August 14, 2015, marks the 15th anniversary of IndieFilmWeb.com, Australia's first ever streaming film and music website. Though a website long since lost to the dotcom collapse, it is a site that shall live long in the memory. For those who used it. And for those who were involved in bringing it to life.
Reported in the Australian media as 'The biggest thing to happen to the Australian Independent Film and Music industries since the advent of television', IndieFilmWeb.com's launch on August 14, 2000, marked a significant shift in how Australians viewed content.
In the here and now of course, we don't think twice about watching a film or music video on the internet. But think back to the start of the millennium, to 4 YEARS BEFORE YOUTUBE EXISTED. And imagine the excitement of Australians logging into IndieFilmWeb.com and actually watching a moving picture on their computer. From the comfort of their own home. It was nothing short of breathtaking. They weren't at the cinema. They weren't sitting in front of their TV in the lounge room. They were in front of their home computer, which was connected to that new and still rather shiny thing known as: 'The Internet'.
How do I know all this? Because I conceived and produced, IndieFilmWeb.com. And, with the help of over 30 skilled and dedicated film, music and multimedia volunteers, and the support and sponsorship of Apple (we were streaming exclusively with Quicktime 4.12), an idea I had had for many years (to take independent film and music distribution out of the hands of the Murdoch's of the world, and place it squarely in the hands of the filmmakers and musicians themselves) came to life. And I won't lie to you, but I still get goose bumps when I think of the first time I saw an IFW short film stream on my home computer. When those images MOVED. Actually MOVED. It was well and truly a 'WOW!' moment. And something I will never forget.
IFW Press 1 - IFW Press 2 - IFW Press 3 - IFW Press 4
Reported in the Australian media as 'The biggest thing to happen to the Australian Independent Film and Music industries since the advent of television', IndieFilmWeb.com's launch on August 14, 2000, marked a significant shift in how Australians viewed content.
In the here and now of course, we don't think twice about watching a film or music video on the internet. But think back to the start of the millennium, to 4 YEARS BEFORE YOUTUBE EXISTED. And imagine the excitement of Australians logging into IndieFilmWeb.com and actually watching a moving picture on their computer. From the comfort of their own home. It was nothing short of breathtaking. They weren't at the cinema. They weren't sitting in front of their TV in the lounge room. They were in front of their home computer, which was connected to that new and still rather shiny thing known as: 'The Internet'.
How do I know all this? Because I conceived and produced, IndieFilmWeb.com. And, with the help of over 30 skilled and dedicated film, music and multimedia volunteers, and the support and sponsorship of Apple (we were streaming exclusively with Quicktime 4.12), an idea I had had for many years (to take independent film and music distribution out of the hands of the Murdoch's of the world, and place it squarely in the hands of the filmmakers and musicians themselves) came to life. And I won't lie to you, but I still get goose bumps when I think of the first time I saw an IFW short film stream on my home computer. When those images MOVED. Actually MOVED. It was well and truly a 'WOW!' moment. And something I will never forget.
IFW Press 1 - IFW Press 2 - IFW Press 3 - IFW Press 4
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