Direct-to-fan video distribution is all the rage these days, with artists and performers like Louis CK and Aziz Ansari foregoing all the usual distribution channels in an effort to engage with their followers directly and hopefully make some money. A new company called LittleCast is hoping to offer content creators a platform to do just that, with distribution on Facebook and on mobile apps.
The advantage of direct-to-fan is mostly the ability to make more money, as artists aren’t sharing the majority of sales with the distributor. But the problem that many content creators run up against is an inability to reach as many fans as possible. LittleCast hopes to solve that problem, with the ability to market to fans directly on Facebook.
LittleCast’s platform for direct-to-fan video sales allows content creators to connect with viewers and form a transactional relationship with them, without all the messy middlemen distributors getting in the way. But unlike some of the other direct-to-fan platforms out there, LittleCast takes advantage of Facebook as its primary means of distribution.
Artists and content creators are able to embed videos directly into their Facebook pages, with LittleCast handling all the payment and video streaming. Thanks to a tight integration with Facebook, the platform also shares video purchases directly into a fan’s news feed, which it hopes will ensure a more viral distribution of videos.
Payment can be made through Facebook, and content can be played securely within the social network. While LittleCast leans on Facebook for distribution and virality, the company also has mobile apps in the Apple App Store and Google Play to allow viewers to watch videos on their mobile phones and tablets as well.
LittleCast was founded by Amra Tareen, who also co-founded citizen journalism site Allvoices, along with Touch Adventures CEO Stephen Ackroyd and Levensohn Venture Partners managing partner Pascal Levensohn. The company has raised $2 million in seed funding from investors that include Dolby Trust, Intrepid Capital, Manatt Digital Media, Arden Road Investments, Seven Lions Group, and others.