If there is a place between independent films and the user generated videos found on sites such as YouTube that is the position that Public Media Works find itself. The Van Nuys production company is independent of the independents, out on its own making what founder Corbin Bernsen describes as high quality, low cost films for niche audiences. “Independent means you are out there fighting on your own,” Bernsen said in a phone interview from the set of “Dead Air,” a zombie pic for which he is writer, producer and star. “You put up all the money and you may not make a dime and you have nobody to fall back on but yourself.” For eight years, Bernsen has fallen back on Public Media Works as a vehicle to produce and release low cost films that are of good enough quality for a potential theatrical release. This month the company expects to complete its acquisition of Antibody Films Development, LCC, a Los Angeles-based production company co-producing “Dead Air” and that also teamed with Bernsen on the thriller “Donna On Demand” slated for release later this year. Bernsen convinced Antibody co-founders Chris Aronoff and Jesse Lawler to come into the fold of Public Media Works for the different avenues of financing that would be available. “There is a certain currency in a public company that can become attractive,” Bernsen said. For a certain age group, Bernsen will be best known for his role as divorce attorney Arnie Becker on the hit drama “L.A. Law.” Others will recall him from his turn in the “Major League” film franchise. He started Public Media Works from an interest in the intersection of new distribution methods for films and the inexpensive ways films can now be made. For the cost of a good digital video camera to shoot with and a home computer to edit with, one can make high quality films, Bernsen said. To make a cost-effective move, it needs to be small and compact; one requiring 10 to 12 days of interior shooting in a couple of locations with two to three exterior scenes to open the movie up, Bernsen said. Having starred on an Emmy Award-winning show and worked alongside other big name performers, settling for roles in small budget films could be considered a come down; a return to the minor leagues.. Bernsen admits to enjoying working on smaller productions in that it reminds him of the creativity that is possible when a crew has to make do with less. “It’s amazing how resourceful people are,” Bernsen said. “People who have all the tools and money don’t remember some of the inventiveness. It’s my belief if you find the right script and all the pieces come together you end up with “Saw” or “Blair Witch (Project)” or “Open Water.” Something that was made for a phenomenally low amount and becomes a jackpot.” Disney Sings With the success of its “High School Musical,” “Hannah Montana” and “Cheetah Girls” franchises, few would argue The Walt Disney Co. has all but made the pre-teen and early teen music market its own. Three of the top five best selling albums of 2006 were soundtracks to Disney Channel songs with more sure to follow. The second installment of “High School Musical” wrapped filming this month with an August release. The third season of the “Cheetah Girls” is scheduled for 2008. Just how was Disney able to pull this off? A combination of creating songs the teen audience could relate to yet also making it mainstream with a timeless quality, said Steven Vincent, director, production and executive in charge of music for the Disney Channel “We didn’t want to go too far into any genre because in five years it will sound dated,” Vincent said during a panel discussion at the recent ASCAP Expo taking place in Hollywood. Joining Vincent were songwriters and producers who owe some amount of their success to writing for Disney Channel shows. Andy Dodd and Andy Watts scored a hit with “What I’ve Been Looking For” from “High School Musical,” while Jeannie Lurie penned “If I Were a Movie” from “Hannah Montana.” Panelist Amy Powers wrote a song for the upcoming High School Musical Two as well as for the Disney Princess series coming in 2008. All the panelists agreed that the only difference between writing for “tweens” and for adults is the lyrics. “You can’t dumb it down or take the attitude, ‘Oh, this is just for kids,'” Dodd said. While the songs have sold thousands of albums and been hits on Radio Disney, they also serve the dual purpose of pushing along the story line of the movie or television show episode. For instance, Vincent said, all the songs for the second edition of “High School Musical” were written for specific scenes in the movie. “If the song doesn’t do that, we have to keep adjusting and adjusting,” Vincent said. Briefly Warner Bros. Digital Distribution has teamed up with Artificial Life, Inc. to create a mobile game based on the animated feature movie “Happy Feet.” The new game is made up of six mini-games based on key scenes and themes from the movie. The game distribution will coincide with the DVD release in Japan in mid-2007. Artificial Life is based in Hong Kong Major film studios diverted 20,500 tons of studio sets and other solid wastes from landfills to reuse and recycling, the Motion Picture Association of America reported. Working with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, members of the Encino-based MPAA prevented the emission of 62,147 metric tons of greenhouse gases Glendale-based Kick Ass Pictures signed a distribution deal with adult website network ATKingdom. The first, as-yet untitled DVDs will see release this summer and will feature performers from the ATKingdom website. The site’s content caters to several popular niches, including Latinas, foot fetishisms and all-natural girls. Staff Reporter Mark R. Madler can be reached at (818) 316-3126 or at [email protected] .