EXCLUSIVE: Blockchain-based streamer Vabble is building an advisory board of high-profile U.S. media execs.
The company has added former CBS Studios sales exec Barry Chamberlain, ex-IMAX distribution chief Philip Groves and eOne marketing head Joanna Miles to its advisory board. They join former Universal Pictures EVP John C. Hall, who joined the board recently.
Vabble, which is gearing up to launch its service, allows indie filmmakers to directly distribute their films globally using blockchain technology. Like several other blockchain streaming platforms, the company’s founders claim to have identified imbalances in the film distribution ecosystem and plan to provide a decentralized alternative to the Hollywood studios and other majors.
The company says its streaming service will incorporate elements of blockchain tech, on-demand streaming and social media experiences, and is billing it as “a hybrid Snapchat and Netflix combination.”
Specifically, it “aims to address the gaps in the current film distribution market, particularly focusing on unique and thought-provoking content that might not fit into the conventional studio release strategies.” Notable then, that it has tapped the likes of Chamberlain, Hall, Miles and Groves, who have between them decades of experience at major North American studios and distributors.
Chamberlain is best known as the former President of Sales at CBS Studios International, selling the likes of NCIS, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, South Park and Yellowjackets globally to local markets.
Groves was former EVP of Worldwide Distribution and SVP of IMAX Corporation, securing numerous blockbuster titles for the big screen exhibitor and tech biz. He’s also known as the writer and director of IMAX doc Asteroid Hunters.
Miles was SVP of Theatrical Marketing, Entertainment One, Canada, and has over two decades of experience in the film industry. She marketed major titles such as The Hunger Games and John Wick franchises to Canadian audiences and at festivals.
Hall, who joined Vabble towards the end of 2023, was EVP of Distribution & Marketing at Universal Pictures. His decades-spanning career includes working on over 408 theatrical releases.
“In today’s fast-paced film distribution world, there’s a widening divide between the creative forces and the distribution avenues available to them,” said Hall. “Vabble stands at the forefront of bridging this gap, ensuring that diverse and compelling stories find their audience.”
Chamberlain added the Vabble was “not just distributing films” but “revolutionizing how they reach viewers worldwide,” while Groves said the streamer would “create a symbiotic relationship between filmmakers and audiences through innovative and intelligent distribution strategies.”
In a similar vein, Miles said: “My goal is to harness this platform’s potential to transform how indie films are marketed and distributed globally.”
Vabble will be launching its streaming service “soon,” but is already allowing filmmakers to use the platform for global distribution of their content. Vabble’s bosses say this provides “a low-cost, efficient alternative for creators seeking to navigate the distribution landscape.”