What is an Indie Film / Independent Film?

Independent film
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An independent film, or indie film, is a film that is produced outside, "independent", of the Hollywood Studio system. Additionally, the term is used to describe less commercially-driven art films which differ markedly from the norms of plot-driven, mainstream classical Hollywood cinema. These films are often produced by subsidiaries of larger studios, such as Sony Pictures Classics, but are not really considered independent films even if less than half of its budget comes from a major movie studio. In 2005, about 15% of the U.S. domestic box office revenue was from independent studios. Independent films are often distinguishable by their content or style. The writer or director's original authorial intent or personal creative vision is usually maintained in the final film.
The independent film scene's development in the 1990s and 2000s has been stimulated by a range of factors, including the development of affordable high-definition digital video cameras that can rival 35 mm film quality and easy-to-use computer editing software and the increasing visibility of independent film festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival.

History
The roots of independent film can be traced back to the early pioneer filmmakers in the 1900s who resisted the control of a company called the Motion Picture Patents Company and the Edison trusts. Independent filmmakers built their own cameras and moved to Southern California where they laid the foundations of the American film industry as well as the Hollywood studio.This period can be classified as the first era.
The studio system eventually became so powerful that some filmmakers once again sought independence as a result. The second era of indie filmmaking is highly influenced by World War 2. Numerous social and cultural changes had been taking place all over the world at that time due to the effect of the ongoing war, which created a pool of new ideas and views to be tested in the films; one of which is the conception of Film Noir: a style very much prevalent even in the crime dramas of the recent years. Some of the greatest films of the 20th century such as Citizen Kane and Chinatown fall into the category of film noir.
The third era, comprising the time span of the 60’s and the 70’s is shaped by the Freedom of speech and Anti-war movements, and not the least, The Hippie Movement. In this period the indie directors and producers insisted on making films that are more “down to earth”. While the major studios kept on producing films the same old storyline which kept the moviegoers off the theatres, independent filmmakers started realizing the potential the teenagers hold in the 13-17 year old demographic.
And finally comes the modern era, starting from the late 80’s till today. This period is characterized by the swarm of new indie films released frequently, thanks to modern inventions of cost-efficient technology which make the process of creating and distributing films easier than before. Filmmakers no longer have to depend on the major studios to provide them with filming equipment as this have become inexpensive and accessible; neither have they to rely on the studios to edit and distribute films. Editing can be done on the home computer because a large array of professional scale editing software is available in the market. Previews and teasers of new films can be viewed on the Internet for free. Pulp Fiction, The Blair Witch Project, Clerks, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are few of the influential films of the 20th and the 21st century.
What links all these periods is the concept of independent production as a form of resistance to any attempts towards monopolization of the American film industry. Independent filmmakers around the world have created a diverse range of filmmaking styles that symbolize their own unique cultures and subcultures such as experimental film and underground film. Some independent filmmakers use digital video techniques. While most of the U.S. film industry is located in Los Angeles, one-third of all independent films in the U.S. are produced in New York City.

Technology
Until the advent of digital alternatives, the cost of professional film equipment and stock was a major obstacle to independent filmmakers who wanted to make their own films. The cost of 35 mm film is steadily rising: in 2002 alone, film negative costs were up 23%, according to Variety.[2] Studio-quality filming typically required expensive lighting and post-production facilities.
But the advent of consumer camcorders in 1985, and more importantly, the arrival of high-definition digital video in the early 1990s, have since lowered the technology barrier to movie production considerably. Both production and post-production costs have been significantly lowered; today, the hardware and software for post-production can be installed in a commodity-based personal computer. Technologies such as DVD, FireWire connections and professional-level non-linear editing system software make movie-making relatively inexpensive.
The first independent film released on HD DVD was One Six Right on November 1, 2006.

Independent versus major: Indiewood
On the business side, the cost of big-budget studio films also leads to conservative choices in cast and crew. The problem is exacerbated by the trend towards co-financing. An unproven film director is almost never given the opportunity to get his or her big break with the studios unless he or she otherwise has significant industry experience in film or television. Films with "unknowns" in the cast, particularly in lead roles, are also rarely produced by the Big Six.
The increasing popularity and feasibility of low-budget (but not necessarily low-quality) films over the last 15 years has led to a vast increase in the number of aspiring filmmakers -- people who have written spec scripts and who hope to find several million dollars to turn that script into an independent film sensation like Reservoir Dogs, Little Miss Sunshine, or Juno. These aspiring filmmakers often work day-jobs while they pitch their scripts to independent film production companies, talent agents, and wealthy investors. Their dream seems much more attainable than before the independent film revolution because these novice filmmakers no longer need to gain the backing of a major studio and access to perhaps a hundred million dollars to make their film.
Independent movie-making has also resulted in the proliferation and repopularization of short films and short film festivals. Full-length films are often showcased at film festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival, the Slamdance Film Festival, the South By Southwest film festival, the Raindance Film Festival, ACE Film Festival, or the Cannes Film Festival. Award winners from these exhibitions are more likely to get picked up for distribution by major film studios.

Biography of Indie Film Maker Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick (July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was born in New York, and was considered intelligent despite poor grades at school. Hoping that a change of scenery would produce better academic performance, Kubrick's father Jack (a physician) sent him in 1940 to Pasadena, California, to stay with his uncle Martin Perveler. Returning to the Bronx in 1941 for his last year of grammar school, there seemed to be little change in his attitude or his results. Hoping to find something to interest his son, Jack introduced Stanley to chess, with the desired result. Kubrick took to the game passionately, and quickly became a skilled player. Chess would become an important device for Kubrick in later years, often as tool for for dealing with recalcitrant actors, but also as an artistic motif in his films.

Jack Kubrick's decision to give his son a camera for his thirteenth birthday would be an even wiser move: Kubrick became an avid photographer, and would often make trips around New York taking photographs which he would develop in a friend's darkroom. After selling an unsolicited photograph to Look Magazine, Kubrick began to associate with their staff photographers, and at the age of seventeen was offered a job as an apprentice photographer.

In the next few years, Kubrick had regular assignments for "Look", and would become a voracious movie-goer. Together with friend Alexander Singer, Kubrick planned a move into film, and in 1950 sank his savings into making the documentary Day of the Fight (1951). This was followed by several short commissioned documentaries (Flying Padre (1951), and _Seafarers, The (1952)_), but by attracting investors and hustling chess games in Central Park, Kubrick was able to make Fear and Desire (1953) in California.

Filming this movie was not a happy experience; Kubrick's marriage to high school sweetheart Toba Metz did not survive the shooting. Despite mixed reviews for the film itself, Kubrick received good notices for his obvious directorial talents. Kubrick's next two films Killer's Kiss (1955) and The Killing (1956) brought him to the attention of Hollywood, and in 1957 directed Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory (1957). Douglas later called upon Kubrick to take over the production of Spartacus (1960), by some accounts hoping that Kubrick would be daunted by the scale of the project and would thus be accommodating. This was not the case, however: Kubrick took charge of the project, imposing his ideas and standards on the film. Many crewmembers were upset by his style: cinematographer Russell Metty complained to producers that Kubrick was taking over his job. Kubrick's response was to tell him to sit there and do nothing. Metty complied, and ironically was awarded the Academy Award for his cinematography.

Kubrick's next project was to direct Marlon Brando in One-Eyed Jacks (1961), but negotiations broke down and Brando himself ended up directing the film himself. Disenchanted with Hollywood and after another failed marriage, Kubrick moved permanently to England, from where he would make all of his subsequent films. Despite having obtained a pilot's license, Kubrick is rumored to be afraid of flying.

Kubrick's first UK film was Lolita (1962), which was carefully constructed and guided so as to not offend the censorship boards which at the time had the power to severely damage the commercial success of a film. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) was a big risk for Kubrick; before this, "nuclear" was not considered a subject for comedy. Originally written as a drama, Kubrick decided that too many of the ideas he had written were just too funny to be taken seriously. The film's critical and commercial success allowed Kubrick the financial and artistic freedom to work on any project he desired. Around this time, Kubrick's focus diversified and he would always have several projects in various stages of development: "Blue Moon" (a story about Hollywood's first pornographic feature film), "Napoleon" (an epic historical biography, abandoned after studio losses on similar projects), "Wartime Lies" (based on the novel by Louis Begley), and "Rhapsody" (a psycho-sexual thriller).

The next film he completed was a collaboration with sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), is hailed by many as the best ever made; an instant cult favorite, it has set the standard and tone for many science fiction films that followed. Kubrick followed this with A Clockwork Orange (1971), which rivaled Lolita (1962) for the controversy it generated - this time not for only for its portrayal of sex, but also of violence. Barry Lyndon (1975) would prove a turning point in both his professional and private lives. His unrelenting demands of commitment and perfection of cast and crew had by now become legendary. Actors would be required to perform dozens of takes with no breaks. Filming a story in Ireland involving military, Kubrick received reports that the IRA had declared him a possible target. Production was promptly moved out of the country, and Kubrick's desire for privacy and security have resulted in him being considered a recluse ever since.

Having turned down directing a sequel to The Exorcist (1973), Kubrick made his own horror film: The Shining (1980). Again, rumors circulated of demands made upon actors and crew. Stephen King (whose novel the film was based upon) reportedly didn't like Kubrick's adaptation (indeed, he would later write his own screenplay which was filmed as "The Shining" (1997) (mini).)

Kubrick's subsequent work has been well spaced: it was seven years before Full Metal Jacket (1987) was released. By this time, Kubrick was married with children and had extensively remodeled his house. Seen by one critic as the dark side to the humanist story of Platoon (1986), Full Metal Jacket (1987) continued Kubrick's legacy of solid critical acclaim, and profit at the box office.

In the 1990s, Kubrick began an on-again/off-again collaboration with Brian Aldiss on a new science fiction film called "Artificial Intelligence (AI)", but progress was very slow, and was backgrounded until special effects technology was up to the standard the Kubrick wanted.

Kubrick returned to his in-development projects, but encountered a number of problems: "Napoleon" was completely dead, and "Wartime Lies" (now called "The Aryan Papers") was abandoned when Steven Spielberg announced he would direct Schindler's List (1993), which covered much of the same material.

While pre-production work on "AI" crawled along, Kubrick combined "Rhapsody" and "Blue Movie" and officially announced his next project as Eyes Wide Shut (1999), starring the then-married Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. After two years of production under unprecedented security and privacy, the film was released to a typically polarized critical and public reception; Kubrick claimed it was his best film to date.

Special effects technology had matured rapidly in the meantime, and Kubrick immediately began active work on Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001), but tragically suffered a fatal heart attack in his sleep on March 7th, 1999.

After Kubrick's death, Spielberg revealed that the two of them were friends that frequently communicated discretely about the art of filmmaking; both had a large degree of mutual respect for each other's work. "AI" was frequently discussed; Kubrick even suggested that Spielberg should direct it as it was more his type of project. Based on this relationship, Spielberg took over as the film's director and completed the last Kubrick project.

How much of Kubrick's vision remains in the finished project -- and what he would think of the film as eventually released -- will be the final great unanswerable mysteries in the life of this talented and private filmmaker.

Orson Welles, indie filmaker. Biography

Orson Welles. (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) Though little appreciated in his time, Orson Welles is today one of classic Hollywood's most acclaimed cinematic visionaries and was once nominated for Academy Awards in four separate categories for his contribution to one film (see below). Always an outsider to the studio system which dominated filmmaking at the time however, Welles never condescended to play by Hollywood's rules and his arduous four-decade career was pocked with moments of brilliance, excess and waste.
CITIZEN KANE (1941). Welles produced, directed and starred in this classic which was nominated for nine Academy Awards, four of which Welles shared in: Best Actor, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. The film won only one of the Oscars for which is was nominated however, that for the screenplay co-written by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz.

Filmography

• Hearts of Age (1934) - Welles's first film, a silent one-reeler made at age 18.
• Too Much Johnson (1938) - assorted scenes to accompany stage play, all footage now lost
• Citizen Kane (1941) - won Oscar for Best Writing (Original Screenplay); nominated for Best Actor, Best Picture and Best Director.
• Tanks (film) (1942) - Film unknown, valued at 18 million dollars, one of the three copies are available in Argentina, in the Archives of Roberto Di Chiara.
• The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) - nominated for Oscar for Best Picture; shortened and recut against Welles's wishes, excised footage lost
• The Stranger (1946) - nominated for Oscar
• The Lady from Shanghai (1947) - shortened and recut against Welles' wishes but with his cooperation, excised footage lost
• Macbeth (1948) - shortened and recut by Welles at studio's request, restored to original version in the 1970s
• Othello (1952) - won the Palme d'Or, 1952 Cannes Film Festival
• Mr. Arkadin (also known as Confidential Report) (1955) - shortened and recut against Welles' wishes, extended Criterion restoration released in April 2006.
• Touch of Evil (1958) - won the top-prize at the Brussels World's Fair; shortened against Welles's wishes, some of Welles' requested editorial changes made in 1998
• The Trial (1962)
• Chimes at Midnight (1965)
• The Immortal Story (1968) - T.V. film only broadcasted in France
• F for Fake (also known as Vérités et mensonges) (1974) - Documentary
• The Orson Welles Show (1979) - Welles directed as G.O. Spelvin. Unaired TV show with Burt Reynolds, Angie Dickinson, Frank Oz, Jim Henson

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The European Independent Film Festival

The European Independent Film Festival 3 Annual March 14, 2008 to March 16, 2008 European Dramatic Feature

Open to all European feature films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

European Dramatic Short

Open to all European short films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging. Running time cannot exceed 30 minutes.

European Documentary Feature

Open to all European documentaries over 30 mins. made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language but French or English subtitles are required.

European Documentary Short

Open to all European documentaries with a running time less than 30 minutes and made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are highly recommended to ensure the best judging.

European Animated Film

Open to all European animated work in the moving image field (can include web pages) made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

European Experimental Film

Open to all European work in the moving image field that can be deemed experimental. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

Student Film - Worldwide submissions accepted

Open to all (European and non-European) student films. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging. NOTE: Entrants in this category will ONLY be eligible for the Best Student Film Award.

News and Current Affairs Reportage - Worldwide submissions accepted

Open to all (European and non-European) News and Current Affairs professionals. This category is designed to show the very best of 'Reportage' from around the world. News organizations, reporters, producers, cameramen and editors can submit.

Non-European Dramatic Feature

Open to all non-European feature films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

Non-European Dramatic Short

Open to all non-European short films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging. Running time cannot exceed 30 minutes.

Non-European Documentary

Open to all non-European documentaries made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

Much More than a Script Competition

We at ÉCU understand that for many talented writers - especially those without representation - it is difficult getting scripts read by the people that matter: directors, producers and heads of development. We also passionately believe in the powerful experience, for both a writer and an audience, of witnessing scripts being read live by professional actors. That’s why we have decided to launch ÉCU 2008’s Much More than a Script Competition. We will read scripts in English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian before making an official selection of the very best which will be showcased live at ÉCU 2008. The selected scripts will have a short dramatic sequence read live by professional actors in front of an audience of industry professionals, indie filmmakers and the general public, at the prestigious Bibliotheque Nationale de Francois Mitterrand in Paris, France. Two overall winners will receive an additional prize and the coveted title of Best Feature Script / Best Short Script 2008 – a title we are certain will help emerging writers overcome the obstacle of “representation” and get their scripts read by the right people.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The European Independent Film Festival screens eleven categories of independent films to an eager audience of independent filmmakers, film industry professionals and the general public who crave the energy and free spiritedness of creative independent films. The festival has very quickly become known as Europe's answer to Sundance.

The festival is dedicated to showing independent films from European filmmakers but also has several categories for overseas filmmakers from the USA, Asia and Africa.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Held in the prestigious Bibliotheque Nationale de France in Paris, France in March 2008, the European Independent Film Festival (known as the ECU Film Festival) showcases the very best independent filmmaking talent from around the world and offers filmmakers the opportunity to have their films screened in a highly esteemed competition. During the festival filmmakers have the opportunity to attend editing workshops and screenwriting labs, to discuss their projects with fellow independent filmmakers and network with producers, talent spotters and agents.

The European Independent Film Festival is being hailed as a saviour to the often overlooked European independent filmmakers. Since its inception in 2006 the festival has screened films from more then 60 countries (filmmakers from as diverse places as Romania, England, France, Spain, Estonia, Portugual and Greece). The non-European categories gave the European filmmakers the chance to gauge their work against American, African and Asian filmmakers.

One of the judges, award-winning film editor Franco Pistillo, says:

"Every year the Sundance Film Festival brings worldwide attention to American independent filmmakers. The ECU Film Festival gives the same opportunities to the hundreds of independent European filmmakers who make incredible films, but fly way below the radar of festivals like Cannes, Venice or Berlin."

Prizes from AVID, SCRIPTSHARK, FUJI, and FINAL DRAFT will be presented to the award-winning films and filmmakers.

Venue
La Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Quai Francois-Mauriac in the 13th arrondissement, Paris, France. Metro station: Bibliotheque Francois Mitterand.

Entry and times
Entry is FREE and the festival schedule will be posted in February 2008.

To obtain tickets, contact: info@ecufilmfestival.com

Opportunity for buyers
The festival is an attractive prospect for film buyers, producers and talent spotters who will be in attendance - all looking for the latest filmmaking talent.

"It is a fact that European independent filmmakers rarely get attention outside of their respective countries. The ECU Film Festival gives European independent filmmakers, all of whom are hungry to tell their stories, an arena where they can project their films, interact with their fellow European filmmakers and show audiences - who are getting tired of formulaic cinema - that `Old Europe' makes great independent films." Said the festival's President Scott Hillier, himself an award-winning filmmaker.

For more information on ECU please contact press@ecufilmfestival.com or visit www.ecufilmfestival.com

ORGANIZERS:
Scott Hillier (Festival President)

GENERAL RULES
Open to all independent films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are highly recommended to ensure the best judging.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Excerpts of all submitted films can be used in The European Independent Film Festivals publicity on the Internet, print, radio and television medias. All rights, including music, have been obtained and cleared by the filmmakers.