Independent Cinema concept has been mentioned with different definitions since its emergence. It was born out of anti-Hollywood, it should be political, it should be withdrawn on a low budget… and so on. many ideas were put forward. Technically, “Independent Cinema ın means directors, screenwriters or actors; It is a concept that generalizes films that are not subject to the sanctions of the producer company and / or any external factors and that have managed to stay out of the economically existing world cinema industry wheel and are independent of content and budget.
History of Independent Cinema
In the film industry, the word cinema independent ilk was first pronounced in 1908. Under the leadership of Thomas Edison, the large film production and distribution companies, which hold a monopoly in the industry, form a union called “Edison Investment Trust”. The production companies that refused to join the union and were refused to join the union were defined as “independent”. These “independent” film companies, escaping from the big eastern film companies and Thomas Edison, who does not share their technology with anyone, go to Hollywood, a small western town, to make films in modest studios. Isn’t it ironic?
In time, a new production, distribution and screening system was established in Hollywood. This system will soon become an effective alternative to the ison Edison Investment Trust ”. In the mid-1930s, five major companies using this system were 20th Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures, RKO Pictures, and Warner Bros. These companies followed Columbia Pictures, United Artists, and Universal Studios.
As such, some filmmakers once again act under the name of “independent.. Mary Pickford, Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and D. W. Griffith came together on February 5, 1919 to form America’s first independent film company, United Artists. In 1941, the United Artists company, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney Orson Welles, Samuel Goldwyn, David O. Selznick is a member of a group of filmmakers, including founding the Independent Filmmakers Society. This community aims to protect the rights of independent filmmakers in industry controlled by the studio system.
Independent Cinema Today
The acquisition of high-tech digital film equipment at affordable prices has eliminated independent filmmakers’ dependence on large studios. The reduction in technology costs has made it possible for thousands of small film companies to make films just like big movie studios. The popularity of independent cinema has increased in the last 15 years, where not only filmmaking but also post-production has become easier.
With the spread of independent cinema, many films such as Reservoir Dogs, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Moon kazan have gained the love of critics and audiences, making films and films available. The biggest factor in making these films watchable is undoubtedly film festivals. In particular, the Sundance Film Festival, launched under the leadership of Robert Redford, has become a platform for independent filmmakers to show their films. In addition to Sundance, European Independent Film Festival, NYC Independent Film Festival and BFI Film Festival, thousands of independent film studios are meeting the audience. Since 2002,! F Istanbul Independent Film Festival has been bringing independent films to Turkish audiences in our country.
John Cassavetes: Father of Independent Cinema
Although the word “independent gir entered the literature in the 1900s, it was John Cassavetes who gave identity to the“ American Independent Cinema kimlik. He directed all of his films independent of major Hollywood studios, including adows Shadows ”,“ Faces, ”A Woman Under the Influence K and K The Killing of a Chinese Bookie” and “Opening Night bağımsız. Even the story of Cassavetes’ first film adows Shadows imi is very interesting in this respect. Cassavetes was a guest on Jean Shepherd’s radio show for the promotion of “Edge of the City, üzerine which says he could do a better job than Martin Ritt. Cassavetes takes this claim one step further and asks for $1 for the first film he will shoot from anyone listening to the radio.
Interestingly, the audience will send a total of $ 2,000 to the radio after this program. Cassavetes, with support from his friends Hedda Hopper, William Wyler, Joshua Logan, Robert Rossen, José Quintero and his manager Charlie Feldman, starts shooting Shadows with a total budget of $ 40,000. The film, in which the entire crew was inexperienced except for German cinematographer Erich Kullmar, was later described as a turning point in the birth of American independent cinema.
The way John Cassavetes chose to show his gratitude to the listeners who sent money to the radio for the film was also very pleasant. On the opening screen of the film, the director prints Shep Jean Shepherd’s Night People Presents, erek referring to radio audiences. John Cassavetes, who maintained his “independent” stance in his directing career after this film, also influenced many filmmakers since the 1960s.
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