In an unexpected but inspired crossover between connected TV (CTV) adtech and genre entertainment, TriCoast Media has announced the launch of the inaugural Dark Matter Film Festival — a Culver City-based celebration of sci-fi, action, and horror cinema. The three-day event, taking place October 28–30, 2025, is co-produced with TriCoast Entertainment, the company’s content distribution arm and operator of the Dark Matter TV FAST channel.
The move represents more than a festival launch—it’s a statement about how content ownership, distribution, and advertising are converging in the modern media landscape.
From Ad Inventory to AdTech Innovation
“We didn’t set out to build an adtech company—we set out to fill our own inventory,” said Nick Risher, CEO of TriCoast Media. “Owning the content gave us leverage to rethink the supply chain from the ground up, resulting in better pricing and performance for advertisers due to fewer hops and tighter supply-path control.”
That content-first philosophy has powered TriCoast’s evolution from a production and distribution company—founded in 1987 and now boasting a catalog of over 5,000 titles—into a major CTV player. The company distributes content across FAST, AVOD, and linear channels, serving niche communities like Lifestyle and Travel while simultaneously redefining how CTV advertising supply is sourced and managed.
Programming Meets Programmatic
As TriCoast’s library gained traction across FAST and AVOD ecosystems, the company saw an opportunity to internalize its ad stack—creating TriCoast Media to manage and monetize its own inventory. Today, TriCoast partners with over 250 publishers, including Vizio, Samsung, TCL, Xumo, and Tubi, offering premium, cost-efficient CTV inventory to demand partners such as Epsilon, FreeWheel, and PubMatic.
By starting with programming rather than programmatic tech, TriCoast has effectively shortened the ad supply chain, improving transparency, pricing, and performance for advertisers. The Dark Matter Film Festival serves as a showcase of that synergy—connecting the company’s content ecosystem with its adtech innovation.
“The festival brings the TriCoast story full circle,” Risher explained. “It bridges the gap between programming and programmatic, unlocking new value for creators, publishers, and brands alike.”
A Celebration of Genre, On and Off Screen
Beyond the business implications, Dark Matter Film Festival is set to deliver a fan-focused experience worthy of its name. Highlights include:
- A “Nightmare on Elm Street” panel featuring horror legend Robert Englund, who will be honored with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
- A screening of Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge and an anniversary showing of John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness, followed by a Q&A with star Julie Carmen.
- Juried competitions for feature and short films, with industry veterans including:
- Rachel Talalay (Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare)
- Jack Sholder (Nightmare on Elm Street 2)
- Sara Risher (A Nightmare on Elm Street)
- Kristina Klebe (Halloween, Hellboy)
- Greg Sestero (The Room)
- Jeffrey Reddick (Final Destination franchise)
The festival will also feature in-person screenings, celebrity appearances, and a streaming companion event on Dark Matter TV—further blurring the line between traditional festivals and digital-first media experiences.
The Bigger Picture: A New Media Model
TriCoast’s approach exemplifies a broader trend in entertainment and advertising: the fusion of content ownership and adtech infrastructure. By controlling both the programming and the monetization stack, companies like TriCoast are pioneering a vertically integrated model that promises better efficiency for advertisers and greater exposure for creators.
For genre fans, the Dark Matter Film Festival is a new platform to celebrate bold, independent storytelling. For advertisers, it’s a living case study in how CTV can merge creativity with commerce—without the middlemen.
As the CTV market grows increasingly crowded, TriCoast Media’s “programming-first” strategy may offer a roadmap for the industry: own the content, control the path, and tell your story—on every screen.
