Indie Film

With the advent of digital and HD technology, the tools required to make quality films are more in the reach of independent filmmakers -- leading to an explosion of independent, privately financed films in recent years.

But the tools are only part of the equation. Low cost HD cameras and digital editing software may provide the means to inexpensively put a finished product on the screen, but they alone do not justify the reason for doing so. It doesn't matter how sharp the video, how crisp the sound, or how well edited a picture is if it doesn't have the requisite quality to begin with. All the software and equipment in the world won't make up for a lack of quality. Whether you spend $10,000 or $100 million on a film, without quality writing and performances, the film will fall flat.

Hollywood studios can and do often counter shoddy scripts with million dollar ad campaigns, explosive CGI, and big name actors. Small, independent film production companies don't have this luxury. And thankfully so! In order to compete with the Hollywood machine, low budget filmmakers have to create exceptional products that create their own buzz -- without relying on extensive marketing, product placement, and name recognition of big stars.

The general definition of independent film is a film that is produced without financing or distribution from a major movie studio. However, this definition has grown a bit too broad, as many independent films receive millions of dollars from Hollywood names (e.g. Singleton's $3.5 million "Hustle and Flow"), and while they are not financed by a major studio, they have a significant leg-up over Joe Film School's production.

The dream for most ultra-low budget filmmakers is to create a product that is unique enough to get accepted into the big film festivals, create a buzz in the industry, and land a distribution deal, following the Blair Witch model to international acclaim. The beauty of these films, if properly done, is that they are not crippled by teams of writers who try to force the picture into a neat and orderly Hollywood mold. Independent filmmakers take risks that the big studios are scared to touch. Hollywood executives seldom greenlight a risky picture because with typical Hollywood budgets, a single flop means a studio loses millions of dollars and the executive who approved it is out on the street.

Rather than comfortably remaking and rehashing old scripts (King Kong, The Longest Yard, etc.), independent filmmakers take on controversial subject matter, questionable heroes, and risky situations. When done well (Pi, American History X, Trainspotting, just to name a few) it is a thing of beauty. There is no published list of poorly done ultra low budget films -- those films are never heard of or scene.

Quality starts with a stellar script. If the script falls flat, nothing else matters. Beyond the script, all components of the film must look absolutely professional. Whether shot on film or video, the photography must be perfect. Blair Witch may have gotten away with amateur camera work and a faux documentary feel, but that was the exception, not the rule. Likewise, lighting and sound must be impeccable as well.

Seasoned improv actors may be able to pull off unscripted "Curb Your Enthusiasm" performances, but this is a big risk for filmmakers, and hardly one worth betting the farm on. Better to have a locked script with rehearsed actors who know their characters and lines inside and out before the camera starts to roll. While ultra-low budget filmmakers can't rely on big names to draw in ticket buyers, this is not an excuse to accept amateur acting. While Kevin Smith may have pulled this off with his films, in most cases, the audience won't be as forgiving. Even unpaid actors should be capable and knowledgeable of the craft.

Most ultra-low budget films have little or no money budgeted for advertising or distribution. They must stand on their merits alone. Time and time again, we see that indie films can go toe-to-toe with major Hollywood productions, but not just because they are "independent" or different.