A little while back we talked about YouTube Screening Room offering a home for independent filmmakers to host their flicks for viewing. And now news comes out that another hosting service – Not by Youtube – will be offered specifically for Documentaries. And while they are at it, Snagfilms bought up IndieWIRE and will launch Docsider to cover Docs as well.
SnagFilms has just opened their internet doors, and in the process they’ve brought (and bought) our good friends over at indieWIRE with them. Founded by three former top AOL executives (Ted Leonsis, Steve Case and Miles Gilburne), SnagFilms is a unique site in that it showcases entire documentary films for you watch online for free, but then also makes those same films available to snag like, say, YouTube does, and then embed the entire film anywhere you’d like.
Newssource IndieWIRE have been trying to get the word out on Independent films for over a decade, so they are a wise choice to help them run a website designed to host Indie films. They know their stuff.
The best part about this service is that everything is shown for free. Yes, you are subjected to a 30second commercial before your film loads, and there are multiple ways for you to show your support to the films you enjoyed (donation, buy the dvd, banners to link to etc) but its all free.
So far on my list is “World’s Best Prom” that tells of the city of Racine WI, that once a year has a combined prom for its cities 7 highschools that includes a parade/competition of prom patron’s most unique modes of transportion that ends on a red carpet entrance to the event complete with screaming fans snapping pictures, and television coverage that grips the cities local bars and homebodies who are fascinated with their own highschool celebrities.
I never would have found this film.
Its still in beta, so there might be some glitches, but its looks like a great site. I think this is just the start!
I think snagfilms looks real slick and have great potential. Unfortunately the movies only seem to be viewable from the US so i’m out of luck at the mo.
Anyone know if people outside the US will be able to use this site in the future?
I think this is just the start of a lot more like this. I’m looking forward to seeing them move past the beta stage. Thx for the blog.
John Briner, Los Angeles.