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Become A Digital Explorer During The Pandemic

 May 9, 2020 at 11:30 AM PDT
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Write, blogger, and classic film enthusiast Will McKinley will be your guide to becoming a more adventuresome digital explorer as you navigate the quarantine landscape. He suggest skip the entertainment fast food and pick more nourishing options from the digital buffet. We'll discuss everything from free services to boutique streaming services to bulking up on physical media. There really are so many choices!

If you are sheltering at home and growing tired with what Netflix is offering, or need to cut back on expenses and are looking for something free, here are some options.

Will McKinley is a classic film lover that I met at the TCM Classic Film Festival years ago. He's also a writer and blogger. When this pandemic hit and theaters were forced to close and film festivals to cancel or postpone their offerings, we began to talk about what we could watch from home.

For many, the obvious choice was Netflix, and the subscription service saw its profits rise as people were quarantining at home and looking for an escape.

But perhaps Netflix is overwhelming in the number of choices it offers. How many of you have spent more time cycling through titles than actually sitting and watching a film? Or maybe you want more eclectic options or something cheaper.

McKinley and I go over a range of choices from linear TV such as Turner Classic Movies to boutique streaming services with specialized and curated programming to DIY free services to bulking up your own physical media.

Streaming Channels

Kanopy

Criterion Channel

IMDB-TV

Pluto

Citizen or DIY services

Ben Model’s weekly Silent Comedy Watch Party

Retroformat Silent Films with live accompaniment

Attaboy Clarence

Linear TV

TCM

Digital sub-channels (Diginets) like Comet and MOVIES! TV Network are available free with an antenna, carried on some local cable systems, and streaming on services like LOCAST.

The Criterion Channel, with its curated collections, is just one of the boutique streaming services you can turn to for entertainment options while in quarantine.
Criterion Channel
The Criterion Channel, with its curated collections, is just one of the boutique streaming services you can turn to for entertainment options while in quarantine.