FilmBuff
New York-based digital film distribution company helping independent filmmakers deliver their films to major streaming and VOD platforms across North America.
Overview
FilmBuff is a New York-based digital film distribution company founded in 2007. The company helps independent filmmakers and small production companies distribute their films to major streaming and VOD platforms across North America, operating at the intersection of traditional distribution and digital aggregation. FilmBuff has positioned itself as a filmmaker-friendly partner that handles the technical delivery and platform relationship management that self-distributing filmmakers typically cannot manage independently.
The company distributes films to platforms including iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, and other TVOD and SVOD services, handling the technical encoding, quality control, metadata preparation, and contractual administration that each platform requires. FilmBuff's service model sits between a full-service distributor (which invests in marketing and provides advances) and a pure aggregator (which delivers content with no editorial support).
Distribution Model
FilmBuff typically operates on a revenue-share model rather than a flat fee, taking a percentage of net revenues generated across the platforms it places films on. This model aligns FilmBuff's financial interests with those of the filmmaker -- the company earns more when films earn more -- compared with fee-only aggregators that charge upfront regardless of performance.
The company's platform relationships span the major TVOD and SVOD services, with particular strength in the North American digital market. Films distributed through FilmBuff appear across multiple platforms simultaneously, maximising digital market coverage through a single delivery relationship.
What Filmmakers Should Know
FilmBuff is relevant for independent filmmakers who have completed films without existing distribution deals and who want digital platform placement handled by a company with established platform relationships. The company's filmmaker-oriented positioning and revenue-share model make it a reasonable middle ground between self-distribution and full traditional distribution.
Filmmakers evaluating FilmBuff should compare its specific revenue-share terms and platform coverage with alternatives including Filmhub, Quiver Digital, and Syndicado. The competitive aggregator market means terms and platform relationships vary between companies, and the best choice depends on each film's specific platform targets and the filmmaker's priorities around fee structure, revenue reporting, and platform coverage.
See Also
For how digital aggregators fit into a self-distribution strategy, see Streaming vs Theatrical Revenue. For comparison with other aggregators, see the Filmhub and Quiver Digital entries in this directory.
