Filmmaking has been around since the late 1800’s and now there are so many that no one can keep track of. However, people have become more selective about what they are willing to pay for or spend their free time on. One of those being independent or ‘indie’ films. They are different than regular blockbuster films and are sometimes only subject to limited released, so what makes them so different and better at times? After this paper, you may have a different idea to what independent filmmaking is and may have a better standard of films today.
Independent filmmaking is usually regarded as ‘indie’ films and are only limited released and made by ‘hipsters,’ as some say. There are many renowned films that are independent and are given a lot of praise. For instance, Halloween (1978) is an independent film and is regarded as a horror classic and almost everyone knows the film today.
What makes a film independent? “… an independent film was one that was made outside of the conventional studio system” like Hollywood (August). Myers also states that an independent film should be labeled for the movie itself, instead of how it was financed. Even though many people think that independent means ‘B horror movies’ and “Avant-garde or experimental filmmaking” and many other negative stereotypes. In reality, some are true, but should not be focused on because this genre is a whole range of filmmaking.
To put in plainly, films that are made outside a big studio system are independent. Michael Winterbottom states his view by saying “I think from the point of view of making films, I just want to make the films I want to make. In a sense that is the best definition of independent, people making the films they want to make rather than working with the studio system and making a film for the studio” (Obenson). It basically means to be free of studio systems that more than likely change what you wanted in your film and make it more their own.
Some examples of independent films are: Reservoir Dogs (1992) by Quentin Tarantino; Donnie Darko (2001) by Richard Kelly; Night of the Living Dead (1968) by George Romero; The Evil Dead (1981) by Sam Raimi; (50 greatest). And more recently: Lady Bird (2017) by Greta Gerwig; Frank (2014) by Lenny Abrahamson; and many, many others.
Independent films have been known to be of negative stereotypes, but there are so many that are regarded as classics and are known to everyone. They may be limited released, but they bring a unique quality to films because the writer/director of that film is the sole idea for it. It hasn’t been messed with by a major studio, so it is more original. If you can go watch an independent film, do it because you are giving your time and money to something more original and not messed with for ‘entertainment’ purpose only.
References
August, John. “Johnaugust.com.” Johnaugustcom RSS, 31 Jan. 2007, johnaugust.com/2007/what-is-indie.
Obenson, Tambay A. “How Do You Define Independent Film?” IndieWire, 25 Feb. 2013, www.indiewire.com/2013/02/how-do-you-define-independent-film-138001/.
“50 Greatest Independent Films.” AMC Filmsite, www.filmsite.org/independentfilms2.html.
