Distribution company Filmhub has secured worldwide rights to creator-led comedy SKIT via a partnership with producer and former TV exec Evan Shapiro.
The film, which was made for just $65,000, will also debut on Tubi on November 14, in a 30-day streaming window before the sales window formally opens. Filmhub, a new-model distribution outfit founded in 2016, will feature SKIT in its slate at MIPCOM later this fall as this year’s confab spotlights the creator economy.
Shapiro, who ran IFC, Sundance Channel and Pivot during a lengthy run as a cable TV exec before hanging out his production shingle ESHAP, is an executive producer of SKIT.
Set in 2007, at the dawn of user-generated content, the film follows three female college students determined to make a viral YouTube video. Detailing that journey, the film incorporates cameos by a number of recognizable internet personalities.
SKIT’s ensemble cast features Jamie Linn Watson, Nataly Aukar, Jamie Shapiro, Alise Morales, Lukas Arnold and Jacob Kaplan, with cameos by Jim O’Heir (Parks and Rec) and Mary Birdsong (Reno 911). The comedy was created, co-written and directed by Des Lombardo (who shot the film in his family home) alongside co-writer and director Badr Mastrouq. In addition to a starring role, Jamie Shapiro is a producer alongside Paul Bukoskey.
“The creator economy has opened the door for independent voices to find homes on the same platforms as traditional entertainment,” said Shapiro, who has also carved out a niche as a self-described “media cartographer” and consultant. “The next stage of the entertainment industry’s revolution is the ‘affinity economy’ where success isn’t just about scale, it’s about depth. True power lies in creators connecting directly with communities, sparking emotion and passion and SKIT is a perfect case study in this shift.”
Filmhub co-founder and CEO Alan d’Escragnolle said the project coincides with his company’s strategic expansion from traditional film and TV to more creator-led content. In making that move, he said, “there’s no better creative partner than Evan and ESHAP to help chart the course. At Filmhub, we focus on supporting storytellers by ensuring that films like SKIT not only get made but also reach the audiences they were created for.”
Tubi has likewise tapped the creator economy with projects like Sidelined: The QB and Me, with social media buzz helping the film pull in more viewers in its first seven days than any other Tubi original. The streaming service earlier this year put a sequel in development. Tubi also last summer launched a major creator initiative, Tubi for Creators, installing Vimeo alum Rich Bloom as GM of creator programs and EVP of business development.
“We’re excited to partner with Filmhub and Evan Shapiro to bring SKIT to our Tubi audience of 100 million monthly active users,” Bloom said. “Tubi for Creators is designed to support independent storytellers – giving them creative freedom and the scale to expand their audiences. Tubi offers a platform where bold, breakthrough work can live alongside iconic movies and TV, making it the ideal home for SKIT.”