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The Internet may be an ideal means to rope in a core audience for shoestring-budget films, execs said at the Innovative Models of Independent Film Distribution panel at the AFM Monday.

Stephen Gyllenhaal, chair of the Directors Guild of America's Independent Directors Committee (West), noted that the big problem independent films face is gaining exposure.

Ignoring sequential distribution guidelines and instead opening in all markets at one time may resolve the exposure difficulties low-budget indies experience, he said.

The notion of a film opening theatrically, airing on cable as well as being available to buy or rent at nationwide videostores triggered a debate among panel members. "The idea of an independent releasing all at once is a pipe dream," indie filmmaker Christopher Coppola said.

Marketing consultant and former VP of Internet marketing at Buena Vista Pictures Deanna McDaniel said the simultaneous release idea may give independent filmmakers an edge but quickly identified the Internet as the secret weapon in garnering visibility for indie pics.

DGA member Robert Greenwald explained that with the help of the Internet he managed to sell 65,000 copies of "Uncovered," a film about the war with Iraq, and recently found a distrib who wants the rights to sell 20,000-30,000 copies.

Panel members agreed that one of the more promising publicity routes indie filmmakers can take is to find a core audience by means of tapping into issue-oriented Web sites. "You have to think of your niche and set up your game plan even before you start making the movie," Coppola said.

John Manulis, producer and CEO of Visionbox, pointed out that Mel Gibson launched "The Passion of the Christ" with a relatively small TV ad campaign but still managed to make $117 million in the film's first week. "Talk about your core audience," Manulis said. "That's a core audience."

The DGA programmed the seminar.

(Robert Marich contributed to this report.)