SnagFilms To Distribute Cinetic’s Award Winning Documentary Library
First batch of titles include ‘Hoop Dreams,’ ‘Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg'
January 22, 2009 - Today, SnagFilms, which brings the best nonfiction films to the web audience, promotes viral web distribution through virtual movie theater widgets, and engages viewers to assist in charitable and community efforts, and Cinetic Rights Management, a digital aggregator for independent film, announced that SnagFilms will now have access to Cinetic’s online library of documentaries which include such acclaimed titles as Hoop Dreams , The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg and Jazz on a Summer Day. The deal will add hundreds of high quality documentaries to SnagFilms’ already growing library of more than 550 films.
“SnagFilms is honored to add to the thematic range and consistent excellence of the documentaries that Cinetic represents to our deep library of compelling documentary films,” said Rick Allen, CEO of SnagFilms. “John Sloss and his colleagues have long been a powerful force bringing independent films to the public on every platform; with Cinetic, the digital world is made more accessible for filmmakers. This is a natural alliance, founded on our mutual commitment to independent film and the people who make them. We look forward to bringing the Cinetic titles to our broad audience, and using our Web 3.0 tools to make it easier for fans to view and share them, and then connect to the causes and communities they spotlight.”
Cinetic currently manages the digital rights to over 100 documentary films, many of them from award-winning producers and filmmakers. In addition to adding well-known titles like Hoop Dreams to the SnagFilms library, today’s arrangement provides anyone with an internet connection with a wealth of films on a full array of topics, to be further supplemented as Cinetic’s representation grows. Each film is “snaggable” – with a few clicks, the “virtual movie theater” widget can be added to any social network, blog or other webpage. The Cinetic titles will also be featured in widgets throughout the SnagFilms network, which already includes nearly 20,000 websites.
“Cinetic wants to share the drama, passion and message of our independent and documentary filmmakers as widely as possible. Pairing the innovation of SnagFilms with that of the filmmakers in our library we look forward to growing our audiences together,” said Matt Dentler of Cinetic.
About SnagFilms
SnagFilms features free ad-supported viewing of hundreds of award-winning titles from some of the greatest names in documentary film production and distribution, including PBS, National Geographic, Sundance Preserve, IndiePix, Peter Jennings Productions, Arts Alliance America, ITVS, Koch Lorber Films, Cactus Three, and many others. Many of the most prominent documentary filmmakers are participating not only by having their films distributed via SnagFilms, but by engaging with their audience through blogs and offering special "bonus" material, as well as suggesting nonprofit organizations that viewers motivated by these films can link to and support via charitable contributions, volunteering or spreading the word.
Since its launch in July 2008, SnagFilms virtual movie theater widgets have been embedded into over 110 million webpages, including websites for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Politico, and hundreds of blogs and thousands of social network pages like Facebook. OVGuide named SnagFilms a Top Site of 2008.
The company was founded by digital entrepreneur, documentary film producer, sports entrepreneur, and philanthropist Ted Leonsis, and is additionally backed by AOL co-founder and Revolution LLC Chairman, Steve Case, philanthropist and former digital executive Jean Case, and operating executive and philanthropic venture capitalist Miles Gilburne.
About Cinetic Rights Management (CRM)
Formed in 2007 as a sister company to Cinetic Media, Cinetic Rights Management provides comprehensive film sales representation for digital media. Cinetic has become the industry gold standard through aggressive sales and innovative dealmaking. That reputation now extends to digital platforms through CRM. CRM is dedicated to assessing the universe of licensing opportunities in order to maximize revenue on behalf of filmmakers. CRM maintains up-to-the-minute relationships with and knowledge of all digital retailers, from the large portals serving the broadest audiences to the small sites serving deep niche interests. CRM provides clients with a fully-integrated digital rights management service including: pioneering sales negotiation and strategy, digital encoding logistics, committed grassroots marketing; and collated accounting and reporting.
Media Contact
SnagFilms
Noah Black, 202-295-8797
SnagFilms To Distribute Cinetic’s Award Winning Documentary Library
