Heck Art Studios in Beverly Hills announced Wednesday that it had signed a five-year output agreement with El Segundo’s DirecTV to premiere films that will run exclusively on the platform weeks before their theatrical release.

Heck, a film production company that recently began distributing others’ films, is focused on independent films that seek alternative advertising, said John Negropontes, its vice president of original content.

DirecTV has committed to promoting the films to its subscriber base of more than 20 million, Negropontes said, raising an awareness of the films that could bring more moviegoers to indie theatrical runs. In return, DirecTV gets to provide its subscribers with content not yet available anywhere else.

“This could eventually become the new normal for independent cinema,” Negropontes said. “When you’re competing with major motion pictures pumping tens of millions into advertising, smaller distributors don’t have pockets as deep and can’t compete. Having a partner like DirecTV dedicating millions to advertising those films is another option.”

In addition to showcasing films produced by others, Heck plans to premiere five of its own films each year. Movies previously produced or in production by Heck include Tedi Sarafian’s horror film “Altergeist,” the sasquatch-centered road trip comedy “Yeti” and “Rips in the Wire,” about a drug cartel engaged in human trafficking.