Watrfall, the Creator Platform Backed by Ran Perlman, Has $275,000 in Hands of Audiences

Exclusive: Watrfall, the creator platform backed by Ran Perlman, is planning to put power in the hands of audiences. Having first been reported by us last August, the company has sent out its first list: a $275,000 fund for creators. Filmmakers and show hosts can present their original content ideas.

Exclusive: Watrfall, the Ron Perlman-backed creator platform, is planning to put the power in the hands of the audience.

The company, which we first told you about last August, has launched its first listing, a $275,000 fund for creators, with filmmakers and directors able to submit their original content ideas until November 15th.

Waterfall awards $150,000 to a feature film and $75,000 to a television pilot, with ten projects in development receiving $5,000 each.

This process is conducted by Waterfall administrators who review each submission and respond to applicants within six weeks. This is where the audience enters with eligible projects submitted to the Waterfall community for voting. Top winners will then receive funding. Watch Deadline News Pedro Pina: YouTube is not investing in content creation.

Launched as a content financing platform for creator-led film and television projects, Watrfall allows creators to retain "significant ownership of their intellectual property and greater creative control" through financing and distribution, while Watrfall's company and community own the rest and receive a share of the revenue.

The Watrfall community will soon launch as a free community that gives audiences a creative voice. The process Founding members "will receive exclusive benefits including numbered membership cards and early access to projects." Referrals unlock additional points, and the long-term goal is that they'll also get access to live creator Q&As, behind-the-scenes content, exclusive premiere experiences, and more.

Perlman, star of Sons of Anarchy and Hellboy, co-founded Watrfall with Michael Donovan, Dana Landry and Willie Morris. Some of the Watrfall team are in Cannes this week for MIPCOM, which starts this morning.

"We built Watrfall to reset the entertainment value chain — where creators are in control, the people who make content truly successful, and movie and TV lovers everywhere can have a real seat at the table," Perlman said last year.

Today, Donovan said, "As a creator, there's nothing more satisfying than seeing a project you believe in come to life. One of the biggest challenges in the industry is executing a project without compromising the vision that inspired it. With Watrfall, we're putting creators first by providing them with the initial resources and support they need without sacrificing their creative stories for the audience."

"Waterfall challenges the traditional studio model and gives audiences something they've never had before: a seat at the table," Landry added. "Rather than leaving greenlight decisions solely to studio executives, we're inviting audiences to play a meaningful role in shaping the content we consume and the overall future of entertainment."

Get our breaking news alerts and keep your inbox happy.