Digital distribution has changed how audiences engage with film. Screenings that were once limited by physical venues now happen online, and virtual premieres, live Q and A sessions, and direct creator interaction have become routine in release planning. With that shift has come a practical problem. Filmmakers want broader access to audiences, but they also need reliable security for unreleased work. That tension has created room for tools built to support both goals.
KINO Tech Inc., founded in Los Angeles in 2022 by Daril Fannin, Brit MacRae, and David Fannin, is one of the companies working in that space. The team set out to build a platform that would let creators present new work to live digital audiences without relying on unsecured links.
KINO’s early Interactive Digital Live Premieres, introduced in 2024, explored whether secure digital events could create the kind of connection typically found in theaters or festivals. One of the clearest examples came during Courage Rising, a documentary about burn survivors climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Jay Leno volunteered to host the post-show conversation. He had survived a severe burn himself just months earlier and understood what the film represented to its subjects. His involvement underscored what these virtual premieres could offer. They were not simply streaming. They were live spaces where audiences, filmmakers, and talent could meet in real time around stories that mattered.
Other premieres featured talent like Josh Hutcherson, Liev Schreiber, Rainn Wilson, Mena Suvari, and Paul Raci. Taken together, these early screenings showed that audiences were willing to participate when the format felt personal and interactive rather than detached.
The company also learned that creators valued direct feedback. A Deloitte study in 2024 found that sixty-one percent of independent filmmakers use engagement data to shape release strategies. KINO’s screenings provided that information inside a secure environment rather than relying on festival responses or unmonitored private links.
During this phase, KINO premiered Ganymede, a queer thriller released in August 2024. The screening included moderated discussions, community programming, and support for GLAAD, demonstrating how digital premieres can serve broader cultural aims without the limitations of physical venues.
As interest in secure interactive events grew, KINO adjusted its focus. Instead of continuing to host its own slate of premieres, the company moved toward supplying the infrastructure that would let studios, festivals, and streaming services run their own branded digital screenings. This shift repositioned KINO as an interactive OTT provider rather than just a programming platform.
This transition placed ScreenKey (KINO’s B2B software) at the center of the company’s work. Built by one of the engineers responsible for biometric enrollment in TSA PreCheck, ScreenKey consolidates dailies, cut review, feedback, photo approvals, and screener distribution so creators do not need to move sensitive material across multiple systems. The goal is risk reduction. Each extra link or platform increases the chance of leakage.
ScreenKey provides encrypted streaming, strict access control, and watermarking. Its defining capability is its anti-tamper detection. If someone attempts to remove a watermark, the system detects it, locks the user out, and alerts the rights holder. During a screening at TIFF, the system activated when someone attempted to manipulate a watermark. That moment illustrated how quickly unreleased work can be threatened and how crucial automated safeguards have become.
ScreenKey has gained traction among companies that handle large volumes of sensitive content. Owen Williams of Harpoon, which distributes more than five hundred screeners a month, said competing tools were often too rigid or too expensive for basic features like TV app support. ScreenKey, he noted, consistently met their workflow demands. Relic, which uses KINO’s technology for its fan engagement platform, said its goal is to give fans a secure and high-quality experience, and that ScreenKey plays a key role in enabling it.
This move toward white-labeled infrastructure also reflects broader audience expectations. Viewers are increasingly comfortable with digital screenings but want more than passive streams. They want interaction and context. KINO’s tools allow institutions to build those experiences inside their own ecosystems while keeping unreleased content protected.
User reactions point to the same interest. One reviewer described the platform as the closest thing to a festival environment available at home and called it a backstage pass to each film. Another appreciated hearing from behind-the-scenes roles that rarely appear in traditional press.
KINO Tech Inc. now sits at the intersection of three needs. Creators want wider access to audiences. Studios wish to protect unreleased material. Audiences want meaningful participation. Secure interactive screenings offer one way to meet all three. As filmmakers and distributors continue exploring digital formats, tools that combine protection with real-time engagement may influence how films reach viewers before a broader release.
