Film & Media Arts Graduate Creates Streaming Service to Fill Gap in Film Industry

When Film & Media Arts alum Ryder McNeal (B.A. ’24) was immersed in the production of student film projects during his time at Meadows, he noticed there was a distinct lack of promotion and long-term shelf-life for independent and student-produced films. Knowing there was a sizable market for these types of films, he became determined to solve this notable pain point in the industry.

Though a large market for indie films existed, there was not a place for them to live permanently once their film festival runs were over. With audiences having to pay considerable amounts to attend festivals showing independent productions and nowhere for filmmakers to send their films long-term after the festival circuit, it became clear to McNeal that indie films often weren’t getting the promotion or recognition they deserved.

“The usual trajectory of a student or independent film is fairly standard, with the filmmaker obtaining funding, producing it, and then submitting that finished film to various festivals across the country,” he explains. “If the film is subjectively ‘good’ enough, it will win awards at these festivals but, inevitably, independent and student films lose all momentum after their time on the festival circuit is over.”

This realization led to McNeal to come up with PREVO, a streaming service specifically focused on housing a catalogue of independent and student-made films. With this platform, independent and student films will have a permanent home that subscribers can access at any time.

McNeal pitches PREVO at SMU’s Big iDeas Business Plan competition.

In addition to his Film & Media Arts education at Meadows, McNeal was also earning a marketing degree at SMU’s Cox School of Business which became a huge advantage in the creation and launch of PREVO. Cox’s encouragement of student entrepreneurship helped McNeal win SMU’s Big iDeas Business Plan competition in February 2024, securing just enough funding to fully finish building out PREVO before officially launching the platform last July. Following the launch he also pitched PREVO to the SMU Impact Lab in the fall, securing additional funding for marketing through their investment.

“PREVO has surpassed my expectations thus far, and I could not be happier with the response that we've had from both filmmakers and independent film enthusiasts,” says McNeal, who revealed that new films are being added to the platform every week. “As we continue to grow our film catalogue and attract new subscribers, our ability to market our filmmakers and launch their careers will grow exponentially.”

Last month, PREVO conducted its second film competition in which filmmakers submitted their films and were judged by a talented panel of industry professionals who provided wonderful feedback and declared winners.

The company is also preparing for the launch of an exciting new feature built within the PREVO app that will allow filmmakers to share scripts, ideas and opportunities with one another in a revolutionary way. This will help make the process of assembling film crews smoother for productions with limited budgets, among other perks.

“So many [filmmakers] have thanked us for giving them more exposure and for paying attention to them in an era when filmmaking talent is too often ignored,” says McNeal of the genuine gratitude he’s received from people in the industry. “It is very humbling to hear that what I'm doing with PREVO is connecting with others.”

It is clear that PREVO’s commitment to expanding its catalogue of films while retaining a high standard of quality has already helped this new company flourish. Learn more about PREVO and how it will continue to provide a space for independent and student filmmakers here.