August 14, 2017

Best Entertainment Innovation You're Missing Out On

BEST IN ENTERTAINMENT INNOVATION

While juggling all the shows, movies, games, and apps that take up space on your phone, have you ever thought of some great idea that would make navigating it all easier? How many times have you caught yourself thinking of some great new app that would feature only standup comedians or give you an easy way to know about concerts coming to a nearby venue? Someone out there has probably had a similar idea and acted on it.

At CreditDonkey, we want you to save money and make savvy financial decisions. If you're like us, a big part of your weekly budget goes toward entertainment. And some of it likely goes to waste on channels you never watch or mediocre events you go to because you can't find anything better to do.

Be in the know and on top of the type of entertainment that most interests you by tapping into one of the latest innovations in the entertainment industry. The very thing you were hoping for - or the thing you hadn't thought of but will be blown away by when you find out it exists - is on this list of the Best in Entertainment. These are innovative apps and tools that streamline your favorite entertainment avenues (whether that's music, games, or videos), or open up your world to more possibilities so you can be sure that when you put down your entertainment dollars, you're spending it on your best options.

Sit back and be ready to be entertained with this Best in Entertainment list!

See Also: DirecTV vs DISH 2017

Best Entertainment © CreditDonkey

Sundance Institute

The Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to discovering and promoting new voices in the arts and finding new audiences for those voices. The founder and president of the Sundance Institute is actor Robert Redford, who is also an environmentalist, conservationist, and a supporter of uncompromised creative expression.

Why Sundance Institute is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Through its various programs, the Institute seeks to discover and support new film and theater artists as they create their work. They are much more than the world-famous Sundance Film Festival; with educational programs for writers, directors, musicians, and more, they are nurturing the next generation of talent.

Read: Competition And Next Lineup Announced
Follow @sundanceorg
Flickchart

Flickchart is a streaming service that's packed with only five-star classic movies for true cinema lovers.

Why Flickchart is a Top Entertainment Innovator: They let you rank movies, creating your own personal lists of the all-time greats, and discover new classics you might never have heard of. Their social component even allows you to connect with other users and debate and discuss your favorite films.

Read: 200,000 Flickcharters Worldwide Rank Movies 18 Million Times to Find The 20 Best-Loved Films of 2016
Follow @Flickchart
SnapStream

SnapStream is a DVR service that not only lets you record tons of TV, but also search closed captions so can find the exact clips you're looking for.

Why SnapStream is a Top Entertainment Innovator: This is a DVR service for businesses, helping you find relevant news highlights to feature on your website. If you've ever wondered how late night comedy shows find so many relevant news clips, this is how they're doing it.

Follow @SnapStream
Topspin Media

Topspin Media is a direct-to-fan sales and marketing platform that helps creative professionals promote and sell their music, movies, merchandise, and more. Founded by Shamal Ranasinghe and ProTools co-creator Peter Gotcher in 2007, Topspin Media is dedicated to helping artists find new fans, promote their work, and sell new products.

Why Topspin Media is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Users can use Topspin to sell anything, from LP to concert tickets, directly to their fans, and their fulfillment department will deliver it for you. When a transaction is made, you then own the fan data, from email addresses to demographics, so you can continue to engage them.

Follow @topspinmedia
Philo

Philo is a streaming live TV service that lets you watch live broadcasts on any number of devices, including Roku, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Why Philo is a Top Entertainment Innovator: With cloud DVR and VOD, you'll never miss an episode of your favorite show again. With over 200 channels available across the country, if you want to watch, chances are you'll find it on Philo.

Follow @Philo
Serial Box

Serial Box is a unique subscription service for readers that delivers serialized stories in short weekly snippets. Co-founder Julian Yap previously served as senior counsel in the Department of Justice, while co-founder Molly Barton was the Global Digital Director at Penguin Random House prior to helping to create Serial Box.

Why Serial Box is a Top Entertainment Innovator: You can read the first episode of any serial for free, and if you love it, subscribe for a new episode every week from there. In addition to text, you also get audio versions of each episode with your subscription.

Read: ReMade
Follow @serialboxpub
Saavn

Saavn is an online music service for Hindi and Bollywood songs, from classics to the very latest hits.

Why Saavn is a Top Entertainment Innovator: With 30 million songs by top artists, carefully-curated playlists, and custom radio stations, you'll be able to listen to your favorite songs anywhere. You can listen for free on their website, or try their mobile subscription service free for 30 days.

Read: AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL SONGS
Follow @Saavn
tix4cause

Tix4cause is an innovative charity: users can donate their unwanted concert, sports, and event tickets and others can purchase them, with proceeds going to charity. Tix4cause was founded by Kevin Nemetz, who was thinking about new ways for charities to raise money when he spotted several empty seats at a White Sox game, planting the seed of a new idea.

Why tix4cause is a Top Entertainment Innovator: You can sign up to shop tickets for free, and even create custom alerts when tickets for your most wanted events become available. If you're a season ticket holder who can't make a game, or need to cancel an outing to a concert, don't let your tickets go to waste: donate them to tix4cause.

Read: Pinot and Pearls
Follow @tix4cause
Omaze

Omaze is serving world-changing charities and cause champions by making giving easier and more fun: for as little as $10, you can donate to a cause and earn a chance at an incredible VIP experience. Founders Matt and Ryan dreamed up the idea for Omaze after getting the chance to watch a Lakers game with Magic Johnson, and realized that democratizing the VIP experience for charity could raise money for great causes.

Why Omaze is a Top Entertainment Innovator: By donating to a charity, you can be entered into a drawing to win a trip to hang out with your favorite celebrity or sports star, get a VIP concert experience, and much more. Through Omaze's platform, people from over 170 countries have donated to more than 150 charities; check out their platform today.

Read: Be Idris Elba's Valentine
Follow @omaze
Flipps
Flipps lets you play movies, music videos, and more on your TV, using just your phone. Co-founder and CEO Kosta Jordanov founded and ran three software companies prior to Flipps, while his co-founder and CAO Metodi Filipov is a seasoned operations manager with over 20 years of experience developing technology solutions.

Why Flipps is a Top Entertainment Innovator: It's simple to instantly connect your phone to your TV, stream video, and even use your phone as a TV remote. Supporting Internet-connected TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, and more, getting started couldn't be easier.

Read: Don Cash Abusadora Official Video
Follow @FlippsTV
Movie Heroes

Movie Heroes is a program for film lovers that allows you to pay a flat monthly fee and see unlimited movies in the theater. Co-founder and CEO Keith Walker left the aerospace industry to join San Francisco-based startup Klout before founding Movie Heroes, while co-founder, COO, and Chairman Matt Sconce is an award winning director/writer/filmmaker who has produced 11 shorts and 5 feature films.

Why Movie Heroes is a Top Entertainment Innovator: There's no limit to the movies you can see, either; first-run, indies, family films, whatever's playing, you can go. Check out their website to see their plans and which theaters near you accept their members.

Read: Showtimes
Follow @MovieHeroes
Shorty Awards

The Shorty Awards recognize the best in social media, from Twitter to Facebook to YouTube and more.

Why Shorty Awards is a Top Entertainment Innovator: They were the first awards created exclusively to honor achievements in social media, with past winners including Taylor Swift, Malala Yousafzai, and Hannibal Burress. They know that social media has the power to change the world, and even have awards dedicated exclusively to honoring the brands, agencies, and nonprofits that are using social media to do good and enact change.

Read: BTS
Follow @shortyawards
Laughly

Laugh Radio's Laughly app is like Spotify for comedy: you can listen to your favorite comedians, including Kevin Hart, Louis CK, and Amy Schumer, and discover great new favorites.

Why Laughly is a Top Entertainment Innovator: You can even download sets and listen from anywhere on the go. If you're a comedian, you can create your own page, upload your professionally-recorded work, and start building an audience online.

Read: Comedy Your Way
Follow @LaughlyApp
Brizi

Brizi allows businesses to automate fan content at sporting events by letting fans take control of robotic cameras.

Why Brizi is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Fans can take control of a camera for thirty seconds with their phone, snap a photo, and share it instantly. Sponsors get branded fan photos to showcase, and fans get great game day photos with their friends.

Read: Sponsorship is Going Digital and Teams Need to Adapt
Follow @brizi
Yondr
Yondr allows venues to easily create phone-free spaces for more privacy and authenticity at an event, all without confiscating attendees' phones.

Why Yondr is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Each attendee gets a Yondr case, which locks while inside a designated zone; if they need to use their phone, all they have to do is step out of the zone. Whether you want to prevent filming or just want to create a more authentic, distraction-free connection with an audience, Yondr is a great solution.

Follow @Yondr
Wurrly

Wurrly aims to transform your phone into an on-the-go recording studio, letting you record a performance and share it with your friends from anywhere.

Why Wurrly is a Top Entertainment Innovator: You just select the song you want to record from their app, chose the arrangement, key, and tempo, and start singing. You can even enhance your recordings when you're done with cool mix filters, lending a professional sheen to the final product.

Read: Sometimes by Britney Spears
Follow @wurrly
Tubi TV

Tubi TV is a 100% free streaming service featuring thousands of movies and TV shows you won't get with other services.

Why Tubi TV is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Users can watch on just about any device, and since it's ad-supported, it's 100% free to sign up and start watching. Once you register, you'll be able to track the history of what you watch, receive suggestions for what to watch next, and choose from tons of classics and cult hits.

Read: Bebe's Kids 1992
Follow @TubiTV
Tanji

Tanji is a streaming entertainment app that curates, personalizes, and guides viewers to women-centric content.

Why Tanji is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Women make up more than half of the viewing audience, and Tanji aims to empower them to find TV, movies, and online content created by and starring women. It's also a great signal boost for independent, little-seen work from women artists.

Follow @tanjimobi
Two Bit Circus

Two Bit Circus is engineering a new kind of entertainment: they're a team of storytellers, inventors, educators, and performers creating a mind-blowing micro-amusement park. CEO Brent Bushnell is a longtime engineer and entrepreneur who loves group games and inspiring a love of invention in kids.

Why Two Bit Circus is a Top Entertainment Innovator: They use technology to build big games and spectacles that blur the line between physical and digital playgrounds. Visit their website and check out some videos of their incredible, awesome inventions.

Read: Two Bit Circus Closes $15 Million In Series B Funding
Follow @TwoBitCircus
Frequency

Frequency is an intelligent, cloud-based Internet video service that powers discovery platforms for leading TV, mobile, and OTT apps. CEO and founder Blair Harrison has built multiple Internet video businesses over the last 15 years, including FasTV and IFILM.

Why Frequency is a Top Entertainment Innovator: They provide operators with one point of integration and one license, giving them access to thousands of channels of premium Internet video and a fully featured video platform. Their high-quality video comes complete with comprehensive metadata and global distribution rights for all platforms and devices.

Read: Lonnie Ali Muhammad Ali Funeral FULL Speech Muhammad Ali Wife
Follow @OnFrequency
MegaBots

MegaBots aims to create the next generation of sports: a giant robot fighting league. Co-founders Gui Cavalcanti and Matt Oehrlein are pop culture fanatics and creative engineers who aim to bring the robot battles of sci-fi to life.

Why MegaBots is a Top Entertainment Innovator: They're using cutting-edge technology to build the kind of piloted giant mech robots seen in movies and videogames, and they're pitting them against each other. Their bots are 15 feet tall, internally piloted, and battle with huge paintballs fired at 120 miles per hour.

Read: Episodes
Follow @MegaBotsInc
Inkshares

Inkshares is a publishing company that's dedicated to bringing new voices to market with their unique model. CEO and co-founder Adam Gomolin graduated with honors from the University of California Hastings College of the Law at the University of California Berkeley, while co-founder and CPO Thad Woodman was previously an analyst and project manager at a Seattle economic consulting firm.

Why Inkshares is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Writers can get published by fulfilling a pre-order quota for their book, winning one of Inkshares' many contests, or through reader interest. They'll edit, produce, distribute, and market your book once it's selected; this is a very cool opportunity for new writers to check out.

Read: Thaumaturgic
Follow @Inkshares
TheWaveVR

TheWaveVR aims to transform the live music experience with virtual reality, enabling music lovers to host, view, and socialize at shows worldwide, from anywhere. CEO and co-founder Adam Arrigo has 10 years of experience working on music technology products, while co-founder and CCO Aaron Lemke is a musician and VR developer with 9 VR games under his belt.

Why TheWaveVR is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Music creators can use it to customize the entire concert experience, even transforming a club into outer space with the power of VR. Music lovers, meanwhile, will no longer have to travel to festivals or concerts to experience their favorite live acts: they can do it from the comfort of their home with a headset.

Read: Careers
Follow @TheWaveVR
Pluto TV

Pluto TV is a free streaming TV app that gives viewers access to over 100 live channels filled with the movies, shows, and videos you crave.

Why Pluto TV is a Top Entertainment Innovator: It works on just about any device, including laptops, tablets, phones, and gaming consoles. Plus, it's packed with whole channels filled with only the things you love, from cartoons to news to classic movies.

Follow @PlutoTV
IndieReign

IndieReign is an independent film marketplace that allows independent filmmakers to connect directly with film fans.

Why IndieReign is a Top Entertainment Innovator: About 50,000 indie films are made every year, but only 1% ever receive distribution; IndieReign is bringing film fans the other 99% on a streaming platform. If you're a filmmaker with a short, feature, or web series to sell, just sign up on IndieReign to get started.

Read: Urban Turban
Follow @IndieReign
Within

Within offers viewers great stories in virtual reality, enabling a whole new level of immersion.

Why Within is a Top Entertainment Innovator: From imaginative tales to intense, on-the-ground documentaries, it's the premier destination for story-based virtual reality. It works with Oculus, PlayStation VR, and your Android or iPhone; just download the app and get started.

Read: Under Neon Lights
Follow @Within
VRTIFY

VRTIFY is a virtual reality and mixed reality music library: you can use it to access your music library from Spotify, Pandora, and more, and map a virtual sound system to your space.

Why VRTIFY is a Top Entertainment Innovator: With mixed reality, you can even use it to virtually redecorate your space and change your surroundings to fit the mood of your music. Visit their website to check out the many awesome features VRTIFY is aiming to bring to your music experience.

Follow @VRTIFY_USA
WeDemand!

WeDemand. gives fans the power to influence where their favorite artists play, just by clicking a button.

Why WeDemand! is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Use social media to get your friends and fellow fans to demand a concert, and when your favorite act hits the road, they'll be more likely to schedule a show in your city. Artists can use WeDemand. tools to see where their fans are and where they should play shows through a detailed, real-time map of demands.

Read: Mario Bautista
Follow @WeDemand
YouStake

YouStake is a platform for sports and eSports players that serves as an event registration portal for players and a crowdfunding marketplace for their fans.

Why YouStake is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Fans can sign up for an account, pick their favorite players to support, and then share in the excitement when they win. Teams and players can create campaigns and gain backing from their fans so they can enter the biggest events out there.

Read: Projects
Follow @YouStake
Spoiler Shield

Spoiler Shield is a simple idea anyone can use: it blocks spoilers for your favorite shows and movies in your social media feed.

Why Spoiler Shield is a Top Entertainment Innovator: If you're sick of checking your Facebook or Twitter feed only to see the latest spoilers for Game of Thrones, this is the app for you. It's simple to set up, and you can even turn spoilers on and off for particular shows, allowing you to jump into the conversation once you've watched.

Follow @SpoilerShield
Macro

Macro is a multi-platform media company aimed at the multicultural market; their goal is to be the leading premium content creator for African-American, Latino and Multicultural consumers. Founder and CEO Charles D. King was previously a partner and agent in the Motion Picture Department at William Morris Endeavor (WME), where he worked for 15 years.

Why Macro is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Their mission is to shape culture on a global level with content that focuses on racial and gender equality and accurately portrays our diverse world. They will be funding and producing feature films, TV shows, and digital content with this in mind, while still reaching a mainstream global audience.

Follow @Macro_Ventures
TAPP TV

TAPP TV is a disruptive media company that puts personalities and social media stars who reach their audience directly together on a single platform. Founder and CEO John Klein has over three decades of experience as a producer, director, executive, and media disrupter, while founder and Chairman John Gaspin also founded Gaspin Media, a production and consulting company, before joining TAPP.

Why TAPP TV is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Stars like Louis CK and Glenn Beck have found niche success with their own video ventures, and TAPP aims to build a platform for these niches, making it easier for audiences to find them. For personalities, they provide full service from beginning to end, including distribution and marketing, while consumers will have all of their favorite personalities in one place for the first time.

Follow @TappTV
Buffalo 8 Productions

Buffalo 8 is a full-service media company focused on production, post-production, management and finance with an entrepreneurial ethos and a focus on quality filmmaking. Buffalo 8 is also partnered with sister company BondIt Media Capital enabling for world class financial services and support on projects across the spectrum.

Why Buffalo 8 Productions is a Top Entertainment Innovator: They work with talented, up-and-coming, and ambitious storytellers to create unique, compelling content. Their recent projects include Little Men, starring Greg Kinnear, which premiered at Sundance in 2016, and The Brits Are Coming, starring Uma Thurman and Tim Roth, which is set for release in 2017 and the Spike Lee directed RODNEY KING Netflix Original film that premiered on Netflix in April 2017.

Follow @Buffalo8Pro
Rheo

Rheo presents viewers with short-form videos that they can choose to watch or skip; it learns what you like, showing you more of it and helping you discover new content.

Why Rheo is a Top Entertainment Innovator: The experience is designed to make discovering new content more fun by eliminating long, tedious searches and bringing you what you want according to your mood. It's available on both your iPhone and laptop, so you can watch your new favorites from just about anywhere.

Follow @RheoTV
Chuz

Chuz is a recommendation app for restaurants, bars, and entertainment that replaces mass reviews with data tailored to your tastes.

Why Chuz is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Just select what you're in the mood for, whether coffee, cocktails, or a big night out, and Chuz will help you find the perfect spot. It's currently up and running in New York and Los Angeles, and will expand to more cities soon.

Read: Blog
Follow @chuz_spots
Instabottles
Instabottles lets users reserve VIP bottle service at the hottest clubs in Chicago through a handy app.

Why Instabottles is a Top Entertainment Innovator: You just select a venue, choose your date, reserve a table, and show up to the party. Cut the line and even get access to an on-call concierge to answer your nightlife questions with Instabottles.
Broadway Near You

Broadway Near You lets fans experience the best Broadway shows in movie theaters nationwide.

Why Broadway Near You is a Top Entertainment Innovator: They film the hottest Broadway, Off-Broadway, and London West End shows, and you can check them out at the affordable price of a movie ticket. Check out their website to see which shows will be playing near you.

Follow @BroadwayNearYou
Blacklight

Blacklight Transmedia is a unique, forward-thinking transmedia production company that's creating, developing, and producing content for everything from films to books to video games. Founder and CEO Zak Kadison is an entertainment industry veteran who previously served as a senior production executive at Fox Atomic.

Why Blacklight is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Transmedia refers to a storytelling process that plays out stories across multiple media; their multiple franchises can play in any number of different kinds of media. This gives fans access to the franchises they love in the media of their choosing, whether traditional film, online media, or comics.

Follow @BlacklightMedia
Tunity

Tunity is an innovative app that lets you listen to a muted TV anywhere: a bar, an airport, a gym, wherever.

Why Tunity is a Top Entertainment Innovator: All you have to do is scan the TV with your smartphone, and the app will find the audio channel for you. This is the perfect app for when you're trying to hear the game at a sports bar or want to hear the news; it's also immensely helpful for the hearing impaired.

Read: Tunity
Follow @TunityTV
Aza Entertainment

Aza Entertainment is a new comics and media label that aims to bring more diverse, inclusive stories to the comics medium. CEO Jazmin Truesdale is an entrepreneur whose love of comics led her to create Aza Entertainment and superheroes for everyone.

Why Aza Entertainment is a Top Entertainment Innovator: With a focus on gender, ethnic, and sexual diversity, this company aims to bring stories to life that anyone of any identity can enjoy. Take a look at their website to learn more about their heroes and their comics universe.

Follow @JazminTruesdale
ZoomTilt

ZoomTilt combines screenwriting and video making, offering a community for feedback to writers as well as an online video strategy service - complete with writers from their community - for companies.

Why ZoomTilt is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Their writers will pitch you, helping you find a great idea fast, and their community of filmmakers from around the world will help you produce your video. For writers, there's a supportive community, contests, writing prompts, and more to help you master your craft.

Follow @ZoomTilt
Aireal

Aireal is an augmented reality platform with a unique feature: digital content can be placed in blocks anchored to real-world longitude, latitude, and altitude, allowing for a marker-free AR experience.

Why Aireal is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Their platform is allowing brands to purchase digital airspace for their content to show up in augmented reality.

Follow @Aireal
Jhoombox

Jhoombox is an android-based console that turns any TV into a smart TV with the ability to watch streaming video, play games, and even do karaoke.

Why Jhoombox is a Top Entertainment Innovator: Their jKaraoke service even lets you record your performances and share them with your friends. Their next-gen screencasting lets you instantly stream mobile content to your TV screen; this is an all-in-one box for anyone interested in a cheaper alternative to a smart TV.

Follow @jhoombox
Gyde
Gyde offers users a universal watchlist: everything you want to watch on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and more can be added to Gyde so you can keep track of it all in one place.

Why Gyde is a Top Entertainment Innovator: It also pairs with AppleTV so you can select a movie off your Gyde list and instantly play it from the appropriate service on your TV. You can even add movies that aren't available to stream to your watchlist and receive notifications when they become available.

Read: Become a beta tester

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