Skip to main content

MicroFilmz is Cleveland filmmaker's big idea for short film platform

Shooting a scene on the short film Haphephobia

There’s something special about short films. Something beyond their utilitarian use as a filmmaker’s calling card or a feature film’s proof of concept. For artists who work in the form, they are sometimes more challenging than a feature film and often much more powerful.

They are also often hard to find. At least all in one place, nicely categorized and ready for view enjoyment. Anhedonia Pictures is about to change that.

The Cleveland-based production company will soon launch MicroFilmz, a platform purposely built for short film distribution and consumption. After its launch in early 2023, viewers can access it online and through its streaming application.

“We are really excited to launch the platform on Roku,” says Eric Swinderman, Anhedonia Pictures president. “Roku is in more than 60 million households worldwide. And we plan to expand through Fire TV and Apple TV+, providing more than 100 million homes with access to the platform.”

Big idea for small films


The idea for MicroFilmz began a few years ago, when Swinderman and Andrew Gordon, his business partner, started sketching out the idea. It wouldn’t be until after work was completed on the company’s feature, The Enormity of Life, that the two could get serious about the venture.

“We started talks with a company in Ukraine right before the pandemic,” Swinderman says. Covid slowed work, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine turned everything around. For safety’s sake, Anhedonia’s Ukrainian partners fled Ukraine, inhibiting their ability to move forward on the project. Eventually, Anhedonia had to engage with a new company.

“Things progressed quickly then,” Swinderman says. “After a couple of meetings, we pulled the trigger, and MicroFilmz was formed.

Big benefits for little movies


MicroFilmz will be built to showcase short films and pay filmmakers for their art, says Swinderman.

“I love that we can not only get eyes on these talented filmmakers - filmmakers who are often making these projects with blood, sweat, tears, and a mountain of credit card debt - but get them paid through our revenue-sharing model.”

Microfilmz will be subscriber-based, with initial subscriptions starting at about $1.99 a month, and part of that fee will go to moviemakers. It’s a bit of a Netflix-Spotify hybrid, says Swinderman.

“The more subscribers we have, the more revenue we can share with filmmakers,” Swinderman explains. “The more films those filmmakers have on the platform, the more revenue they earn.”

Filmmakers interested in submitting their work or learning more about the platform can send MicroFilmz a query or a pitch through its website, www.microfilmzacquisitions.com.

MicroFilmz’ content recruiters are also reaching out to filmmakers who have suitable content for the platform, and Swinderman hopes to land a few notable names to help showcase the platform. And the company already has plans to expand into original programming, as well.

Learn more by visiting MicroFilmz’ FAQ page
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Mike Judge's 'Automated Trucking' one of several films awarded tax credits for 2025

Mike Judge and Alec Berg, creators of 'Automated Trucking' >>> Automated Trucking , a new comedy feature from Mike Judge, creator of Office Space , Beavis and Butthead , and King of the Hill , will shoot in Ohio this year - but where in Ohio is the real question. Automated Trucking was one of 14 projects awarded more than $26 million of $33 million in tax credits from the Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit Program (OMPTC) aimed at boosting production and infrastructure across the state.  The newly launched Ohio Film & Theater Capital Improvements Tax Credit Program (OFATCI) will provide more than $7.3 million to support capital improvements for film and theater production. "Our film tax credits bring producers and stars to Ohio, and they create opportunities for the local businesses, skilled trades, and creatives already here," said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. "The expansion of film in...
Post a Comment
Read more

What's so 'Freaky' about Cleveland screenwriter Michael Kennedy?

Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn When Michael Kennedy was 16 years old, growing up in North Olmsted, Ohio, a group of his high school friends convinced him to get in a car, cruise to Westgate Mall , and buy tickets to see this new Drew Barrymore romantic comedy titled Scream.  You know, the “romantic comedy” in which the masked killer dispatches Barrymore within the film’s first 10 minutes? The “romantic comedy” that completely turned the horror genre on its head, created by Cleveland’s own Wes Craven ? The uber meta motion picture that would change 16-year-old Michael Kennedy’s life forever? Yep, that Scream . “The thing is, I didn’t grow up on a diet of horror movies, and I think my friends knew this,” Kennedy says. They probably imagined they’d get a bit of bonus entertainment watching Kennedy squirm in his seat. “But here’s the thing. Within the first five minutes, I was completely enamored.” Flash forward nearly 25 years. Now it’s Kennedy’s turn to splatter the screen with lov...
Post a Comment
Read more

‘Too Many Cooks’ creator shooting horror feature ‘Arnie’ in Cleveland this summer

AI imagines the characters from 'Arnie' >>   The next juicy horror feature is about to creep onto the streets of Cleveland, and it comes from Chris “Casper” Kelly, creator of the cult classic Too Many Cooks . The feature, Arnie , is tentatively shooting from July through August in the Cleveland area, according to a casting call from Angela Boehm Casting . (It's a live-action film. We don't want our AI interpretation confuse you!) Arnie was one of 14 projects awarded more than $26 million of $33 million in tax credits from the Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit Program (OMPTC) aimed at boosting production and infrastructure across the state. Northeast Ohio’s Low Spark Films will produce. Filmmaker Casper Kelly Who is Casper Kelly? Kelly is an American writer, director, and producer known for his work in television and film. His work often blends humor, horror and absurdity. He gained attention with the viral short Too Many Cooks and ...
Post a Comment
Read more