By MCN Editor editor@moviecitynews.com

FILMFUNDS CONTINUES TO EXPAND WEBSITE REACH & MISSION WITH APPOINTMENT OF NEW CEO JASON SCOGGINS

Posted Tuesday, May 29th, 2012 - Comments Off on FILMFUNDS CONTINUES TO EXPAND WEBSITE REACH & MISSION WITH APPOINTMENT OF NEW CEO JASON SCOGGINS
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Santa Monica, CA (May 29, 2012) – FilmFunds (www.FilmFunds.com) continues to evolve and grow by significantly increasing its content offerings as well as its staff with the announcement of well-respected entertainment/technology entrepreneur Jason Scoggins to spearhead new initiatives as CEO.  While strengthening the website’s core mission of connecting filmmakers and their projects with financiers and film lovers, Scoggins will shepherd its expansion into mainstream film and TV product and the coverage of insider Hollywood information, targeting entertainment pros and enthusiasts alike.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to build a site that meets the needs of entertainment pros as well as the needs of movie lovers around the world,” Scoggins said. “Our goal is to make FilmFunds the go-to site for everyone who’s big into movies and TV.”

Scoggins is the founder of ItsontheGrid.com, a film industry database he sold to The Wrap News, Inc., in 2011.  He is a former television literary agent who began his career as a trainee at International Creative Management before moving to the Gersh Agency and Writers & Artists.  He continues to co-write The Scoggins Report, a weekly newsletter that concentrates on the day-to-day film development business and is renowned for its coverage of the pitch and spec screenplay marketplaces.

Scoggins will join Christian Paris, who serves as President of FilmFunds 3D, which polls public opinion on the most popular films audiences want to see in 3D and will then offer conversion services to content owners through 3D LiveFlix technology.  Paris joined FilmFunds when it acquired Duran Duboi USA in December 2011.  Joshua L. Weinstein also joins FilmFunds as Head of Content, where he will oversee the site’s News section serving as editor-in-chief and working with a staff of writers to develop features and original content.  Weinstein previously was a reporter for The Wrap, as well as a freelancer at Variety and writer for the largest newspapers in Maine and Florida.

FilmFunds launched in beta last summer at the Toronto International Film Festival as a platform for filmmakers to promote their projects to film lovers and connect with financiers.  Under the Scoggins’ leadership, FilmFunds will become the ultimate destination website for movie lovers, aspiring filmmakers and established professionals.  Its consumer audience will continue to have the opportunity to engage with filmmakers and one another, and to help influence the trajectory of new projects.  Among the site’s existing and new features:

  • Filmmakers can upload projects for fans to peruse and vote on. The most popular projects will receive help getting made through a variety of options.  Projects also get rated through user votes and activity per project, providing filmmakers with valuable feedback, and providing movie studios with analytics.
  • Movie lovers can browse through film and television projects, decide which should get pushed towards production, and promote them.  FilmFunds will offer rewards to its most active users such as fun movie swag, signed script copies, even a producer credit on movies that they help get made.
  • FilmFunds Bankers is a new service that matches filmmakers to organizations that offer funding for films.
  • Professional and aspiring filmmakers will have access to a comprehensive database of industry-leading news and analysis of the film and TV development markets and to a broad variety of other content targeted directly at their unique interests.
  • In the Talent section, actors are given instant access to filmmakers and fans, after they upload their filmography, resume and demo reels.  This allows them to be considered for casting with filmmakers and establish a following with fans.
  • The site will continue to expand its news and blog sections with original interviews and regular features.  Movie lovers everywhere will enjoy an extensive range of movie-related features, and will be able to connect with Hollywood in a new and personal way.

About FilmFunds

FilmFunds.com is a site for movie and TV lovers and aspiring and professional filmmakers, actors and financiers. Designed to be a destination site for all things related to movies, FilmFunds allows users to follow projects from the time they are pitched until after they hit the big screen. FilmFunds users can access exclusive content, watch trailers, learn about upcoming movies, buy tickets and connect with one another. The site utilizes crowd-sourced social media marketing research to help filmmakers build support for their movies and find financing.

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