Jaman.com adds major but stays independent
INDIE FILM GUIDE: Page views increase to 10 million per month
By Cindy Spielvogel -- Video Business, 7/28/2008
JULY 28 | INDIE FILM GUIDE: Independent film download site Jaman.com has just signed on a major studio, Paramount Digital Entertainment. But the site hasn’t changed its independent focus, according to Jaman CEO Gaurav Dhillon, who says the company will continue to remain dedicated to offering independent and foreign films over the Internet throughout the world.
Although Dhillon says the U.S. represents the “biggest chunk” of Jaman’s customer base at 30%, the majority of its customers are from other countries.
The most popular films on the site are independent American films, but foreign films have found an audience as well, including Bollywood titles. Recent top-renting films include India’s Lage Raho Munna Bhai, from Bollywood distributor Eros International, along with the Paramount Vantage title Into the Wild.
Other suppliers that have recently made deals with Jaman include Arts Alliance America, First Look Studios and Magnolia Pictures.
Now with a total of 3,500 films, Jaman offers everything from high-definition downloads to ad-supported films made available through free streaming. A couple hundred films are available for streaming, and they account for about 20% of transactions, Dhillon says. The other 80% are downloads. The company offers films by download for either rental, at $1.99 and up, or sale. “Renting by far is more popular than buying,” he says, by about 10 to one.
The company won’t reveal how many titles are being downloaded, but Dhillon says Jaman “received 10 million page views in the last 30 days.” He believes the figure is especially impressive considering the service was launched only seven months ago.
Although skepticism over the profitability of downloading continues, Dhillon is bullish on the business. “We believe the download business will be major in time,” he says. He points to the record industry, which has begun making money on music downloads, as well as the news business, which has made great strides online.
