Here's a fascinating article from CNN about Billy Dead, a crime thriller starring Ethan Hawke that will be the first movie to be financed through an IPO, that is, through common stock traded over the counter. This means that it will be possible for an investor to buy (and presumably also short) shares of an individual movie, which obviously opens up an entirely new playing field for independent filmmaking. Not a very promising one, unfortunately: given Hawke's shaky box office record and the uncertain prospects for any independent movie, I'd sell that bad boy short without a second thought. Interesting idea, though.