What Rooftop Films does

Rooftop Films is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization founded in 1997 that operates an outdoor film festival platform serving independent filmmakers and New York City audiences. The organization produces the annual Summer Series, screening independent films at over 80 unique outdoor venues across NYC's five boroughs from May through September, with a program of typically 40+ screenings that includes live music, filmmaker Q&As, and afterparties. In addition to festival exhibition, Rooftop Films runs an A/V equipment rental business offering digital projectors, sound systems, screens, and technical assistance to filmmakers and event producers for gatherings ranging from 10-person intimate setups to 4,000-attendee outdoor events.

Complementing these core operations, Rooftop Films operates the Filmmakers Fund, a grant program that distributes over $45,000 in annual cash grants (including more than $30,000 for four feature films) and over $200,000 in equipment and service grants contributed by an ecosystem of partner companies (ARRI Rental, Eastern Effects, Edgeworx, Parabolic, Kodak, NYCEDC, and others). The organization sustains a lifelong filmmaker alumni community that receives ongoing promotional and fundraising support, including access to a curated Kickstarter page.

Rooftop Films generates revenue from four streams: ticket sales for screenings, an annual multi-tier membership program (Community, Friend, Student/Youth, and Supporter tiers), A/V equipment rentals priced competitively with discounts for alumni filmmakers, and grants plus corporate sponsorships from foundations and government entities. The go-to-market model is event-driven, with audience acquisition via newsletter, social media (Instagram, X/Twitter, Facebook), and earned media coverage, and filmmaker acquisition via an open submission process supplemented by alumni referrals. The organization operates with a lean staff of 1-10 employees and is led by Founder & Artistic Director Mark Elijah Rosenberg, who returned to lead the 30th anniversary in 2026.

Name

Rooftop Films

Legal name

Rooftop Films

Website

https://rooftopfilms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rooftop Films is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that runs the Summer Series outdoor film festival across 80+ NYC venues, operates an A/V equipment rental service, administers the Filmmakers Fund granting program, and supports independent filmmakers across the city's five boroughs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to film screenings and events throughout the Summer Series. Tickets are sold online and at the door with member discounts available.
2. Memberships and Donations: Annual membership program offering benefits including discount tickets, early access to tickets, priority entry, and invitations to exclusive member events. Also accepts charitable donations and sponsorships.
3. Equipment Rentals: A/V equipment rental services including digital video projectors, sound systems, screens, and technical assistance for filmmakers and event producers at competitive rates. Discounted rates available for alumni filmmakers.
4. Grants and Sponsorships: Revenue from corporate sponsorships and grants from organizations including foundations and government entities to support film programming and filmmaker development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rooftop Films is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that produces the Summer Series, an annual outdoor film festival screening independent films at 80+ unique venues across New York City's five boroughs from May through September. The organization supplements the festival with A/V equipment rentals, annual memberships, the Filmmakers Fund (cash and in-kind grants to filmmakers), and ongoing filmmaker services including submissions, promotional support, and fundraising assistance.

Product overview

Rooftop Films is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit film organization that operates a platform-plus-services model centered on its Summer Series outdoor film festival. The core offering is the Summer Series—a curated film screening program featuring independent films at unique outdoor venues throughout New York City's five boroughs. Supporting the festival are the Filmmakers Fund (providing grants to alumni filmmakers), A/V Equipment Rentals (offering discounted professional equipment to filmmakers and community groups), Annual Memberships (with ticket discounts and exclusive access), and comprehensive Filmmaker Services (submissions, promotional support, and fundraising assistance). The organization functions as a community-building platform connecting independent filmmakers with audiences through non-traditional cinema experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $45,000 in cash grants awarded annually to filmmakers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eastern EffectscoreOthersFilm production rental house based in Brooklyn providing lighting and grip equipment. Awards 30 days of lighting and grip equipment to one feature-length film through the Rooftop Filmmakers Fund.
• NYCEDC (New York City Economic Development Corporation)coreOthersCity's primary vehicle for promoting economic growth. Partnered with Brooklyn Army Terminal to offer production office space for grant recipients.
• Edgeworx StudiosminorOthersBrooklyn-based post-production house providing full service post-production grants through the Filmmakers Fund.
• ParabolicminorOthersFull service audio post-production facility in NYC's Flatiron District providing sound mix grants.
• The Adrienne Shelly FoundationminorOthersNonprofit supporting female actors, writers and directors through scholarships and grants, providing funding for short films directed by female filmmakers.
• elkind Lighting & CameraminorOthersLighting and camera rental company providing equipment grants through the Filmmakers Fund.
• UntouchableminorOthersBrooklyn-based music scoring and audio post-production company providing short film scoring grants.
• DCTVminorOthersDocumentary production and film education center in NYC's Chinatown providing equipment and workshop credits to filmmakers.
• ARRI RentalcoreOthersInternational camera, lighting, and grip equipment provider offering camera grants to filmmakers through the Filmmakers Fund.
• Kate Geller CastingminorOthersCasting company providing casting grants to filmmakers through the Filmmakers Fund.
• KodakminorOthersFilm stock manufacturer providing Kodak Film Stock Short Film Grant for filmmakers using traditional film.
• Solar OneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar-powered green energy, arts and education center hosting Rooftop Films screenings. Organizations collaborate for 4th of July events along the water featuring bands, DJs, comedians, movies and fireworks views.
• Socrates Sculpture ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engaged NYC waterfront park dedicated to supporting artists in public art production and presentation. Hosts Rooftop Films outdoor screenings.
• Brooklyn Army TerminalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric military supply base now functioning as commercial/industrial complex. Partners with NYCEDC to provide production office space for Filmmakers Fund grant recipients.
• KickstarterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCurated Kickstarter page for filmmakers to raise money for projects. Rooftop Films promotes campaigns through their network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cinespia: Los Angeles-based outdoor cinema experience screening classic and cult films at iconic venues (Hollywood Forever Cemetery). Direct comparable in the outdoor, communal film screening model — the closest U.S. peer to Rooftop Films' core experience, albeit in a different city and with a for-profit model.
• Rooftop Cinema Club: Commercial outdoor rooftop cinema operator with locations in multiple U.S. cities and London. Direct peer in delivering outdoor film screenings as a ticketed experience, though for-profit and more consumer/leisure focused rather than nonprofit and indie-film focused like Rooftop Films.
• Film Forum: NYC-based nonprofit independent film exhibition organization operating a three-screen cinema. Comparable in mission (nonprofit indie film exhibition in NYC) and audience (cinephiles seeking independent and repertory programming), though it uses traditional indoor venues rather than outdoor/pop-up.
• IFC Center: Independent film cinema in Greenwich Village, NYC operated by AMC. Comparable in serving NYC indie film audiences with curated independent and repertory programming; complementary rather than purely competing given Rooftop's outdoor and event-driven model.
• DOC NYC: America's largest documentary film festival, held annually in NYC. Directly comparable as a NYC-based nonprofit documentary and indie film festival with similar audience and filmmaker development mission; one of Rooftop's programming team members has prior DOC NYC experience.

Broad incumbents

• Tribeca Festival: Major NYC-based film festival founded by Robert De Niro. Comparable as a NYC film festival serving independent filmmakers and audiences, but at significantly larger scale, broader scope, and corporate-backed — a broader incumbent in the same NYC indie film ecosystem.
• Film at Lincoln Center (New York Film Festival): Long-established NYC nonprofit organization presenting year-round film programming and the annual New York Film Festival. Comparable in nonprofit indie film exhibition mission in NYC, with a broader incumbent footprint including indoor venues and a longer-tenured festival brand.

Peers

• Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): Major Brooklyn-based nonprofit performing arts and film institution presenting independent cinema alongside theater, dance, and music. Comparable as a Brooklyn nonprofit cultural institution serving overlapping audiences and filmmakers, but with a much broader multi-discipline remit.

Regional players

• Hamptons International Film Festival: Long-running annual film festival in the Hamptons, NY. Comparable in indie film exhibition mission and nonprofit festival model; the Head of Programming has prior HamptonsIFF experience. Operates in a different geography (Long Island) but draws a similar NYC-adjacent audience.

Emerging players

• Anthology Film Archives: NYC-based nonprofit dedicated to the exhibition, preservation, and creation of avant-garde and independent cinema. Comparable in nonprofit indie/experimental film exhibition in NYC and a similar curatorial philosophy, though focused on repertory/avant-garde rather than outdoor and community-driven programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rooftopfilms
• Facebookfacebook.com/RooftopFilmsInc
• Instagraminstagram.com/rooftopfilms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rooftop-films

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rooftop Films