Universal Pictures Clicks On With reelshort.com
Universal Pictures will partner with reelshort.com, a New York-based digital entertainment company that is enabling talented new filmmakers to gain wider and faster access to audiences and industry leaders by providing an online exhibition platform for cutting-edge creative work. The newly-formed partnership between Universal Pictures and reelshort.com, which includes an undisclosed equity investment in reelshort.com, will position both companies for the rapidly growing significance of the Internet in both generating and feeding the demand for new content. reelshort.com will be leveraging the film industry leadership and resources of Universal Pictures, while Universal Pictures will be leveraging reelshort.com's connections to the New York independent film community, relationships with emerging filmmaking talent and its reputation for innovation in identifying and exclusively screening the top cutting-edge films over the Internet. In making the announcement, Stacey Snider, Chairman, Universal Pictures said, ""This partnership gives Universal Pictures the unique opportunity to be able to spotlight and nurture innovative and talented young filmmakers, who will develop into the major creative filmmaking forces of tomorrow. We chose to partner with reelshort.com because of their unwavering commitment to seeking out the highest quality content and dedication to providing their filmmakers with the access and exposure that they deserve."" Added Rick Finkelstein, President, Universal Pictures, ""This alliance opens up a whole new frontier of possibilities for us. Beyond the immediate benefits it provides for our production arm, there are opportunities to be explored in other areas, such as marketing and distribution."" ""This strategic partnership between Universal Pictures and reelshort.com is a major victory for filmmakers,"" said Jeremy Bernard, reelshort.com's CEO and Founder. ""We will be working with Universal Pictures to accomplish our shared objective of enabling talented new filmmakers to gain wider and faster access to both industry leaders and online and offline audiences."" reelshort.com invites filmmakers of all backgrounds to submit work from 30 seconds to 40 minutes in length. Submission forms can be found at the reelshort.com Web site or by phone at 212 809 3202. reelshort.com's commitment to open submission requirements has allowed them to exclusively screen top short films like ""The Sick Sense"" that was just nominated for the ""Best Live Action Short"" prize at the Yahoo! Internet Life Online Film Festival. The two companies will be working closely together to not only expand the leadership role reelshort.com has played over the past year in the online independent short-film space, but to also provide opportunities for reelshort.com and filmmakers working with the Web site to take online and offline content to the next creative level. One aspect of the arrangement will be identifying new creative filmmaking talent and original new work. Universal Pictures is part of Universal Studios (http://www.universalstudios.com), a unit of The Seagram Company Ltd. (NYSE: VO), a global entertainment and beverage company. reelshort.com is a privately-held digital entertainment company based in New York, independent film capital of the world. The company is focused on forging close relationships with new filmmakers and working with them to reach new levels of creative and professional development. reelshort.com short films can be viewed exclusively at http://www.reelshort.com. Source: Universal Pictures