The industry runs on who you know. Clubs wants to change that.
Two NYU students built a free, open place for anyone with an idea to find the people to make it with.
“Talent is everywhere. Access isn't. We built Clubs so anyone with an idea can find their people and bring it to fruition, for free.”
Nick Benak, co-founder & CMO
The problem
For decades, who got to make things depended on who you knew, where you lived and what you could afford.
Today, a student film or indie EP still gets made through group chats, cold DMs and luck. Many casting sites charge fees. Industry networks favor insiders.
Clubs, a free app co-founded by NYU students Nick Benak and Dylan Cantor, is betting that the next generation of creators shouldn't need connections to get a project made. The goal: democratize creative collaboration.
Clubs lets anybody with an idea put their project in one free, open place.
How it works
Clubs turns starting a project into something anyone can do: four quick steps, and it's out there.
Name your project. Set the location: in person, online or hybrid. Write a quick summary of what you're making. Add a photo, and your project is live.
From there, creatives swipe up to apply. Accept your team and work together in built-in group chats. No fees, no middlemen, no gatekeeping.
The community
Clubs is building more than an app. Its artist spotlights put real creators in front of the people who can help make their work.
The spotlight editorial series follows Clubs creators and their work, from short films to EPs to stage productions. If you're making something, we want to feature what you're working on.
The best work happens when actors, writers, musicians and directors actually meet. Clubs is designed for collaboration across every discipline, connecting creatives who might otherwise never cross paths.
What's next
Clubs is free on the App Store and the web, with no paywalls and no gatekeepers. Post a project and build your team, or swipe through projects near you and around the world.
More than 1,000 creatives have already signed up, entirely organically. Making things shouldn't be a privilege. Start a project or join one today.
Adapted from the Clubs Instagram post "The Industry Runs on Who You Know. Clubs Wants to Change That." (@clubs.create).