A lot of production companies are understandably a little nervous these days. Trying to keep up with the rapidly dwindling commercial budgets. Pondering whether they should bother making that 5K music video. Trying to make sense of ‘that digital thing’. 

So it’s inspiring to see the people at Paris-based Mr Hyde moving into interesting territory with the start of their online film festival called The Hyde Tube. Now, setting up an online video festival obviously isn’t that special, but the company are selling it as a talent-spotter place for agencies, labels,… i.e. their clients. 

I can see why they’re doing it.

It’s obviously a good way for them to spot talent and possibly ’sign’ them to the Mr Hyde roster. You know, let knowledge come to you, rather than you go and find it all yourself and all that. 

The festival aspect is fun and obviously a good thing PR-wise. 

But the thing I find most interesting is that they’re trying to position themselves as a quality brand. “If it’s not on here, it’s not worth watching”-type of thing. 
Social curating (i.e. you look at your peers to see what’s recommended) is highly effective, but I can see there being a place for this kind of stuff within the creative industries. Even the hottest creative director or art buyer with the fattest finger on the throbbing creative pulse, can’t see it all. The Hyde Tube seems to limit the amount of films/directors, so this selective curating model could well have some added value.
Especially as brands are gagging for video content and there’s more and more stuff commissioned on the lo-budget side of the spectrum. So new, keen (and cheap), creative talent is in demand. 

Speaking of money, the unusual thing is that The Hyde Tube are very open about finances. In their own words: 

Clients will contact The Hyde Tube in order to pass on a project to a specific director, who is then free to decide whether or not to accept it. If accepted, the director will write a treatment or make an animated test within 3 to 5 days. For this work you will receive approximately 500€.

If the client is happy with the treatment and decides that the director will make the film, The Hyde Tube will connect the director with the client, and Mr Hyde or one of its affiliate studios will oversee the production until the film delivery.

The director’s fee will be 10 percent of the budget, the first half payable on the first day of production and the rest upon delivery of the finished film.

Open. New. Creative.
It’s not perfect, but I’m definitely going to keep an eye on it.