Kickstarter and Tubi Unite to Support Indie Filmmakers

LOS ANGELES, CA – On June 12, 2025, Kickstarter and Tubi announced a collaboration called the FilmStream Collective, aimed at supporting independent filmmakers with funding and distribution efforts.

This partnership comes at a crucial time for specialty film producers, as the industry faces significant changes and challenges. Many arthouse theaters have struggled recently, leading to a shake-up in the theatrical market.

The FilmStream Collective Fund will be exclusively available to projects on Kickstarter. According to a blog post by Kickstarter, the fund targets “final or near-final projects” and will aid filmmakers with post-production costs, including editing and marketing expenses.

Under this initiative, ten selected films will receive pledges directly on their active Kickstarter campaigns, helping them achieve their funding goals. Completed films will then be available for streaming on Tubi, gaining additional exposure and visibility.

In 2024, Tubi recorded 97 million monthly active users, with viewers logging over 10 billion hours of content, establishing itself as a player in the streaming arena.

Alongside the ten funded films, more Kickstarter-supported projects will be added to Tubi’s collection over time, ultimately featuring over 20 titles spanning various genres.

Tubi’s content chief, Adam Lewinson, highlighted the platform’s push into original feature films during his keynote at the Stream TV Show in Denver. He noted that Tubi’s success has dispelled doubts about the viability of ad-supported streaming.

“I think we’ve proven that premium and free content can coexist effectively,” Lewinson stated.

Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, emphasizing the company’s long-standing mission to support creatives. “We’re building a new opportunity for filmmakers to share their work with global audiences,” she said.

Tubi CEO Anjali Sud echoed those sentiments, stating the platform aims to be the home for emerging Hollywood talent. She emphasized the commitment to enhancing the reach and diversity of their content by partnering with creative innovators.