Q: Why do you need $10,000 to start the website?
A: While Internet users are used to getting a lot of for free, developing a site as big as openindie.com and paying for the hosting is expensive. The money is needed to pay for Kieran to dedicate his time to OpenIndie full time. Likewise, in order to sustain a site this size server costs will increase exponentially as the quantity of films and users on the site grow.
Q: What type of films can become one of the first 100?
A: Any. Whether you have made a feature, a short or a documentary of any kind you’re welcome to donate $100 and be a founding filmmaker.
Q: Are you only looking for American filmmakers?
A: Absolutely not! We’re looking for anyone who wants to self distribute their film. Wherever you are in the world. Whatever language your film is in. We want you to be part of OpenIndie.
Q: What if my film already has a distribution deal in a specific territory?
A: Many of the filmmakers signing up to OpenIndie will still have their full theatrical rights. However, we understand that some may have been able to secure distribution deals in one or two territories where their film was successful. With this in mind we have devised an “OpenIndie License” where filmmakers retain their full theatrical rights but it allows filmmakers to specify where in the world user-generated screenings can take place.
Q: Do I have to allow users to download and screen my film?
A: No, filmmakers will have full control over whether their film is available to screen. If you’d like to use the site to just gather demand for a film, then that’s fine. However, we believe to get the full benefit of the site filmmakers should embrace the opportunity to have anyone screen their films.
Q: So what happens at the end of the 10 months?
A: The ten months is purely a time frame we have put in place which will be a point where we will re-assess how OpenIndie is working out for the 100 filmmakers and make decisions about where to take it in the future. The 10 month period starts on the 1st of March 2010. And, as some people have asked, it is most certainly not a time where we will be kicking the original 100 filmmakers off the site. If anything this will be the point where we decide what is working and what isn’t, evolve some features and release new features to the community.
