Independent Films – The Bare Essentials

In this new era, with the dawn of advanced technology in confluence with a more intense sense of self-expression among the masses, independent filmmaking has occupied the frontline. Up until now, the idea of a "film" had more to do with entertainment than expression. Today, as more people cultivate awareness of the world around them, a desire to express their thoughts is sown in their minds. One mode of self-expression is making an independent film.

The availability of filming equipment on rental basis in almost every city has made it possible for the common-folk to step confidently into this sector, record a film under one’s favourite genre, and upload it to one of the short film websites for the world to view. Things being thus, there is an emerging parallel culture of "reviewing" a film that is gaining popularity. Critic reviews, peer reviews, public reviews, etc. have become a platform to gauge one’s capability or success as a filmmaker, and this mostly (but not exclusively) happens online. Other modes include newspapers, magazines, theatre, etc.

The most important aspects of any film are its cast, script and story. It can also be an animation-based short film. Making a good film independently requires a certain degree of competence and precision in the context of screenplay and direction. Without a good script to back up all the factors mentioned above, the film may fall short of the quality streak that is necessary to gain higher stages of reputation. In addition, the moviemaker’s idea needs to be put into an attractive story. Practicality also plays a very important role in the cases where complex shooting sequences are involved – like stunts and action, car chases, etc. It is important to keep things "do-able". A combination of all this with the knowledge of video processing and editing techniques adds finesse and panache to the final outcome.

Short films can have a duration band varying as wide as the gap between 50 seconds and 50 minutes. On a more budgetary feasible ground, a film of shorter duration fits well. Deciding on the duration of a movie primarily focuses on presentation of the moviemaker’s idea in an optimum runtime. As an example, a "no-smoking" campaign short film can conclude in under 2 minutes with an impact on the viewer, or it can run for 45 minutes covering a well-written script. As a means of expression, a high level of clarity needs to be inculcated while maintaining the visually creative aspects of the film – it undoubtedly becomes an indispensable aspect in moviemaking.

In an attempt to encourage enthusiastic filmmakers of the day, many indie film websites have sprung up which offer various services like sharing, reviewing, editing guides, distribution and advertising, competitions, awards and prizes, screening information and showcasing, and a lot more. This culture is spreading like a wildfire in both popularity and diversity in content, and will continue to grow and groom in times to come.

In case you are looking to know more about independent film making, please visit Indiefilmshare.com

About The Author

Simone Jones is a well known author and expert in the art of film making. She loves writing many articles and blogs, talking extensively about the various developments in the field and taking up issues that need to be addressed by the industry. She recommends IndieFilmShare.com as one of the most respected names on the internet when it comes to independent film making and review communities.

Indiefilmshare is a community of independent film makers and peer reviewers with the purpose of making better filmmakers.