Uber for movies

This is an idea I’ve been chewing on. What would the phrase, “Uber for movies” imply? Is is possible to do for movies what Uber did for taxi cabs?

The impetus for Uber was money left on the table each night, with tons of people not being picked up by cabs. Plus a horrendous customer service experience. The same is not true for movies, the customer service experience is not horrible (although most multiplexes feel outdated). But is there money left on the table?

I’ve always been frustrated by paywalls for movies, for example not being able to download a movie on my device the day it’s released in theaters. So that’s an option… Movies anywhere, anytime, immediately. Make the whole process easier. Most film studios would say that would cannibalize theater revenues, but that’s an assumption. Has it been tested?

Uber for movies could mean entirely free movies, running on a donation model. A small ad before the movie with instructions on how to donate.

Or a studio could make free shorts, running on donations. And only make features from the shorts that generated interest/revenue. Which fits in with a Lean Filmmaking idea I’ve been working on. The shorts being a minimum viable product. Free shorts and charge for the feature.

Obviously with these ideas I’m talking about smaller films, trying to find a marketplace for films other than tentpoles.