American Express, the most used credit card for purchases, is also getting into the act when it comes to independent films distributed digitally and in theaters through the seasoned and growing Tribeca brand.
About to enter its ninth year, the Tribeca Film Festival is blossoming into a film distribution and marketing platform, Tribeca Film, and an online venture that will make some festival offerings available to the paying public.
American Express is a founding partner on the two ventures from Tribeca Enterprises, founded by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, AmEx announced today.
Tribeca Films will start with 10 feature films, seven of which are selected from the program of the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival, held in New York beginning April 21.
As part of Tribeca Film Festival Virtual, more than 10 titles will be available on VOD (video on demand) through partnerships with Comcast, Cablevision, and Verizon FiOS. The titles will be offered on a Tribeca-branded menu for a minimum of 60 days.
After that, Tribeca Films will release independent films through theatrical, home entertainment, airline, hotel, subscription, and advertising-supported online releases.
“Tribeca Film and Tribeca Film Festival Virtual provide an exciting opportunity to connect our global customer base with independent filmmakers, simultaneously driving commerce and celebrating the art of storytelling,” said John Hayes, chief marketing officer, American Express.
The Tribeca Film initiative will address distribution and marketing challenges facing independent filmmakers today. Of the hundreds of titles on the festival circuit, only a fraction secure distribution deals, and that doesn’t guarantee a film’s commercial success because of prohibitive marketing and promotional costs.
“We have always sought to help filmmakers find audiences for their works, and now we can really take that mission to the next level,” said Tribeca Enterprises co-founder Robert De Niro.
