White Rabbit unveils payments solution
October 12, 2017
By Colin Mann
A team of seasoned filmmakers, distributors and software developers has announced White Rabbit, a blockchain-based smart contract solution that intends to improve the way users watch content, distribute it, pay and are paid for films and series.
As a browser plug-in, White Rabbit is designed to offer a completely new opportunity. It enables users to watch content freely on any open streaming service, pay a fee, which then goes directly to rights holder(s). One log-in, one payment system. There is revenue sharing with streaming services, which White Rabbit says creates a truly global and competitive market for streaming content.
The team will hold a contribution campaign starting November 27th to fund further development of White Rabbit, and is now actively holding a pre-contribution campaign road show. The details of the campaign will be announced in due course.
According to White Rabbit, there are basic challenges for the modern-day video content distribution:
- Too few filmmakers make money from digital distribution.
- Revenue lacks transparency and cash-flow immediacy.
- We don’t distinguish between pirates and fans. Fans are forced to break the law to see their favorite film or series because they are not allowed to pay for content
- There is less choice of films and series, as closed server subscription services/OTT produce more of their own content and buy less.
- The digital distribution paradox: a lack of competition in global digital distribution slows UI innovation. Yet, more subscription services mean more logins and passwords for users.
White Rabbit aims to solve all these issues to the benefit of the film and series industry, including creatives, producers, distributors, and copyright holders, and on behalf of the fans, viewers, and users.
“Subscription-based OTT providers have yet to prove themselves as a sustainable business model,” suggested Alan R. Milligan: CEO and Founder, White Rabbit. “That is why they shifted strategy to produce their own content and must be regarded as modern-day studios. We are all in need of an open and competitive marketplace in distribution of films and series. With White Rabbit, we offer a global, sustainable, transparent and competitive digital distribution business model that will help combat piracy without having to intimidate our fans. Everyone wins, everyone is rewarded.”