Indie Rights
Indie Rights is a bootstrapped independent film studio distributing a 1,200+ title catalog of indie films and TV series to 100+ territories via major streaming platforms. It serves independent filmmakers through an 80% revenue-share model with no upfront fees, using cloud-based delivery infrastructure.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Indie Rights does
Indie Rights is an independent film studio that produces and distributes a catalog of more than 1,200 indie films and TV series across over 100 territories, founded in 2000 by Michael Madison and Linda Nelson and headquartered in Los Angeles. The company serves independent filmmakers (its primary customer segment) who lack access to traditional distribution channels, offering submission review, encoding, platform delivery, and marketing support across AVOD, SVOD, TVOD, cable, retail physical media, limited theatrical, and international sales channels. Its go-to-market is a direct relationship model: Indie Rights encodes and delivers content directly to streaming platforms (Amazon, Google, Apple TV, TubiTV, Hulu, Netflix, Roku, and others) and represents its catalog at the American Film Market and Cannes Film Market to international buyers.
The company operates an 80%-to-filmmaker revenue-share model starting from the first dollar earned, with no upfront fees, recoup, or marketing attendance costs charged to filmmakers — Indie Rights instead covers market expenses such as AFM and Cannes admission. Revenue is generated by retaining approximately 20% of gross distribution receipts across multiple windowing arrangements (SVOD, AVOD, TVOD/EST, UHD/4K Smart TV, cable, retail DVD/Blu-ray, limited theatrical, and international licensing). Quarterly reporting to filmmakers is a stated commitment.
The core technology stack includes a cloud-based content delivery infrastructure developed in partnership with MIT engineers, which the company cites as enabling content delivery to global buyers in minutes rather than days. In 2024, Indie Rights added a partnership with Largo.AI to provide AI-powered script and film analysis as a filmmaker service. The company is privately held and founder-controlled with stated zero investors and zero debt, has a headcount of 1-10, and operates as a member of IFTA (International Film and Television Alliance) with catalog visibility on Cinando and The Film Catalog buyer databases.
Indie Rights firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Indie Rights
- Legal name
- Indie Rights
- Website
- https://indierights.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Indie Rights is a bootstrapped independent film studio distributing a 1,200+ title catalog of indie films and TV series to 100+ territories via major streaming platforms. It serves independent filmmakers through an 80% revenue-share model with no upfront fees, using cloud-based delivery infrastructure.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Indie Rights industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Distribution Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Format & Remake Rights Licensing (MPADALAB)
Keywords
Where Indie Rights is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Indie Rights business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Film Distribution Revenue Share: Indie Rights operates a filmmaker-friendly revenue sharing model, returning 80% of all revenue earned to filmmakers from the first dollar earned. Revenue is generated through multiple distribution outlets including limited theatrical, cable, TV streaming, UHD/4K, retail DVD/Blu-ray, TVOD, SVOD, and AVOD platforms globally.
- International Sales: International distribution through exhibitors office at AFM and Cannes with established relationships with foreign buyers. Films distributed in more than 100 territories globally through direct platform relationships.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels4 records
Indie Rights product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Indie Rights is an independent movie studio that produces and distributes a catalog of more than 1,200 independent films and TV series across global streaming (AVOD, SVOD, TVOD), UHD/4K, cable TV, retail physical media, and limited theatrical channels. It licenses content to all major streaming platforms and delivers to buyers in 100+ territories using a cloud-based delivery system built with MIT engineers, while returning 80% of revenue to filmmakers from the first dollar earned with no upfront fees.
Product overview
Indie Rights is an independent movie studio providing a unified film distribution service. The company operates as a B2B platform connecting independent filmmakers with global audiences across more than 100 territories. The core offering includes content licensing, global distribution across streaming platforms (SVOD, AVOD, TVOD), cable, retail DVD/Blu-ray, and limited theatrical releases. Indie Rights produces and distributes movies and TV series, handling submission review, encoding, platform delivery, and marketing support. The company offers filmmakers 80% revenue share with no upfront fees and provides educational resources about marketing and social media tools. The distribution model encompasses 13 distinct content genres: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Thrillers, Comedy, Horror, Documentary, Drama, LGBTQ, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Faith & Family. Content is delivered to buyers through a cloud-based system in partnership with engineers from MIT, enabling delivery to international territories in minutes rather than days.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Indie Rights Global Film Distribution Service
- Content Licensing Service
- AI-Powered Script Analysis (Largo.AI)
- Manor of Darkness U.S. digital release of the supernatural time-loop thriller film 'Manor of Darkness' directed by Blake Ridder, starring Kim Lysette Spearman and Louis James. Distributed by Indie Rights across digital platforms.
Quantifiable outcome
- First Signal film released in over 60 countries, broke even and returned investment twice over
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Indie Rights
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Indie Rights technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration30 records
Feature2 records
Indie Rights partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Largo.AIcoreIndie Rights has partnered with Largo.AI to start analyzing scripts and movies with their AI powered SAS software to help filmmakers make use of AI to ensure that their movies and TV series are as engaging as possible.
- MIT EngineerscorePartnership with a group of talented engineers from MIT to migrate content to the cloud. The new cloud-based system enables content delivery to buyers in minutes rather than days, allowing Indie Rights to maximize outlets for films globally.
- Amazon (UnBox/Amazon Video)coreEarly partnership forged with Amazon. SHIFTED was the first movie on Amazon's UnBox (predecessor of Amazon Video) and was used by Amazon to promote their platform for over five years.
- Google (YouTube, Google Play)coreEarly partnership with Google for distribution through YouTube and Google Play platforms.
- Apple TVcoreEarly partnership with Apple TV for content distribution.
- TubiTVcoreEarly partnership with TubiTV for AVOD distribution of indie films.
- IFTA (International Film and Television Alliance)minorMembers of IFTA, the primary global distributors trade association.
- CinandominorFilm catalog available on Cinando platform for international buyers to browse and acquire content.
- The Film CatalogminorFilm catalog published on The Film Catalog for buyer discovery and acquisitions.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Indie Rights competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FilmRise: FilmRise is a leading independent film distribution company offering AVOD, TVOD, SVOD, and theatrical releases for indie films across major streaming platforms. It directly competes with Indie Rights in the indie film distribution space targeting independent filmmakers.
- Gravitas Ventures: Gravitas Ventures is an independent film distributor that places indie films across VOD, theatrical, and physical media channels globally, with a filmmaker-friendly model similar to Indie Rights. Both target independent filmmakers seeking wide distribution without traditional studio backing.
- Kino Lorber: Kino Lorber is an independent film distribution company with a diverse catalog of art-house and indie titles distributed via streaming, theatrical, and home video channels. It is highly comparable to Indie Rights' multi-platform indie distribution model and 1,000+ film catalog strategy.
- Samuel Goldwyn Films: Samuel Goldwyn Films is a long-standing independent theatrical and digital distributor specializing in indie and arthouse films across multiple genres. Comparable to Indie Rights in targeting independent filmmakers with content distributed to streamers, theaters, and home video.
- Abramorama: Abramorama is an independent film distribution and marketing company focused on indie, documentary, and event-based cinema releases across theatrical and digital channels. It competes with Indie Rights for indie filmmakers seeking boutique distribution with marketing support.
- Freestyle Digital Media: Freestyle Digital Media is the digital distribution arm of Freestyle Releasing, focused on VOD and streaming distribution of indie films across major platforms — closely mirroring Indie Rights' digital-first indie distribution approach.
- Vertical Entertainment: Vertical Entertainment is an independent film sales and distribution company releasing indie titles theatrically and across digital platforms. Comparable to Indie Rights as a digital-first indie distributor with broad platform coverage.
- Strand Releasing: Strand Releasing is an independent film distribution company specializing in arthouse, indie, and LGBTQ cinema distributed worldwide via theatrical, VOD, and home video — overlapping significantly with Indie Rights' genre breadth and indie filmmaker focus.
- Oscilloscope Laboratories: Oscilloscope Laboratories is an independent film distribution company with a curated catalogue of indie, documentary, and arthouse releases across digital and home video platforms. It competes for indie content acquisition and distribution to overlapping audiences.
- Brainstorm Media: Brainstorm Media is an independent film sales and distribution company representing indie titles across domestic and international markets via VOD, TVOD, and streaming — serving the same filmmaker audience as Indie Rights.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Indie Rights social profiles
Digital presenceIndie Rights financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Indie Rights leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Indie Rights funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Indie Rights M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Indie Rights
What does Indie Rights do?
Indie Rights is an independent movie studio that produces and distributes a catalog of more than 1,200 independent films and TV series across global streaming (AVOD, SVOD, TVOD), UHD/4K, cable TV, retail physical media, and limited theatrical channels. It licenses content to all major streaming platforms and delivers to buyers in 100+ territories using a cloud-based delivery system built with MIT engineers, while returning 80% of revenue to filmmakers from the first dollar earned with no upfront fees.
Is Indie Rights a public or private company?
Indie Rights is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Indie Rights founded?
Indie Rights was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Indie Rights based?
Indie Rights is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Indie Rights make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Film Distribution Revenue Share is the primary driver. The others are international Sales.
Who are Indie Rights's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FilmRise, Gravitas Ventures, Kino Lorber, Samuel Goldwyn Films, Abramorama, Freestyle Digital Media, Vertical Entertainment, Strand Releasing, Oscilloscope Laboratories and Brainstorm Media.
Does Indie Rights have an API?
No public API is recorded for Indie Rights.
What industry is Indie Rights in?
Indie Rights's product category is Film Distribution Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADALAB, Format & Remake Rights Licensing. Its NAICS code is 51212 and its SIC code is 7822.