Editor

NomadsLand.com, the online platform for social issue filmmakers, today announced its release of enhanced social networking and distribution tools to assist filmmakers in making films about pressing global issues.

NomadsLand (www.nomadsland.com) has been described as "YouTube and MySpace for progressive directors and producers." Designed by filmmakers for filmmakers, NomadsLand is the home for a growing worldwide collective of creative directors, video producers, production companies and distributors with a passion for producing social issue films.

"Whether it's illegal immigration, gay marriage, the crisis in Darfur or the tragedy of Tibet, NomadsLand is providing new opportunities for directors with under-distributed films about worthwhile issues to reach and motivate new audiences," says Davin Hutchins, founder of NomadsLand.
Many of the documentary films currently featured on NomadsLand have debuted at prominent international film festivals, including International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, Tribeca Film Festival, Bangkok International Film Festival, Dubai International Film Festival, HotDocs, AFI Fest and the OneWorld Human Rights Film Festival. They include From Dust, Three Friends, Ibogaine, New York Drag, Bushmen of the Kalahari, Replay Revenge, Lesbian Grandmothers from Mars and The Art of Flight.

Filmmakers who register at NomadsLand can now create professional profiles for highlighting career milestones and showcasing their own films. Registered users can also search an expanding international database of filmmakers to find partners to collaborate with.
As with sites such as Revver, TurnHere, Jaman and Metacafe, NomadsLand shares download and advertising revenue with individual filmmakers and distributors. Full-length downloads are made available through secure Windows Media format. To date, NomadsLand has logged hundreds of paid downloads and tens of thousands of advertising supported video streams.

"After only a few weeks of closed testing, we're really thrilled by the initial response," says Hutchins. "We've received dozens of fantastic documentaries and hundreds of filmmakers are signing up for our service."

In coming months, the site will add features including tutorials, Wikis, community forums and community blogs designed to help established filmmakers produce short, revenue-generating social issue films for the Internet.

Hutchins says NomadsLand hopes to replicate its success in documentaries through initiatives targeting narrative features, travelogues and animated satire. NomadsLand current partnerships include Witness.org, Channel 4's FourDocs, Busboys and Poets and Docs in Progress.