iklipz

If you’re worried that online exhibition means that your film will wind up lost amid the clutter of lip-synching teenagers and videos of Junior’s high school graduation, fret no longer. Founded by some of the industry’s finest, including former Paramount Classics co-founder David Dinerstein and Paramount President of Marketing Arthur Cohen, iklipz has emerged as a blessed alternative for moviemakers who want to get their work seen, but don’t want to battle the crowds on the festival circuit. “I started iklipz because I have always loved independent film,” says Cohen, the company’s CEO. “My professional background was of course in the studio system, but I share a passion for indie filmmaking and wanted to create a unique community in which everyone could share in this style of moviemaking by reaching the widest possible audience.”The concept is simple: Merging the accessibility of YouTube and the sleeker format of iFilm, iklipz provides moviemakers with a forum to display their work, free of charge. The site is geared toward the indie community and has developed a board of moviemaking elite, including THINKFilm’s Mark Urman, the Gersh Agency’s Arianna Bocco and recent MovieMaker cover boy Edward Burns. In addition to user-uploaded flicks, iklipz also screens hand-selected, hard-to-find “industry” films like Eric Byler’s Charlotte Sometimes. “I think iklipz is another sort of festival,” explains Cohen. “We can supplement or complement a festival because it is the filmmaker’s choice to post his work. Often, we are able to show great pieces that might have already traveled the festival circuit which can now call iklipz a home for the future.”

One thing is clear: Iklipz is riding the wave of the moviemaking future. For more information, visit www.iklipz.com.