it to find a film that was missed? Within a two- minute phone call to IFC center, I asked, “Are you still showing ‘We Are What We Are?’ It was still showing a few weeks ago.”

The lady working at the IFC Center’s box office said, “We’re not showing that film anymore.”

“Do you know where else I can obtain a copy of the film?”

“I don’t’ know where you can buy it. You would have to Google it and see if anything comes up, maybe Netflix.”

Upon making another phone call to another film center, Angelika New York which is linked with fandango, and should have more publicist power, one of the customer representatives on the other end said, “I’m not sure we sell these films [currently showing in the theater].”

“Is there any other centers showing the same films you’re showing?”

He responded, “I don’t think so.”

The easiest way to get a hold of some of the independent films is to buy it off of Netflix, Amazon, and Indieflix which only carries a limited amount of films. Fandor is beating its competitors by offering more on demand films and allowing the streams to be instantly viewed from any computer to an array of digital devices.

Fandor acknowledges that moviemakers profit from their hard work from publicity. Any attention creates opportunities for filmmakers to make it outside the mainstream of Hollywood.

Unlike independent filmmaker’s fierce competitors, who have A-list actors and actresses to publicize movies, Fandor is counting on word-of-mouth to spread the news. They are using social media such as Facebook to promote the site by offering one free watching if you sign in with Facebook. Recently hired former Facebook employee, now social technology evangelist Chris Kelly and independent producer Ted Hope has joined the Fandor team to market the site, in hopes to help the Indie film industry to thrive. “Fandor connects audience and creators directly, providing tools for each to engage deeply with the other in new ways. Fandor’s model encourages discovery and financially rewards the films consumed most, giving many more filmmakers a chance to thrive.”