TheFilter adds video recommendations

As per its long-term game-plan, TheFilter, a music recommendation service backed by Genesis founder Peter Gabriel, is adding film and web video recommendations via a private beta for existing users of the service (get an invite via TechCrunch). The existing Filter application works on Mac, PC and Nokia mobiles.

TheFilter currently operates most in Europe as a music discovery service and is run by UK start Exabre with $6.8m million in funding. Gabriel calls TheFilter an “intelligent ally working with me 24 hours a day” which looks at a person’s past searches, purchases, and browsing and then runs that through a new set of filters that may include the opinions of friends, favorite critics or reviewers. Gabriel previously co-founded OD2 (On Demand Distribution), once the largest digital music service in Europe, before selling it in 2000 to music delivery platform Loudeye.

TheFilter looks at both the content (like Pandora) and the social recommendation around that content (like Last.fm). The twist is that it will recommend music based on a movie you like, or a TV show based on a song you like, etc. The service will ultimately be ad-supported and glean referral fees to retailers.

I don’t yet have access to the service but from what I’ve read, it’s not quite ready for primetime yet – but then it is still in private beta.