Hey there. My name's CK and I work at b-side, a niche distributor that has made a name for itself through partnerships with IFC and numerous film festivals, as well as their wildly successful grassroots release of the music doc Before the Music Dies.

As a filmmaker myself, I thought this community should know that b-side just launched an online indie film community and e-commerce site at www.bside.com. The site lets us build an audience and generate income for our films that have played at festivals, but haven't found an appealing studio distribution deal.

The site launched with 11 titles, including festival faves Four Eyed Monsters, Before the Music Dies, and Pirate Radio USA among others....many of which are not available anywhere else. You'll see that b-side lets us filmmakers sell DVDs and DRM-free downloads, giving audiences multiple ways to own and enjoy our films. We'll be adding dozens of titles over the coming months.

If b-side is going to improve the outlook for independent filmmakers, we need your help. Check out the site, and if you see something you like support b-side and your fellow filmmakers by purchasing a film - a $2.99 iPod download is just as important to our movement as a $15 DVD sale. After you've watched, come back and tell the community what you thought, and we'll recommend another.

You should also check out the filmmakers section, which tells you everything you need to know about getting your films on the site. If you have any questions or thoughts, I'd love to hear them. Thanks!