YouTube Adds Some Indie Movie Screenings To Line Up; No Change in Video Deals Strategy
By Rafat Ali - Thu 19 Jun 2008 08:08 AM PST
YouTube has added long form videos/movies in the form of deals with indie filmmakers, and launched its YouTube Screening Room. “While the majority of these films have played at international film festivals, occasionally you’ll find films that have never before screened for wide audiences,” the company said. Four shorts to be released every two weeks, with feature-length projects to be considered on a case-by-case basis, reports NTV. The company is courting indie filmakers this week at the Los Angeles Film Festival. More details in release here.
AP: Filmmakers can choose to have a “Buy Now” button attached to their work for sales of DVDs or digital copies. They will also collect a majority share of ad revenue generated from views of their work.
Not sure why this constitutes any major change in YouTube’s content acquisition strategy, as some are portraying it. It certainly means they launched this specific service and added more official content to YouTube. It has allowed longer form videos from its content partners for a while now, including university lectures and others. It won’t be adding full length movies from major studios anytime soon, that’s for sure...or for that matter, any of the major TV shows, at least in any kind of comprehensiveness a la Hulu. Update: As Om elaborates, YouTube used to have long form video, just not legal, and had to institute a 10-minute only policy in early 2006, and then signed on content companies for longer form, if they so wished to provide.
Posted in: Companies, Google, YouTube, Entertainment, Movies
