LONDON, Feb 2nd, 2000 – Netribution Ltd are pleased to announce the launch of www.netribution.co.uk, the internet’s largest free resource for UK indie filmmakers and media professionals. The UK-based site provides links between filmmakers, cast, crew, financiers, cinemas and screening groups across the country.
Launched on February 1st after a month’s successful trial, the site includes:
- Funding section (www.netribution.co.uk/funding) provides hundreds of pages of information to held filmmakers raise finance for their films. Content ranges from information on regional and international funding bodies to databases of leading acquisition executives. Various production companies are also listed, together with the sort of projects they might be looking for.
- Statistics section (www.netribution.co.uk/statistics) details industry data and provides over 150 tables of stats, ranging from the number of cinema seats found in each country to box office performances of different genres of films.
- Contacts section (www.netribution.co.uk/contacts) inlcudes 300 pages of in-depth analysis of the world’s top 50 media corporations alongside thousands of names and addresses for production companies, suppliers and services.
- In the calendar section (www.netribution.co.uk/calendar), every major festival is listed, with reminders for submission deadlines. Forthcoming box office releases, industry events and award ceremonies are also noted, and production managers can check sunrise and sunset times.
- The network section (www.netribution.co.uk/network) acting as a lonely hearts column for directors, producers and writers, helping them to find creative collaborators.
- The links section (www.netribution.co.uk/links) containing over 2000 first class film links, listed by category (e.g. screenwriting, cinematography, underground films etc.).
- In addition, there are weekly updates of UK film news, interviews with leading industry figures, How To guides to aspects of film making while users can advertise in the free-ads, and receive a weekly email newsletter.
- Forthcoming developments include a regional section, detailing screenings and screening groups around the UK, and printed production and distribution reports.
Netribution Ltd was founded by film enthusiasts working in film press, distribution and research analysis. Wendy Bevan-Mogg, Tom Fogg and Nic Wistreich – the company’s directors – became aware of the power of the power of the Internet to link film people nationwide. “The film industry in this country has traditionally been very London-biased,’ says Nic Wistreich, ‘but the Internet changes that. Through the web, writers, directors, producers and crew from all over the country can meet, work and find the best production and post-production deals available. They could, for example, shoot in Durham, do the soundtrack in Dundee and the post-production in Deptford before screening it in Doncaster. It’s this kind of collaboration that Netribution Ltd aims to facilitate.’
Work has been ongoing for five months now, and there is much more to come. ‘The site’s launching with about 1,600 pages of original content, which is more than any other UK indie film site,’ explains Tom Fogg, ‘but really, we’re only just getting started.’
