Software and hardware giant Microsoft and Internet behemoth Amazon have decided to work together to help indie filmmakers bring their creations to the HD era, by facilitating the distribution of HD DVD movies through Amazon’s innovative manufacturing-on-demand technology of CustomFlix.

CustomFlix is a part of an Amazon group of companies, but the “1,000 HD DVD Indies Project”- the name of the recently announced venture- is jointly sponsored by Amazon and Microsoft. The project will provide free authoring and setup services for up to 1,000 selected indie titles.

"This collaboration with Microsoft is a great opportunity for independent filmmakers to reach Amazon customers with their films via the HD DVD format," said Peter Faricy, vice president of music and movies at Amazon.com. "By working together with Microsoft and leveraging the proven CustomFlix DVD on Demand model, we can lower the barriers to entry for independent filmmakers and dramatically increase the selection we offer our customers."

CustomFlix hopes to attract movie makers by eliminating storage costs from the equation: the company’s DVD on Demand technology, which produces and ships DVDs only as they are ordered, improves the cost structure for independent filmmakers. CustomFlix promises to have as many as 1,000 feature-length independent films to Amazon customers.

"From a technical standpoint, we found that the HD DVD format fits our business model perfectly," said Dana LoPiccolo-Giles, co-founder and managing director of CustomFlix. "With retail shelf space at a premium, our model eliminates the risk of carrying inventory and immediately expands the number of great HD DVD titles available to consumers."

"Programs like this one from Amazon lower barriers to entry for independent artists and provide audiences with increased access to high-quality, high-definition content," said Christian Vesper, senior vice president of programming, acquisitions and scheduling for Sundance Channel.

Filmmakers interested in submitting their HD DVD work for consideration as part of the 1,000 HD DVD Indies Project can go to: http://www.customflix.com/hddvdindies.