Beyond Sundance, Web offers indie film 2nd chance

By Jane Clark

PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) - Director Robert Rodriguez came to the Sundance Film Festival in 1992 with his $7,000 movie "El Mariachi," walked away with the Audience Award and entered Hollywood where he became a big-time moviemaker.

These days the films that screen here at the top U.S. gathering for independent movies cost anywhere from several hundred thousand dollars to $10 million or more to make and often twice that amount to market.

But social networking Web sites like MySpace.com and digital download services such as Apple's iTunes, Netflix and others are offering filmmakers new ways to raise funds and reach audiences, bypassing Hollywood altogether, experts said.

For their 2008 festival, Sundance organizers joined with cable TV's Sundance Channel to offer 45 of the festival's short films through iTunes Movie Store, Netflix and Microsoft's Xbox 360 for $1.99.

"We thought, here's a chance for filmmakers to make money," said John Cooper, director of festival programming at Sundance. "You have to remember that Hollywood is slow to change. They act progressive, but are not. They are busy protecting systems that make money for them."

Three years ago at Sundance, MySpace launched a specialized "film profile" tailored to the needs of filmmakers.

Josh Brooks, vice president of marketing and content at MySpace, said filmmakers like Ari Sandel with his Oscar-winning short film, "West Bank Story," are utilizing MySpace to market their films to network "friends."

"Ari put a film profile up on MySpace, we saw it, were impressed, and promoted him as a featured filmmaker," Brooks said, "and this time last year he got an Academy Award."