Article written by Herb Kimble.
Before we get too deep, it’s a good idea to reflect on what the last few years have taught us about filmmaking from the indie perspective. In some ways, the independent films get a lot better chances at success these days to new streaming channels such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc. There are a lot more opportunities for independent filmmakers to showcase their movies or find buyers.
However, the quality of independent movies has also gotten a lot better. Films like Boyhood showed us what true outside the box thinking could accomplish, while films like Imitation Game, Gone Girl and Birdman showed us the power of character acting. Still, a lot happened below the surface of film that is worth noting.
Standards for Quality
This is not a critique on the quality of movies, that’s better Justify to critics. This is about the actual quality of finished products versus what we see on screen. Many Indies are opting for the Macbook approach to editing, but that results in a very different film than what the audience sees blown up at fifty feet. Try to think of MP3 tracks versus the quality of a master. A lot of the time, the audience doesn’t notice because of sensory overload or deprivation (depends on who you ask). So the standards for what makes for a quality projection are somewhat muddled.
Distribution is Your Responsibility Now
The single trend we heard echoed throughout all avenues of the entertainment world was the emphasis on self-publishing. Indies of all walks of life are led to believe that self publishing is the key to success. It nets you jobs, sales and fame they say. The reality is that social media does sell films. You don’t need to concoct an elaborate alternate reality game, but you do need to approach your audience with something interesting to offer them.
This article was written by Herb Kimble. Herb Kimble is the founder of CineFocus Productions, a film production company in Los Angeles and Urban Flix, a streaming network that specializes in multi-cultural content. For more info, about Herb Kimble, visit his Twitter.
