The State of Independent Film

Independent film has been a long-standing support of the film industry. Most of the new talent in directing, writing, acting and producing comes from the world of independent film. Most of the talent that has made it "big" in the film world eventually reverts back to the independent life (Francis Ford Copolla and George Lucas have both commented on their hopes of returning to the low-budget art movies).

The main difference between an indy film and all others is the source of funding. Most indy films receive the funding for the production from various private capital and investment firms, other films receive funding from big studios or production companies that have already been established. Indy's have also been known to find sources with Foreign Pre-sales and the like which is a complicated method of selling your movie before its made depending on the star/genre/etc. Some would say that a true indy film is a movie that is made independently of the studio system and using the resources that are available to the unknown talent.

Here is the main problem with going out and making an independent film: How will you sell it?

This is the problem that plagues a great deal of productions, and thusly results in a whole sleu of films that will never be sold, bought or viewed by any of the general public (except your mom).

If you are lucky you will be able to complete a film and have it be shown at a festival (depending on the judging committee picking your film out of the thousands to play along with the mere 100 or so films in the festival), the trick then becomes convincing someone in a position to buy to see your film and/or like it enough to purchase it.

Some of the greatest stories of independents getting purchased have been The Blair Witch Project, Napoleon Dynamite, Sex, Lies and Videotape, Little Miss Sunshine and many others. These films were picked up at festivals and sold for lots of money or have gone on to make a great deal of money in the box office and home video markets.

Recently there have been some really great hits that have come out of independent film festivals: Moon and (500) Days of Summer were excellent films, which also did fairly decently in the box office.

That being said, this is an extreme minority of films that have been able to make it to success. There are soooo many other films that are made that aren't even seen or heard of again.

Right now there are two things that are impacting the independent film industry - the economy (oh brother) and the internet. One of these things is for the good of the indy films, the other is almost utterly destroying it. I'm going to leave it to you to guess which is which, but know this - cheaper is almost never better, unless you're a brilliant creator and have amazing talent, your film is more than likely going to suck on the internet just as much as it sucks on the big screen. If you are brilliant, and you have been able to get talent that shows promise, you have more than a good chance of making it due to the flexibility and global outreach of the interwebs.

There is a great series of articles posted on Film News Briefs about the future of Independent Film. If you have the time I would suggest you read it:

Part One Part Two

Now don't get all mopey and discouraged because of the 2x4 of truth that I've hit you over the head with. Remember that it is possible in this crazy world of film to get your name out there and have success. You only need to make a movie that is fairly decent to get some recognition.

Your goal is to make a film for little-to-no money that is successful enough to get you a gig on a movie that you make for some-to-little money. Soon you will be making indy films that cost upwards to $5 Million. Don't believe me? Ask Oren Peli of Paranormal Activity.