The Rise of Indie Filmmaking: A Fresh Hope for Cinema

What would you consider to be professional cinema? Perhaps it’s a new Disney film. Maybe it’s the next Prime Video release. Ten years ago, it was most certainly anything Hollywood, but what about today?

Silhouettes of film crew members in front of a camera, illuminated by bright lights in a smoky atmosphere. — Foggy film set. Image credit: Stockcake.com. https://stockcake.com/i/behind-the-scenes_1791125_1243054

The film industry has always been a harsh corporate landscape. Still, in recent years, this greed has poisoned the very creativity that earned Hollywood its mythical status as the center of the media world. Companies have realized they can build on or re-release their most popular franchises and, by virtue of name recognition alone, make millions of dollars at the box office. The film doesn’t need to be good; it just needs to get you in the theatre.

Naturally, this decrease in quality leads to an unsatisfied audience, disappointed that their favorite franchise was ruined and longing for something better. Take, for example, “Star Wars.” The original three films were a massive success, with the original film “A New Hope” earning a 94% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 96% audience rating. After Disney acquired the property, film scores dramatically decreased, especially in the audience ratings.

A promotional image for the movie 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' featuring the film's poster, critic and audience ratings, and a brief synopsis.

Although corporate Hollywood has failed their fans, the film industry is far from dead. For an audience willing to look beyond their streaming services, there may be new hope. With the innovation and accessibility of professional media technology, independent groups of creators have been handed the tools to fill the creative void, and they’ve been hard at work.

If you were to peruse the depths of YouTube, there’s a good chance you’d stumble across one of these “indie” creators and their work. Looking for a traditional 2D animated pilot? “Hazbin Hotel” or more recently “Homestuck” by Vivziepop has you covered. Trying to find something more tangible and three-dimensional? Check out Glitch and their latest productions. Perhaps you’d like to see a less conventional approach to filmmaking? Take a peek at “Whitepine”, a period drama filmed entirely in Minecraft by IvoryTV. There’s lots of fresh ideas to explore, and none of them belong to the Hollywood oligarchs.

An animated scene featuring two anthropomorphic characters. One character, a black cat dressed in a suit and holding a gun, has a serious expression. The other character, a smiling cat in a green suit and hat, leans casually against a post. The background is dark and moody, suggesting a noir theme. — Fan art of the indie series “Lackadaisy”. Photo credit: theDawnmist on Deviant Art. https://www.deviantart.com/thedawnmist/art/Lackadaisy-892405965

Many of these shows manage to pull off studio-level quality without a massive budget, and they are generally more well-received. Without creative limitations or constraints, the scripting of these indie titles is phenomenal, providing a much more enjoyable viewing experience than the slop you find on Netflix. I highly recommend you give these shows a watch; after all, they are all free on YouTube, so you have nothing to lose. (Viewer discretion advised: mature themes & language)

Hollywood is dying, and as shareholders and executives suck the final drops of creativity out of mainstream franchises, it’s time to move on to the new generation of creators. The power of imagination and the tools to build it have been passed on to a far greater community. The era of indie filmmaking is upon us.