Babelgum, the new global Internet TV network, will be offering film lovers the opportunity to see footage (previously unseen by the public) from renowned writer, director and producer Spike Lee at MIPTV next week.
Spike Lee will be attending Babelgum's MIPTV reception in Cannes on the evening of Tuesday 17th April 2007 and will be showcasing short fictional footage exclusively on Babelgum. The footage, originally commissioned to support Unicef, was directed by Spike Lee who later bought the distribution rights. Following a preview of the footage being screened next week, the full production will be made available on Babelgum on the 18th April 2007 for a period of three months.
Babelgum allows end users to enjoy the visual quality of television and the interactivity and global reach of the Internet. The Babelgum platform uses innovative peer-to-peer (P2P) streaming technology. This enables high resolution and immersive television to be transmitted worldwide and without the disruption often associated with other forms of Internet video on demand.
Spike Lee will be hosting the reception along with Babelgum co-founders Silvio Scaglia and Erik Lumer. He will also discuss the transformative role that the Babelgum channel will have on the traditional film and TV industry, as it provides a free and far reaching platform for content producers to showcase their work.
Spike Lee got his break when his thesis film was showcased at Lincoln Center's New Directors New Film Festival (it was the first student film to be shown and later went on to win a Student Academy Award) and he therefore appreciates the importance of profiling opportunities and distribution channels for emerging directors and content producers.
Spike Lee, "The accessibility of Babelgum for both users and content providers is ground breaking. It means independent producers and content providers can showcase their work free of charge to a global viewing audience and not have to compromise in terms of quality, length or artistic integrity."
Silvio Scaglia, co-founder and Chairman of Babelgum adds, "Professional programme owners, creators and distributors can use Babelgum as their channel for international distribution and previews. It allows them to reach a broadband-connected audience that currently exceeds 300 million and which is growing at a rate of 30 percent per annum."
The Babelgum channel is an open system that inherently and automatically balances demand and supply to deliver professional content organised into specific genres -- including, but not limited to fiction, entertainment, documentaries, cartoons, sport and music.
All material is secured through the use of sophisticated copyright protection. This includes streaming content in an encrypted form that is not available for download.
