A few years ago, a little startup called B-Side marketed the hell out of itself at Austin Film Festival, the first festival to use their scheduling and rating site.  I'm not completely sure, but I may have written their very first film review on the site (at the cost of seeing Shane Black's panel, dammit!).  I still have my grey "I am never wrong" tshirt in my stack of film related tshirts in the closet.  If I actually wore tshirts regularly, it would be among the most frequently worn.  Because, well, I'm never wrong.

B-Side is a independent online distributor and then some. Sure you can buy Crawford, and Before the Music Dies, but there's more that benefits the independent film community, film makers and film goers alike.

Members can rate films, and plan calendars for film festivals.  I've used it at Austin Film Festival, SXSW, and Fantastic Fest (and only one login needed for the lot of them).   I've grown to love B-Side for festival scheduling, as it allows me to see how I can fit as many films and events as possible into a festival. This year, AMD teamed with Fantastic Fest to offer a selection of films online for free viewing... hosted by B-Side.  I got to catch films I probably wouldn't have seen, and freed up my schedule to get more in.

The festival related features are even better when everyone uses them.  Fantastic Fest attendees were pretty good at rating and reviewing films.  I'm a little annoyed at AFF attendees, because there weren't many review or ratings (at least to my subjective eye).  At Fantastic Fest, those ratings helped me as much as word of mouth on what to change in my schedule.  Of course, they also promoted rating and reviews on the site in the film introductions (it also helped there is free wireless access at the Alamo, too).

But it's not just for other attendees, you help the filmmakers by giving them feedback.  If it's good feedback, they can use that to influence distributors in their favor.  And the festivals benefit too, by being able to see the popularity of films, which can help them determine if a venue change is needed, and how successful their programming was, enabling them to make adjustments for the next year. 

But the thing is, it only works at it's best when you, the film viewer use it.  So you Austin Film Festival attendees, review and rate the films you saw! And AFF should be doing more to promote using it. 

And in related rants, support films by rating and reviewing them on IMDB.com, too (although IMDB.com doesn't have a means I can see to show how many people have viewed the page on the film, or added it to their calendar).  For the last few years, I keep hearing filmmakers who've worked with studios mentioned that those comments ARE read, and they can make a difference to those indie films looking for a distributor, too.  You can help build word of mouth and get films in theatres.  Or point out stupidity in titles (Alien Raiders does not deserve such a lame, limiting title). 

Speak up, People!!  As B-Side says, the audience is never wrong.