Independent Film in a Dependent Era

Paper by Dennis Ryan.

Independent films have played a vital role in the American Film Industry since at least the 1960’s. Independent films are often recognizable by their content, style and, more often than not, the director’s personal artistic vision plays a key role in the creation of the film. The increasing popularity and ease of independent film in the past decade has led to a major increase in the number of talented, aspiring filmmakers. The independent film or “art film” industry has always tested the boundaries in the American industry and often seems to go against the grain of what is traditionally acceptable; however its presence is crucial. The artistic freedom and originality associated with the creation of independent films is vital for the success and continuation of the Hollywood Studio system.

To fully understand the impact independent films have on the Hollywood studio, the history of the evolution of the American film industry must first be understood. By the mid 1960’s, while main studio systems seemed to fall into decline amongst the invention of the televisions, European cinema was experiencing a vast increase in popularity. The films targeted younger audiences who were intrigued by non-traditional subject matter, impervious to the production code (Parks, 2007). With the production code abandoned and the rating system incorporated, a new stage was set for American filmmakers. One of the main characteristics of independent films is the exploitative aspect it seems to convey. In other words, there is some aspect of the film that does not adhere to the classical or commonly accepted principals of the studio system. The first example of independent film’s rescue of the studio system may be said to be the famous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960). Hitchcock presented many questionable aspects throughout the film that were said to be unacceptable at the time, going against the grain of the classical Hollywood system. Although the film may not be in the category of “independent” film, it does adhere to more of the characteristics of Art Cinema, which can be considered the early workings of what the independent film industry is today. One thing is certain however, that is, by being innovative and original; Psycho saved the studio and system and paved the way for many more films just like it. It was that same “exploitative” aspect that proved to be successful in the years to come after Psycho.

Perhaps the most influential figure for the potential in independent films is Roger Corman. Roger Corman was the “B-movie King” who thrived off exploitative films that targeted younger audiences (Maestu, 2009). Roger Corman took advantage of the fact that unlike studio films, independent films were not bound by the confines of the production code. These exploitation films often presented subjects such as sex, drug use, violence and nudity, and were almost always produced quickly, at low-budgets (Parks, 2007). Corman also employed young directors such as Martin Scorsese who seemed to have a certain artistic view in the films he created. In contrast to the failing studio system at the time, these low-budget independent films were able to take risks and explore creatively outside of the classical narrative. The freedom entailed with these exploitative and independent films allowed directors (and later on studios) to examine what would create a popular and successful film, while at the same time allowing a director to exercise full artistic control. Films were slowly being recognized as creating works of art rather than creating plain entertainment (Parks, 2007).

Strongly influenced by the originality set forth by Corman and his young directors, movies such as Midnight Cowboy (John Schlesinger, 1969) and Easy Rider (Dennis Hopper, 1969) can be said to have evolved. Both movies explored the controversial subjects of drug and sex and both movies proved to be extremely successful and influential. It is also during this period that the term independent (in the film production sense) gets hazy. Originally an independent film meant that it had been produced outside of any major film studio (MGM, Paramount, 20th Century Fox etc.), however this new wave of American Cinema was beginning to be financed somewhat by larger studios while still remaining very much independent (Parks, 2007)). At this time in American Cinema, it can be said that independent films had already begun to have an affect on the Hollywood studio system as they recognized it to be a lucrative industry.

The most important aspect of independent films is the originality and experimentation that is associated with them. The freedom that is allowed in a lower-budget production creates a low risk environment where directors can experiment with creative styles and introduce new methods to narratives. A prime example of the innovativeness associated with independent films is Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 screenplay, Pulp Fiction. The film features two hit men Jules and Vincent (Samuel L. Jackson & John Travolta) working for crime boss Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames). The lives of these three men, along with Marcellus’ wife, Mia (Uma Thurman), and big time boxer Butch Collidge (Bruce Willis), are all intertwined and affected by one another throughout this movie (IMDB, 2009). The important aspect behind this film is the highly creative manner in which it was directed. Tarantino presents the film in a non-linear narrative that is both original and creative, and divergent from mainstream films. The narrative is presented very much out of sequence, which could be very confusing for many, and the reason why it is not a common aspect amongst classical studio films. The film is based heavily on pragmatic dialogue that allows the viewers to get a sense of the characters true personality. Among other aspects making Pulp Fiction an independent film is the consideration of cast involved and the use of cinematic allusions. Most of the actors involved such as Bruce Willis and John Travolta were actually quite low in their actor careers during this film, and the film brought them to the stardom and recognition that they are now faced with. Many questions are left unanswered at the conclusion of this film, for example, what was in the briefcase that made it so important? It is something the audience will never know but it is also something that makes the film so intriguing.

After originally cutting a deal to be produced with TriStar, it ended up being rejected for the themes of heroin use and its skewed perception of being chronologically out of order. The film was also initially criticized for being too low of budget to have its desired affect. Nonetheless, the film was eventually financed by Miramax and was a major critical and commercial success (IMDB, 2009). The success of Pulp Fiction led large studios to seriously consider the potential of lower budget, director driven films and the profits they were capable of. Miramax was a turning point for top studios to create sole divisions dedicated specifically to the development and distribution of independent films. More recent examples of these independent drive, yet studio-produced films are Little Miss Sunshine (Jonathan Dayton, 2006), Juno (Jason Reitman, 2007), Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle, 2008) and Paranormal Activities (Oren Peli, 2007).

Due to the large quantity of fairly inexpensive, high-end digital film equipment easily available in our society today, independent filmmakers are no longer dependent on studios for the production aspect of filmmaking (Parks, 2007). In addition, the mass variety of editing equipment available also cuts down on the need of a studio to produce a film. It is apparent however, that to get any sort of wide recognition for a film it must be distributed by one of the Big Six studios. The Big Six studios have recognized this growing trend in the production of independent films, and in an effort to profit off the industry, almost all studios have some sort of specialty division designed to develop and discover the more artistic independent films (Maestu, 2009). The fact that these studios have created these subsets may be point enough to prove that they realize a dependency on the innovativeness that independent films provide. Examples of these subsidiary divisions are Fox Searchlight, HBO Films, TriStar, and Miramax Films. Due to the increasing popularity and ease of means by which to produce independent films, there has been a mass increase in number of aspiring filmmakers who want to turn their script into a successful multi-million dollar independent feature. Perhaps the most notable independent films of the current day are Slumdog Millionaire and Paranormal Activities. Both are important for their own reasons and both have had a huge impact on the film industry.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008) is a film directed by Danny Boyle that features a contestant on India’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”. When the young boy who is the contestant on the show appears to be doing rather well for himself during the game, he is suspected for cheating. The film then brings the audience on a plethora of childhood flashbacks that explain the reasoning for Jamal (Dev Patel) knowing the answers to all the questions that he is faced with on the show. Similar to Pulp Fiction, the narrative of this film is non-linear, and the events, as they are shown, are out of sequence. The script was roughly based of a prize-winning novel and filming mostly took place in Mumbai. The cast was also composed of all unknown actors. The film was originally financed by Warner Independent Pictures (an independent subsidiary of Warner Brothers) for five million dollars; however when Warner Independent Pictures was shut down the film was said to go straight to DVD because Warner Brothers seriously doubted any box office success (IMDB 2009). Luckily Fox Searchlight acquired the film in a joint pact with Warner Brothers and shared distribution of the film in the United States. Slumdog Millionaire went on to win the British Independent Film Award and the Peoples Choice Award in the Toronto Film Festival. Following the success of the film at the Academy Awards where it won eight Oscars including Best Motion Picture of the Year, the film went on to top box offices in North America.

Slumdog Millionaire is a prime example on the influence an independent film can have on the American film industry. There are no known actors in the film and it was filmed almost entirely in Mumbai. The film went on to win most of the prestigious awards offered here in North America and topped the box office charts. The films projected fifteen million dollar budget went on to make one hundred and forty million in North American box offices alone. The success of the film can in large part be attributed to the aid of the subsidiary independent divisions of the large studios, without them it is safe to assume that the film would have not been created nor distributed in the way it was. The film has also shaped the perceivable standard of what is acceptable and successful here in the United States. Do not forget that the film was almost sent straight to DVD for the lack of commercial appeal it was thought to have had, so it is not too far fetched to assume more success with international independent films in the future.

Paranormal Activity was an independent horror film written and directed by Oren Peli in 2007. The film is about a couple living in a house that they presume to be haunted. The opening scene is presented as a home video style documentation of the couple as they are setting up the video camera to record themselves. The film is very crude in its editing and really gives off that cheap-independent look. In fact, the actual initial film was made for about only 15,000 dollars and was shot by Peli, who had no prior film training, with a hand held camera (IMDB, 2009). The film was shown at many festivals, including the Slamdance Film Festival, earning some praise here and there until it was finally brought to the attention of DreamWorks. At DreamWorks, Spielberg helped to green light a remake of the movie produced by Jason Blum and directed again by Peli. The rights to the film and any sequels were acquired for 300,000 dollars (IMDB, 2009). The studio, not knowing exactly what to do with the film, decided to release the film on a limited amount of screens and hopefully build its reputation by a word of mouth buzz, a typical characteristic of independent films. The film also had the option of being able to vote online to demand areas where the film would be shown next, this was the first time a studio had ever used that method to market a film. By October 10, 2009, the film had gotten enough hype and reached the one million “demand” mark online that Paramount had desired. Paramount then announced that the film would be released on a full domestic release. As of November 15, 2009, it has been reported the film has grossed over one hundred and three million dollars in the United States and Canada (IMDB, 2009).

As one can see, in these three separate occasions, independent film has had a major impact on the Hollywood Studio system. When the industry was suffering miserably in the 1960’s and collapse was on the horizon, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho taught filmmakers to explore and test their boundaries. In a seemingly conservative industry, Hitchcock’s uncanny methods received praise. Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction brought drastic changes to what was possible for the narratives of popular films. At first, many criticized his non-linear narrative saying things such as, “How can someone be dead then reappear only a few scenes later, it makes no sense!” However critics concerns were put to rest by the sheer success of the film, and nowadays non-linear and circular narratives has become a common aspect among films. Lastly, the Paranormal Activity craze has shown this world and the Hollywood Studio system just exactly what independent films are capable of. In addition to realizing the potential profit resulting from independent films, Paranormal Activity also reshaped the marketing strategies set out by studios. The word of mouth buzz created from limited releases along with the online “demand” marketing strategy could be seen more often in the future.

The writers and directors of independent films get the chance to exercise a freedom of risk and creativity that many studio systems do not get the opportunity to do. In the past, studios and directors were confined within the production code of what was acceptable and viewable. Now at this current date many studios are finding themselves confined within a competitive market in their fight for survival, and one mistake could cause their disintegration. Independent films and the subsidiary studios that have evolved from them have created a way in which originality and creativeness are allowed to flourish in a somewhat risk free environment. Independent films have allowed the studio system to adapt, evolve, and continue to be successful in a constantly changing world.

Works Cited

Bender, L. (Producer), & Tarantino, Q. (Director). (1994). Pulp Fiction. Miramax Films.

Blum, J. (Producer), & Peli, O. (Director). (2007). Paranormal Activity. Paramount
Pictures.

Boyle, D. (Director). (2008). Slumdog Millionaire. Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner
Brothers.

Kokler, R. (Eds.). (2008). The Oxford Handbook of Film and Media Studies: New York:
Oxford University Press, Inc.

Parker, Stacey. The Insider’s Guide to Independent Film Distribution. Amsterdam,
Boston: Elsevier, 2007. Print.

The Internet Movie Database. Amazon, 1990. Web. November 21, 2009.

Williams, L., & Hammond, M. Contemporary American Cinema. New York: McGraw
Hill, 2006. Print.