You see them on the video shelves, with titles such as Shadow Tracker, Psycho Girls, and The Blair Witch Project. Skeptically, perhaps, you rent one and slip it into the VCR. Hey, you think, this isn't so bad--sometimes actually quite good. Suddenly, you discover that there is a whole range of movies from filmmakers operating outside the studio system that have their own attractions that the big budget fare can't match. You have, of course, discovered the world of independent filmmaking. A fascinating group of independent film directors and producers, in interviews with the author, discuss their work and the state of the independent film industry at the end of the 20th century. Joe Bagnardi, Dennis Devine, Andrew Harrison, Jeff Leroy, Andrew Parkinson, Brett Piper, and 23 others cover such topics as the increased interest in independent films and how they are changing thanks to high-tech advances. These filmmakers vary widely in age, experience, formats and budgets--and choice of subject matter--but they all have a great passion for their work.

From the flickering silent images of the nickelodeon to the roaring vibrancy of today's digital video productions, independent cinema has always challenged the way films are created, released and viewed. The History of Independent Cinema presents an extraordinary journey that revisits the innovative men and women who stood up to the status quo and brought revolutionary new ideas and technologies to the motion picture world. The History of Independent Cinema celebrates the pioneers who introduced color, sound, widescreen projection and videography to the filmmaking process. You will meet the brave individuals who tore down racial and gender barriers behind the camera, challenged censorship taboos imposed on film production, formulated new strategies for film distribution, and created many of the greatest movies ever made. Spanning the full spectrum of the U.S. film experience, The History of Independent Cinema is a tribute to the legendary filmmakers and landmark films that reshaped - and continue to reshape - American popular culture.

Original publication and copyright date: 1982.

“Essential for the aspiring filmmaker,” this is an inspiring, tell-all look at the independent film business from one of the industry’s most passionate supporters (Todd Solondz, director of Welcome to the Dollhouse) Hope for Film captures the rebellious punk spirit of the indie film boom in 1990s New York City and its collapse two decades later to its technology-fueled regeneration and continuing streaming-based evolution. Ted Hope, whose films have garnered 12 Oscar nominations, draws from his own personal experiences working on the early films of Ang Lee, Eddie Burns, Alan Ball, Todd Field, Hal Hartley, Michel Gondry, Nicole Holofcener, and Todd Solondz, as well as his tenures at the San Francisco Film Society, Fandor, and Amazon Studios, taking readers through the decision-making process that brought him the occasional failure as well as much success. Whether navigating negotiations with studio executives over final cuts or clashing with high-powered CAA agents over their clients, Hope offers behind-the-scenes stories from the wild and often heated world of “specialized” cinema--where art and commerce collide. As mediator between these two opposing interests, Hope offers his unique perspective on how to make movies while keeping your integrity intact and how to create a sustainable business enterprise out of that art while staying true to yourself. Against a backdrop of seismic changes in the independent film industry, from corporate co-option to the rise of social media and the streaming giants, Hope for Film provides not only an entertaining and intimate ride through the business of arthouse movies over the last decades, but also hope for its future. “There is nobody in the independent film world quite like Ted Hope. His wisdom and heart shine through every page.” —Ang Lee, Academy Award winning director of Brokeback Mountain

Critically acclaimed, award-winning independent filmmakers Mark and Michael Polish offer this practical guide to writing, shooting, editing, scoring, promoting, and distributing short and feature films--an indispensable resource for anyone interested in filmmaking.

With chapters on under-explored cinemas as well as traditional centres, Independent Filmmaking around the Globe explores how contemporary independent filmmaking increasingly defines the global cinema of our time.