MEDIA
鈥楢 lot of untapped stories here鈥�: Former UNM students launch streaming platform showcasing local filmmakers
Phintch was created to build community, provide boost to growing independent film scene
Published
A streaming platform that looks like a dating app and serves as a love letter to New Mexico 鈥� that鈥檚 the raw idea that enthralled three former University of New Mexico students last year.
Many told them the idea was too ambitious. But after a year of designing, that trio 鈥� Bright Quashie, Adam Abusang and Dillon Tiger Abeyta 鈥� launched Phintch this month, an app dedicated to showcasing independent films made in New Mexico by New Mexicans.
The app currently features more than 20 films, encompassing everything from documentaries to shorts and student work. In addition to film synopses, the platform includes information about the filmmakers and offers ways to support them financially or contact them.
With a logo featuring a palette of New Mexico-oriented colors and an app design spearheaded by Abusang 鈥� a 25-year-old programmer analyst who works for UNM 鈥� the founders hope to see the self-funded venture grow and showcase more films in the coming months.
鈥淲e just wanted to do something for New Mexico. We want to create a platform that unites the community,鈥� said Quashie, a 31-year-old filmmaker and storyboard artist who has previously worked on projects like 鈥淏etter Call Saul.鈥�
Abeyta, 25, said while the platform is intended to spotlight New Mexico鈥檚 talent and passion for film, it鈥檚 also meant to provide a permanent home for independent projects.
鈥淎s (an independent) filmmaker 鈥� you make your film and you have to put it through the festival run. There鈥檚 a lot of films that get into the festivals, but then they only live for that festival run, and not all of them get picked up,鈥� said Abeyta, a filmmaker whose previous projects include 鈥淒ark Winds.鈥�
鈥淲e felt like those films 鈥� deserve a longer lifespan,鈥� he said.
The launch of Phintch 鈥� pronounced 鈥渇inch鈥� and inspired by the phrase 鈥渨atch independent films鈥� 鈥� comes during a challenging time for New Mexico鈥檚 film industry.
The number of projects and production spending in New Mexico have contracted significantly over the last several years, coinciding with a national downturn boosted by a Writers Guild of America strike in 2023 and increased international competition.
Streaming companies have also shifted their attention from subscriber growth 鈥� which fueled production highs the industry saw in 2021 and 2022 鈥� to 鈥減rofitability, free cash flow and disciplined content spend,鈥� according to an released by the New Mexico Film Office earlier this month.
鈥淭his has translated into fewer series in production industry-wide and materially smaller average episode orders, even among shows that do get renewed,鈥� the report said.
For Quashie and Abeyta, the slowdown has been hard to watch and experience. But it also served as further inspiration to create Phintch 鈥� a platform they think could help support a segment of the local film industry that is growing as a result of the downturn.
In fiscal years 2025 and 2026 鈥� which spanned July 2024 through June of this year 鈥� projects filmed in New Mexico had an average budget of just over $4 million, down from $12 million in FY24.
The film office report said the lower average budget for the last two fiscal years reflects a mix of film activity that included more small-scale and independent projects versus the large-scale studio productions that fueled the FY22 to FY24 boom.
鈥淣ew Mexico having no minimum spend requirement allows smaller budget independent projects to still thrive here in the state even in times of larger budget production slumps, and appears to be helping stabilize activity levels as the industry adjusts to a smaller overall production footprint nationally,鈥� the report said.
New Mexico Film Office Director Steve Graham said last month that he attributes modest gains the state saw in both projects and spending in FY26 to 鈥渕ore independent films and other types of media productions choosing to film in the state.鈥�
鈥淲e have a lot of untapped stories here鈥� but it鈥檚 just a matter of giving those filmmakers and those storytellers a chance to be heard,鈥� Abeyta said. 鈥淚t is a perfect time to try and build something for independent films.鈥�
Elevating independent film and filmmakers in New Mexico isn鈥檛 the Phintch co-founders鈥� only goal. By offering a way to contact filmmakers featured on the platform, they鈥檙e also hoping to spur connection and collaboration between local filmmakers.
Abeyta said he鈥檒l consider the app a success if he starts to hear stories a year from now about how the makers of a new film decided to partner up after meeting through Phintch.
鈥淲hich is hilarious, because it sounds like a dating app,鈥� Abeyta said with a laugh, 鈥渂ut that鈥檚 how you know you鈥檙e making an impact, because you鈥檙e getting filmmakers together.鈥�
Because of the costs associated with independent filmmakers submitting their films to festivals, the Phintch founders have also made it free to submit films to their platform.
Filmmakers themselves, the founders also made the platform鈥檚 licensing contracts 鈥渧ery simple,鈥� Quashie said, with the primary requirements being that the filmmaker is either from New Mexico or made their film in New Mexico.
In addition to a explaining Phintch and its mission, the startup has a social media presence on Instagram, where the founders post profiles spotlighting filmmakers featured on Phintch, their stories as filmmakers and behind-the-scenes commentary about their projects.
Social media is how Nathan Gusta, a 21-year-old UNM student, discovered Phintch. He decided to submit his three-minute short titled 鈥淢on Amour V茅ronique,鈥� which has been submitted to the Santa Fe Film Festival, after meeting with the founders and hearing their mission firsthand.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e always looking for an opportunity to take your film out there in any way you can,鈥� Gusta said. 鈥淭hese guys are very passionate about human connection and authentic human art, and it just seemed like the perfect place to submit my film.鈥�
The platform is also currently free for users, who Abeyta hopes are inspired by the filmmakers and see film as a potential career path for themselves.
鈥淚 think New Mexicans in general are just extremely passionate and take a lot of pride in what we do,鈥� Abeyta said. 鈥淎nything that I saw a New Mexican did as a kid, I was like, 鈥楬e鈥檚 one of us; they鈥檙e one of us.鈥� And I think we carry that into film.鈥�
For Quashie, it was a special moment seeing the platform go live this month after a year of late nights watching the concept evolve as Abusang painfully redesigned and redesigned until everyone was satisfied with the product.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like having a baby and watching that baby grow,鈥� Quashie said.
鈥淎nd there鈥檚 still room for it to evolve,鈥� Abeyta added. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know what this could potentially become. 鈥� That鈥檚 the fun part about it 鈥� the unknown.鈥�
Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.
