Digital Content Pioneer Aims to Be 'Roger Corman of Third Millennium'

Mario Niccolò Messina distributes low-budget indie films globally through innovative streaming model.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Digital distribution and production pioneer Mario Niccolò Messina has set up shop in Los Angeles, building on the YouTube distribution network he established in Italy to monetize low-budget indie movies globally. Messina's company, Insurgence (formerly V Channels Media), has financed over 200 titles with budgets under $200,000, first licensing them to streamers and then dropping them on genre-specific YouTube channels. His $10,000 Spaghetti Western 'The Dutchman' scored over 5 million views in under a month in 2024, while his horror/thriller 'Stranger' has also found significant success.

Why it matters

Messina's innovative distribution model and focus on micro-budget films represents a shift in the entertainment industry, as digital platforms and new business approaches allow independent filmmakers to reach global audiences without the backing of major studios. His ambition to become the 'Roger Corman of the third millennium' highlights the evolving landscape of content creation and distribution.

The details

Messina set up his L.A. operation, Insurgence, in 2021 after launching a similar business model in his native Italy. The company finances films with budgets under $200,000, first licensing them to streamers before releasing them on genre-specific YouTube channels. Two of Insurgence's recent successes include the $10,000 Spaghetti Western 'The Dutchman,' which garnered over 5 million views in under a month in 2024, and the horror/thriller 'Stranger,' which has also found significant viewership.

  • Messina established his L.A. operation, Insurgence, in 2021.
  • Insurgence's $10,000 Spaghetti Western 'The Dutchman' scored over 5 million views in under a month in 2024.

The players

Mario Niccolò Messina

A digital distribution and production pioneer who set up Insurgence (formerly V Channels Media) in Los Angeles in 2021 to finance and distribute low-budget indie films globally through innovative streaming models.

Emiliano Ferrara

The director of Insurgence's $10,000 Spaghetti Western 'The Dutchman.'

Emanuele Pica

The director of Insurgence's horror/thriller 'Stranger.'

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What they’re saying

“I'd like to be the Roger Corman of the third millennium.”

— Mario Niccolò Messina, Digital distribution and production pioneer (IMDb)

The takeaway

Messina's innovative distribution model and focus on micro-budget films represents a shift in the entertainment industry, as digital platforms and new business approaches allow independent filmmakers to reach global audiences without the backing of major studios. His ambition to become the 'Roger Corman of the third millennium' highlights the evolving landscape of content creation and distribution.