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How to Break Into Independent Film | Blog

Jun 9, 2022

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Once you have an understanding of independent films it will be apparent that entering this field is easier than you think. As with indie directors Taika Waititi as well as Chloe Zhao, that big Hollywood director position could be right in your hands.

What exactly is an Independent Film?

When a film begins by playing the Disney logo, you're watching an independent film. In America Indie films are the film that is made and released with no help or support from the Hollywood studios. Most of the time, they are made with significantly lower budgets, or release in cinemas, or premieres at film festivals.

Famous Independent Films

There's an abundance of independent films which have gone beyond their basic base. Below are a few instances.

Night of the Living Dead

George Romero spent most of his career in Pittsburgh and was the catalyst for the current zombie genre through his gruesome 1967 horror movie. The film is now in the public domain it is easily accessible.

Halloween

John Carpenter's slasher masterpiece is one of the most financially lucrative independent films ever made and produced $70 million on the initial goal of only $300,000. It also inspired many sequels, as well as numerous horror movies in the 80s.

You must have it

The first film of Spike Lee was shot in Brooklyn over the course of 12 days. The film quickly showed how important he was as an American film actor. The film gives a candid account of Black female experiencethat wasn't present in Hollywood in the era of.

Reservoir Dogs

The very first Quentin Tarantino film is an perfect Hollywood film. A video store clerk drafts a script that winds up with an actor with a name (Harvey Keitel) who helps finance the production and then invites Keitel to play in the film. The film is praised at Sundance and is distributed across the nation... then the rest is history.

El Mariachi

Tarantino's film buddy Robert Rodriguez made this film with a budget that was shoestring-sized, $7000. Robert Rodriguez's autobiography Rebel Without a Crewis an insanely detailed account of the making of the film and offers helpful tips on filming low-budget techniques.

Famous Independent Filmmakers

Numerous filmmakers made their debuts within the world of independent films--Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and George Lucas, for example--and later, they directed large Hollywood projects. There are many other who found themselves working in independent film and continued to work in the field all through their careers.

John Cassavetes

One of the very first independent-minded filmmakers, Cassavetes employed his actors' salaries to fund his own writing and directorial efforts. Films such as Shadows, Faces,and A Woman Under the Influenceare incredibly important to documentary historical.

Roger Corman

The appropriately-named "King of the B's" Roger Corman specialized in low-budget science fiction and horror films during a long career that spanned a total of 6 years. Corman was the principal catalyst behind the careers of many New Hollywood directors like Ron Howard, James Cameron, and , of course, the infamous Scorsese and Coppola. The memoir of his, How I Made the Film of a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime, is a fascinating story about his experience in making independent film.

John Waters

Although most of us have been familiar with him through the hit Broadway musical Hairspray,Waters is an independent film pioneer. The film is based in Baltimore as well as his "Dreamland" cast and his Transgressive series of films Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble,and Desperate Livingare midnight movie mainstays.

David Lynch

Another major player in the night-time movie scene, Lynch's 1977 Surrealist Horror film Eraserheadbecame a word-of-mouth phenomenonthat grossed 7 million bucks. After a brief excursion into Hollywood, Lynch went back to the independent film scene to make iconic works including Blue Velvet, Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive.

Kelly Reichardt

Reichardt is known for making some of the most effective independent films over the last decade. Her work has a hyper-realist approach to telling stories, and a focus on working-class characters. older Joyand Wendy & Lucyparticularly have a distinct style due to their minimalist approaches to making films.

What's the most effective way to Be an Independent Filmmaker?

Make Traditional Indie Movies

The traditional way for making an indie film is similar to the process used in the Hollywood film, only at a smaller size.

Step 1: Nail down the idea

First, you need an ideathat could be shot on an achievable budget. Also, it helps if the idea is something you're passionate about as it's likely that you'll spend a lot of time doing the work.

Step 2. Receive the The funds

Are you able to find an affluent, boring dentist that might "lend" you $50,000? Have a coffee date with him (or items that won't cause his teeth smudge). Additionally, you could cast a bigger net and start the process of creating your own campaign. It helps if you can present a budget, or an idea-based script, or anything that shows that you're committed to your film.

Step 3: Assemble Your Crew

However, if you're thinking of making, directing, filming and editing your film It's always beneficial having a couple of helping people to assist you throughout the course. Do you need a caterer? Most likely not, however it's still a good idea having someone else hold the boom mic. Be sure to are able to pay all participants. Even a small amount of compensation could make a difference.

Step 4: Fire the Dang Thing

Set a shooting schedule and make sure you stick to the plan. Be open and prepared to deal with inevitable punches. Be friendly to the team members you work with. No person wants to work with an oppressor. Therefore, make sure you buy them coffee (or things that don't create staining on their teeth).

Step 5: Put it out there!

When your film has been placed in the can of a jar and you're now ready to put your film up out there for sale. Bring your trusted relatives and friends. Bring it up to your bankers in order to verify that they're using their money to good use. Be confident about coming back to the editor's area to talk about any constructive feedback you receive.

The Sixth Step Send the Festivals

The time is now to get the cash that you have paid back. A lot of distribution deals for independent films are made through film festivals, such as Sundance and Telluride. Therefore, ensure that you submit your film to the most festivals possible. If luck is on your side, it may get acknowledged and, once someone is willing to look at the project it is then possible to accept the deal. It is possible that you'll be left with some money to get started over.

Make iPhone Indie Movies

In 2015, indie filmmaker Sean Baker shot the feature Tangerineentirely entirely on iPhone 5S. iPhone 5S, proving you do not need lots of expensive equipment to make an impressive piece of work. Utilizing the iPhone is a great way of making films for lesser cost.

Step 1. Get Your Gear

First, you may want to consider investing in some technological. Apple products come with iMovie built into them but don't have plenty of internal storage and that's why an external drive can help. You can also think about such as an adapter that can be used for lenses with anamorphic capabilities and an application such as FiLMiC Pro that can help in automatizing focus, and also a camera stand along with a few of lav microphones to aid in the recording. When you include the phone the entire set of this gear for under $3,000.

Step 2: Gather your Set as well as your Crew

Take a look at the objects you own: the family's vehicle or an old barn which has been abandoned and the collection of your grandmother's Beanie Babies, anything you could make use of, especially at free. Develop your concept on these resources. Also, you should get your closest friends to join your idea. Time on the couch could be spent better if you create something together.

3. Screen

Start small. A film that runs for 90 minutes is an enormous undertaking when you are only beginning your journey. A film that is shorter, generally less than 40 minutes is a good beginning for an ambitious project because it can turn into the work that could lead to more opportunities to produce the movie.

Step 4: Spread the message known (in more than one way)

If you are submitting your film for festivals, make sure to upload your movie as well on Vimeo. They're great at marketing their creators and you could even be selected to be a staff pick. Internet is a great place for self promotion.

After all the work is accomplished, you could make your first movie in less than 5 thousands of dollars. What are you waiting for?

Go out and do It

The year was 2015 and Mark Duplass gave a keynote address at the SxSW Festival which was held in Austin. In the speech, Mark is a big proponent for "The Three Dollar Short Film"The Three Dollar Short Film" an ephemeral five-minute film that you can make each week with the help of four or five of your most beloved acquaintances.

There's no longer a need to make a video because you've got a powerful digital camera with you nowadays, and a majority of laptops are equipped with editing software, and there are applications such as TikTok which allow you to create and edit images while working. If you've got the story of your heart that is waiting to be shared with the world, go out there and tell it!

     Begin Your Indie Filmmaking Journey!

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