SideStream: Bringing Innovation to the Online Movie Marketplace

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Moviegoers may or may not remember the shakeup that occurred in 2008 when Apple’s iTunes AAPL ushered in the over-the-top (OTT) video marketplace. The convenience and accessibility of renting movies on-demand proved fatal to brick-and-mortar video rental stores like Blockbuster. 

Fast forward to 2021 and platforms like iTunes, Amazon AMZN, along with subscription sites like Netflix NFLX and Hulu DIS, dominate movie streaming. These media giants represent significant progress since pay-per-viewing movies was the norm on cable and satellite television pre-iTunes. However, they all still feature the same underlying user functionality  that was in place in 2008 — namely, marketplace transaction video on demand (TVOD) — which hasn’t experienced real disruption since the 2008 upheaval. 

Transaction Video On Demand

The transactional video on demand market boasts a substantial user base that is expected to climb up to 867 million by 2025. In the United States alone, TVOD revenue is expected to reach an annual growth rate of 7.66% — ultimately hitting $12.5 billion in market volume by 2025. 

The TVOD marketplace is massive and continues to grow. It constitutes a critical component of the entertainment ecosystem, yet it has lacked meaningful innovation for more than a decade. Most significantly, there has been no real integration between video streaming and the global phenomena that is social media — until now. 

SideStream: The Latest Innovation in Movie Streaming

By combining the engagement of social media with on-demand movie streaming, newly introduced start-up SideStream is carving out an innovative niche at the intersection of these 2 gigantic industries. 

SideSteam offers a seamless and legal way to watch movies online and remain connected with friends, family and even influencers. By launching a viewing party, hosts have the option to invite 10 people or 10,000 different users. Viewers screen the movie together and alongside the live host, who is able interact with the audience via onscreen chat. Think of it like those past “directors commentary” features on DVDs…but interactive and monetized. 

According to Neal Tiles, SideStream co-founder and CEO, “The market is long overdue for innovation, particularly as it relates to user engagement. The entertainment landscape — as a whole — is ready for a platform that seamlessly and legally blends the social nature and popularity of live streaming with the movies we love. In many ways, it reinvents so many classic titles”

He goes on to explain that, “SideStream is committed to tapping into various online communities, bringing them together like never before through this perfect marriage of live streaming and cinema. We are also dedicated to fully democratizing monetization for all content creators, opening up increased areas of opportunity and revenue.”

SideStream’s unique business model allows hosts, content creators and influencers to earn a portion of the movie’s streaming session tickets — presenting them with an additional monetization opportunity that hasn’t existed until now. 

Investing in SideStream

SideStream is currently open to investors via its ongoing crowdfunding campaign through August 2021. 

Investors will appreciate how SideStream’s business model is attractive for both major and independent production companies. SideStream is designed to help studios monetize their content libraries and reintroduce titles with a fresh perspective as commentators engage fans like never before.

“What made SideStream so appealing to us is its unique revenue share model,” said Greg Brogger of BrightHouse, a VC firm which invested in SideStream. “Neal and his team have a deep understanding of the burgeoning ‘influencer economy’ and are poised to change the way people watch and share movies with one another. We are excited to be a part of it."

SideStream is currently developing its infrastructure and launching its public platform. The company recently underwent beta testing and validated the integrity of its site through real-time tests. It’s set to launch for live, public streaming events during the 3rd quarter of 2021. 
Learn more about SideStream’s crowdfunding campaign here.

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.