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History
TechnologyUntil 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 35mm film is outpacing inflation: in 2002 alone, film negative costs were up 23%, according to Variety. 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-resolution 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 realeased on HD DVD was One Six Right on November 1, 2006[2][3][4]
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Popular digital camcorders, mostly semi-professional equipment with 3-CCD technology, include: Most of these camcorders cost between US$2,000 - $5,000 in 2003, with costs continuing to decline as features are added, and as models depreciate. Additionally, open source software holds the potential for increasing high-level editing capabilities being available for also increasingly lower prices, both for free and paid software. Independent versus major: IndiewoodCreatively, it has long been increasingly difficult to get studio backing for experimental films. Experimental elements in theme and style are typically inhibitors for the Big Six studios. 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 (over two-thirds of the films put out by Warner Bros. in 2000 were joint ventures, up from 10% in 1987). An unproven 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. Furthermore, another key expense for independent movie makers is the music for the film. The licensing fees for popular songs can range between US$10,000 - $20,000. Independent movie-making has resulted in the proliferation and repopularization of short films and short film festivals. Full-length films are often showcased at film festivals such as Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival, the Slamdance Film Festival, the South By Southwest film festival, the UK's Raindance Film Festival, or the Cannes Film Festival. Award winners from these exhibitions often get picked up for distribution by major film studios, and go on to worldwide releases. North American independent-producing studiosThe major commercial film industry in the United States is in Hollywood, while much of the independent film industry is in New York City. The following studios are considered to be the most prevalent of the independent studios (as of August 2006):
Note that many of the above studios are actually subsidiaries of larger studios - for example, Sony Pictures Classics is owned by Sony Pictures and is designed to develop less commercial, more character driven films, and Fox Searchlight (which released the surprise hit Bend It Like Beckham) belongs to the same company that owns 20th Century Fox. Subsidiaries of major studios, as part of their larger, major studio parent companies, are not "true" independent film studios. Furthermore, companies such as Lucasfilm often co-finance their productions and partner with Big-Six studios for distribution. In addition to these higher profile "independent" studios there are thousands of smaller production companies that produce truly independent films every year. These smaller companies look to regionally release their films theatrically or for additional financing and resources to distribute, advertise and exhibit their project on a national scale. The direct-to-video market is not often noted as artistically fertile ground but among its many entries are ambitious independent films that either failed to achieve theatrical distribution or did not seek it. Moving forward, particularly as theatrical filming goes digital and distribution eventually follows, the line between "film," direct-to-disc productions, and feature-length videos whose main distribution channel is wholly electronic, should continue to blur. Further reading
See also
References
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