Press release
CINELAN
A GLOBAL FILM PUBLISHING COMPANY LAUNCHES AT
58th BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Morgan Spurlock, Ross Kauffman, Eugene Jarecki, Jessica Yu
and Steve James Are Among Filmmaker Advisory Board Members
Backed by London-Based Venture Group Arts Alliance
Initial Distribution Partners Include Guardian News & Media,
Picturehouse Cinemas and The Vizumi Network
New York, NY – February 7, 2008 – The launch of CINELAN, a film content publisher focused on professionally-produced, three-minute non-fiction films was announced today by the company’s Chief Executive Officer, David Schrieberg. Dedicated to building the largest library of these short films for syndication, the company will help professional filmmakers reach audiences worldwide through its relationships with major online and offline distribution partners. CINELAN’s syndication partners include Guardian News & Media, Picturehouse Cinemas and the Vizumi Network.
CINELAN will be instrumental in satisfying the growing need of its partners to provide consumers with high-value cinema-quality content while enhancing distribution with its curatorial and contextual delivery processes. Films will be syndicated through Internet media partners, digital cinemas, TV and mobile devices. A key goal of the company is to maximize filmmakers’ revenue while generating new audiences for three-minute films.
”We’ve seen a tremendous growth in demand for high-quality, irresistible short films as online video moves beyond YouTube, and audiences crave more crafted and thoughtful companion video,” Schrieberg said. “Through our unique delivery process and the power of our content, we can leverage our library to help partners and filmmakers reach audiences everywhere.”
The conceptual spark that became CINELAN ignited during a conversation in 2007 between filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, branding guru David Wales and Arts Alliance Managing Partner Thomas Hoegh. The trio believed that a new-media business could satisfy increasing consumer thirst for short films, offer a viable revenue model, and open a new creative path for professional filmmakers.
Among the CINELAN founding filmmakers are respected and successful figures in film, including Academy Award and/or Sundance Prize winners: Steve James (Hoop Dreams), Eugene Jarecki (Why We Fight), Ross Kauffman (Born Into Brothels), Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me), and Jessica Yu (Breathing Lessons). These highly accomplished filmmakers have joined CINELAN’s Filmmaker Advisory Board and are also making films for the company.
"CINELAN represents a new way for smart non-fiction films to reach mainstream audiences," said Morgan Spurlock. "It excites me as a filmmaker to know that avenues like this are expanding to reach global audiences with movies reflecting real information and original viewpoints outside traditional media."
Among the many other filmmakers for CINELAN are Marilyn Agrelo; Kiki Allgeier; Joanna Chejade-Bloom; Jeremy Chilnick; Mark Francis; Nick Francis; Grant Gee; Cameron Hickey; Liz Mermin; Lila Morgan; Al Morrow; Max Pugh; Jerry Rothwell; Katy Chevigny, Marc Silver; Floyd Webb and Jeremiah Zagar.
The company will be led by CEO David Schrieberg. Other key executives include COO David Laks, veteran film industry executive Karol Martesko-Fenster and digital strategist Wai Mun Yoon. CINELAN’s filmmaker relations team features Kiki Allgeier, Jeremy Boxer and Mark Rabinowitz.
The Berlin International Film Festival in Germany is among the world's leading film festivals. Founded in 1951, the festival is celebrated annually in February and is one of the biggest publicly-attended film festivals worldwide.
About CINELAN
CINELAN (www.cinelan.com) is a film content publisher focused on professionally-produced, three-minute non-fiction films syndicated to audiences worldwide through major distribution partners. Combining its unique access to the world’s best documentary filmmakers with sophisticated technology, the company generates new audiences for filmmakers by delivering contextually-relevant, cinema-quality content to multiple platforms including internet media, digital cinemas, TV and mobile devices – all while maximizing filmmakers’ revenues. CINELAN is neither an online destination nor an aggregator of content for the consumer; rather, the company delivers films to consumers at sites they already frequent.
Prospective professional filmmakers interested in submitting films or discussing film ideas should contact karol@cinelan.com. Potential syndication partners interested in receiving information should contact david@cinelan.com.
About Arts Alliance
Arts Alliance is a venture capital organization dedicated to entrepreneurship in Europe. Arts Alliance aims to support the development of innovative and high-growth businesses and works closely with entrepreneurs and managers in the process. Arts Alliance has advised on investments in over forty companies since 1996 and its team has founded a number of companies within Arts Alliance. Arts Alliance’s activities focus on technology-enabled service and media companies across a number of sectors, and on digital distribution of filmed entertainment. Other such investments include LOVEFiLM, Arts Alliance Media, Player X and Blinkbox.
About Guardian News & Media
Guardian News & Media is publisher of the Guardian, the Observer and guardian.co.uk. The Guardian newspaper was founded in 1821 and its network of websites was launched in 1999. Guardian.co.uk is now the UK’s most popular newspaper website, and its multimedia approach to news includes a long-term commitment to quality audio and video coverage.
About Picturehouse Cinemas
City Screen is the UK's leading independent exhibitor and fourth-largest operator, with a network of 18 'Picturehouse'-branded cinemas in major university cities across the country. With a strong presence in London, and a further 20 cinemas under contract for programming services and marketing support, City Screen leads the arthouse cinema market. City Screen strongly believes in digital technology as a means to modernize and diversify programming.
About The Vizumi Network
Arts Alliance Media's Vizumi Network provides turnkey solutions for acquiring rights and securely distributing digital video content over the internet to their audiences. Arts Alliance Media provides the technology and content for digital distribution via its own download site, www.vizumi.com, and also to a number of partner sites including LOVEFiLM.com, Tiscali's Movies Now and Emap's Empire Magazine. The Network currently carries content from major studios, including Fox, Sony Pictures, Paramount, Universal, and Warner Bros., and also leading independents such as Artificial Eye, Pathé, Momentum and Icon.
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