Osiris sets up movie download service

DIGITAL: WebMovieNow to offer independent films

By Jennifer Netherby -- Video Business, 6/11/2009

JUNE 11 | DIGITAL: Independent movie distributor Osiris Entertainment has quietly been building a movie download service over the last year. WebMovieNow is aimed at offering a broad range of independent films that aren’t quite arthouse and aren’t major studio releases.

Woodland Hills, Calif.-based Osiris distributes independent films on DVD, television and now the Internet. In April, Osiris acquired the rights to Westlake Entertainment’s library of 400-plus films, which it has since added to the WebMovieNow site, supplementing a library of horror, thrillers, action, documentary and other genre films. The company also has distribution deals with IFM, Shoreline and other suppliers and independent filmmakers.

Films available on the site include drama Against Time starring Craig T. Nelson from Second Image Studios, documentary Behind the Monsters and Tex Mex Film Co. action flick Blind Heat starring Maria Conchita Alonso. The site also offers a handful of blockbusters such as Charlie's Angels available to buy on DVD through the mail.

Because WebMovieNow works mostly with smaller suppliers and independent filmmakers, the site is able to offer downloads in more ways than most other sites. Films can be rented for varying periods of time, downloaded to a computer, streamed to the TV or burned to DVD.

Osiris president Evan Crooke said the site has been in development for more than two years. In addition to content deals, WebMovieNow has signed agreements with DivX to allow for DVD burning of films and playback on Mac computers in addition to PCs. The company also has a deal with Microsoft to stream films. Titles can be streamed to the Xbox 360 or through the AddLogix InternetVue 2020, a set-top device that streams Internet video to the TV.

Even as Osiris builds its own movie Web site, it also has inked distribution deals for its movies with CinemaNow and Netflix. Crooke said he also has been approached by Joost and others for content deals.

Crooke and Osiris are funding WebMovieNow, though he acknowledges, “we’re going up against Goliath.”