Google Incorporated was looking for a mutually beneficial relationship, and it found just the right thing with its YouTube-based independent film screening room. This new feature debuted yesterday, giving sometimes struggling filmmakers a prominent home and effectively making them 'partners', traffic-wise.

"Hopefully as they see thousands of people watching their films, it's going to be a very eye-opening experience," said Sara Pollack, YouTube's film and animation manager.

Four new films each week will be highlighted, chosen by a YouTube editorial panel. The four currently chosen are called 'Our Time Is Up' ("When a therapist discovers he has six weeks to live, he adopts a fresh method of treatment: brutal honesty"), 'The Danish Poet' ("Can we trace the chain of events that leads to our birth?"), 'Love and War' ("Probably the world's first animated opera"), and my personal favourite as of yet, 'Are You the Favorite Person of Anybody?', which features actor John C. Reilly (The Promotion, "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!", Chicago). The short movie sees him asking the question to strangers on the street; simple yet profound in and of itself:

Submissions are welcomed, and those interested should be happy to know the panel will be working with partners like the Sundance Channel to 'identify prospects.' More than that, support can be given to the filmmakers directly by buying physical or digital copies of the work through the site. Between that and shared ad revenue, YouTube says creators that make consistently popular work (one million views-popular) can make several grand a month. And, past featured filmmakers have landed TV and DVD distribution deals, like Susan Buice and Arin Crumley, who made the full-length project "Four Eyed Monsters." Bless you, Internet.