Gabija

Introduction
What actually is independent cinema and what role does it play for nowadays audience?
The first stage of independent film is through 1940s to 1970s, where “independent” meant the opposition to the mainstream media. When and where has the concept of independent cinema emerged? What is the difference of American and European “low budget” films? Independent film has changed since it was introduced; however, there are several questions which need a more detailed examination: how much, in what direction and to what effect has independent film changed? One of the points that unified the first American independent films was the commitment to the alternative points of view, however, the recent studies on American independent cinema have defined what American independent cinema is not – it is not avant-garde, not experimental and not underground. What then American independent cinema is?
The indies’ most powerful institution is the Sundance Institute. The main criteria for participating in the festival are that films have to be independently produced and their budgets must have at least 50 per cent American financing. What role does the budget play in the new independent cinema? According to Emanuel Levy, now independent cinema is judged by its commercial success, not by its aesthetic daring or narrative quality.
Research question
The main research problem the collective research project “Indie Cinema and the Videogame Generation” addresses – Do independent filmmakers have something valuable to say about growing up today? How are those films presented to that audience? How do you bring today’s videogame generation into an independent cinema?
Sub question (for individual analysis – focus of the first stage of research project):
What is independent cinema and how does it differ from mainstream cinema?
For this initial question I’m focusing on I have come up with an additional question which would be examined during the research:
To what extent do American indies represent a true alternative to mainstream?
Research strategy
o Investigate the particular topic while organizing the Indie film festival.
o Read relevant literature (starting with Emanuel Levy’s “Cinema of Outsiders”)
o Watch independent films and analyze them (choose recent indie – might be Tarantino, as his films are acknowledged as “commercially entertaining” ones; and compare to a Hollywood product; still haven’t decided if I’ll actually focus on film from a more technical perspective, i.e. production process, however, it is leaning towards that, although I would like to do some more creative analysis as well)
o Reflect on the final product, i.e. film festival