Hiway newsletter October 2026: five platforms, one library
Two world firsts are live on Hiway: the Distribution Marketplace and the VOD Platform Builder. Apply to five streaming platforms without uploading your film again.
In this article
- World first: the Distribution Marketplace. Apply to five platforms without uploading your film again
- World first: the VOD Platform Builder. Your own streaming destination, on your own domain
- News from Scotflix, Raindance Releasing, The Drive-In, BRDGE and Grimmfest
- Broken Country, a documentary released direct to fans
- How to get a hand setting up
Apply to any platform in one click
Two world firsts went live in the Hiway portal this month. The first is the Distribution Marketplace.
Your film is already in your library. Now you can apply to any Hiway-powered streaming platform without uploading it again. No re-export. No metadata forms. No shipping your artwork into somebody else’s system and hoping it comes back.
Pick a platform. Pick your territories. Apply. If the platform says yes, the contract is generated for you.
The same SmartLink then sits in both accounts. You see every view, sale and split from your own dashboard, in real time. This is syndication without moving the file.
Platforms live and launching soon
- Raindance Releasing: daring, genre-defying independent cinema
- Scotflix: the home of Scottish screen stories
- The Drive-In by RecDek: launching at the London Film Festival
- BRDGE, Japan: fans earn a share for recommending your film
- Grimmfest: Manchester’s horror festival, back online
You can apply to a platform in the portal today.
“If I’d gone with Netflix, I’d still have spent my own money on marketing. Except now I get to see who’s buying and who isn’t.” David E. Valdez, Executive Producer, Ugly Little Monkeys
Build your own platform in minutes
The second world first is the VOD Platform Builder. Think Wix, for video.
Drag, drop, design and publish your own streaming destination on your own domain. Your branding, your catalogue, your pricing, your bundles, your trailers. No developer. No agency. No waiting.
Then invite other people’s content onto it. You earn from their films as well as your own.
You can build your own VOD platform from the portal.
News from the Hiway
Scotflix launched on 12 September. It is already pulling in work from major production companies, with Glasgow Tellyfest signing on through it.
Raindance Releasing is onboarding more filmmakers every day. Features and shorts, £12 a month, with the full Hiway stack underneath.
Variety ran an exclusive on The Drive-In, RecDek’s new indie service built on Hiway. Filmmakers set their own price and keep the receipts from the first sale. They see audience data in real time and keep their IP. You can read the Variety piece. The Drive-In closes applications before it launches on 17 October.
BRDGE launches from Okinawa this month with an idea we love. Fans who recommend a film earn a share of what that recommendation makes. No follower count required. Read the BRDGE announcement.
Also coming: Grimmfest returns online for its horror season, and live streaming arrives in the next few weeks.
Watch this one tonight: Broken Country
Broken Country is a documentary about the state of Canada. It was released on 30 September as a global exclusive, direct to fans.
No distributor. No platform deal. No waiting 90 days to find out how it did.
The filmmakers have full access to their viewer data and every payment in real time. This is a must watch. Compelling viewing. You can watch Broken Country now.
Want a hand?
Filmmakers can book a 20-minute build session. Bring one film. We set up your library, your pricing and your first SmartLink while you are on the call. You come off it with something live.
Book a build session and we will do it with you.
What is the Hiway Distribution Marketplace?
The Distribution Marketplace lets filmmakers apply to Hiway-powered streaming platforms from their existing Hiway library. There is no re-upload, re-export or metadata form. If a platform accepts, the contract is generated and the same SmartLink sits in both accounts, with views, sales and splits visible in real time.
Which streaming platforms can I apply to through Hiway?
Five platforms are live or launching soon in the Hiway Distribution Marketplace. They are Raindance Releasing, Scotflix, The Drive-In by RecDek, BRDGE in Japan and Grimmfest. Filmmakers choose the platform and the territories they want to apply for.
What is the Hiway VOD Platform Builder?
The VOD Platform Builder lets you design and publish your own streaming destination on your own domain, without a developer. You control the branding, catalogue, pricing, bundles and trailers. You can also invite other people’s content onto it and earn from their films as well as your own.
Do I need to upload my film again to appear on another platform?
No. On Hiway your film stays in your own library. When you apply to a Hiway-powered platform through the Distribution Marketplace, it is shown there without being uploaded again.