Why I believe independent feature films will end the stronghold Hollywood has on cinema.

In the era of mobility and having the power to create and edit videos straight a cellular device has given the every day person endless opportunity to create what they will. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and the giant YouTube have all provided a means for for millenials to create not only passive income, but become their full time jobs! This trend has been huge for tons of people, and the only area I haven’t seen completely change is with film and television.

There have been a few television shows and movies to come from indie creators making their own videos on the internet and gaining a lot of attention, but those people were mostly bought out by the big movie companies and were usually only a watered down version of what the original content was. One that sticks out to me is the hit Comedy Central show led by the very funny Illana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. Originally a web series comedy central picked up the show and led it through 5 awesome seasons ( way too short lived in my opinion).

Another example of YouTube content turned big budget movie is the YouTube short film Kung Fury, a 30 minute short film about a man who gets struck by lightening and bit by a snake and gains incredible Kung Fu abilities that are eventually used to go back in time to defeat Adolf Hitler. If you haven’t seen this I highly recommend it, as a sequel is being made for a 2021 release date with by names such as Michael Fassbender, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the return of David Sandberg as Kung Fury.

Now, I’ve talked a lot about what’s been bought up by the big wigs, but consider this: with the popularity of these shows a short films gaining attention without going through a major distributor or theater showing, how much do you think could be made off a show that starts gaining attention on it’s own? I look at cinema and it’s business the same way as I look at any company. Big company buys up and coming small business, utilizes its best aspect, then absorbs everything else, thus ridding itself of that business and just taking it to make profit under it’s own name.

Why should Hollywood be afraid of this? Because it is becoming easier and easier for the average filmmaker to create something and turn it into a potential and profitable work. Even for semiprofitable film work groups the ease and advanced capabilities of filming on a smartphone are making it to where independent filmmakers can do everything on their own with their smart devices and tablets, removing any need to get financing and funding from big Hollywood production company’s.

I’ve had a passion for film since I was young. It is my hope one day to become a writer a director. For years I’ve joined online film groups mostly based out of LA that give out budgets to director looking to get financing through people submitting their own script idea for a small fee. The issue that I’ve found with that though is that the people winning those budgets are close to the people who setup the fund, so people who really don’t have any connections and could use this type of assistance are usually left in the cold.

Which brings me to this: if you can make a short film or feature length using your every day electronic devices, the practice from that and by getting it scene online on platforms such as YouTube or shared on facebook by family and friends means completely cutting out the middle man and making the connections by the quality films coming out by those who really have a passion for it.

When you take a moment to consider how huge that is you see clearly just how easily the established Hollywood scene can get completely replaced. Especially with the talked about horror stories of having to work with big studios, big name actors, and the openly know sexual harassment allegations directed at those at the very top. Now, please don‘t think this is a political piece or a hate piece towards Hollywood. I’m not trying to talk negatively about anything. I’m simply trying to bring awareness to the fact that now WE the individual have the power to these things ourselves that we normally wouldn’t.

My goal has always been to work in film, but never in Hollywood. There are numerous people in the industry that I can reference that have completely helped me build this passion over the years; Martin Scoresese, Paul Thomas Anderson, Alfonso Cuaron, Stanley Kubrick to name a few. They are taught me so much by just watching their films and deserve the recognition. It’s their beginning though that I really would love to be at and stay at if I ever make a film. It’s knowing I have complete control over my work, and can change anything that I deem necessary. Not be at the mercy of a large corp that simply wants to make sure they will get their buck back.

Not that that’s terribly bad. It’s business. To me though it takes away from the art of cinema.

In short, I believe with the established ideals coming out from those who work on feature films and that aren’t looking for the money, but to complete a work of art, that’s where I believe we will find our next step int the next 100 years of cinema.