The Circuit

In the weeks before the big snow-in at Sundance (18 degrees there today), filmmakers could learn a few things about the companies circling their films, and their distribution options.

At the American Cinematheque's panel "Unraveling Independent Film Exhibition," execs from Showtime, Netflix, Red Envelope, Vitagraph, Landmark, and DFJ Growth (a venture capital firm headed by former AOL CEO Barry Schuler, pictured) talked about exhibition, including the festival market. 

Showtime's Gary Garfinkel goes to the AFM for genre pictures, using the market catalog to target specific films.  They're interested in meeting filmmakers they can work with later.

Netflix's Ted Sarandos and Bob Aaronson from the company's original content arm, Red Envelope, are in the unique position of being both a buyer and a seller at festivals.  (Red Envelope pacted with MGM to distribute Julie Delpy's "2 Days in Paris.")

Landmark's Mike McClellan said "If we like your film, we'll help you find a distributer.  We aren't the last end for your film."

Video of the panel, produced by Variety's Sunita Surajan, is up on Festival Central here.