Group (c) - Undependent, Avant-guard, Experimental, Lo-fi
A film produced as an artistic expression that does not necessarily
follow a scripted, narrative plot structure. Funding sources for these
low/no budget films range from the individual filmmaker's pocket to
arts grants and patrons. This group is treated as a minor offshoot
in the mainstream's annals of filmmaking history. When in reality,
this catchall category includes the widest variety and quality of
films ever produced. For example, this category covers many first
films by aspiring filmmakers as well as movies by artists such as
Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, Maya Dern, Stan Brakhage, and Andy Wharhol.
The goal of the undependent filmmaker is to make better films, not
to enter into the Hollywood Industrial Complex.
Though considered mainstream, there is nothing normal to filmmaking
about the standard, large-budget, plot-driven filmstyle. Certainly
it can lead to impressive results, but the process is an incredible
filmmaking contrivance that requires a great deal of method and manipulation.
Nevertheless, this single style is propagated as the only definition
of "normal" filmmaking. As such, any aspirant to this sort of filmmaking
is expected to chase boring, unstable, low-paying jobs in the industry
that have little or nothing to do with the nuts and bolts reality
of filmmaking. Real filmmaking tasks - such as shooting, directing
and editing - are divided-up by the industry and then offered only
to those who have endured this system for years or graduated from
expensive filmschools or are otherwise properly connected.
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