With TV pilots costing millions of dollars, why not test the product and your directors first on the Internet?

That’s what Filmaka.com, launched today by former Fox TV chief Sandy Grushow and "Bend it Like Beckham" producer Deepak Nayar, aims to do. And along the way, it aims to build an audience for the website by hosting online competitions for directors and writers for TV pilots and online series.

The site plans to announce its first contest winner on Monday, according to a spokeswoman. The winner will get financial backing to make a film and representation by the William Morris Agency.

While in beta, Filmaka has amassed a community of more than 3,600 aspiring filmmakers from 95 countries and started production on about 40 Web series, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The beauty of the approach is that even if Filmaka doesn’t find any talent (and there aren’t many examples yet of online recruiting launching TV hits), it still captures a big Web audience of consumer hopefuls. FX may be thinking the same thing with its "You have an idea for a TV comedy; we have a TV network" on Filmaka.

Filmaka’s model closely follows the one developed by Veoh.com, the video-hosting site backed Michael Eisner, Goldman Sachs and other A-list Hollywood and media investors. United Talent Agency signed on to that deal.

An interesting potential payoff for Veoh and Filmaka: move web content to  TV. D-Link today announced a new device that allows Veoh users to stream their favorite Web shows through their TV sets.

See Also

• Website aims to shine light on moviemakers
• D-Link partners with Veoh Networks to bring Internet video to the TV

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