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Independent Film

Independent Film

Independent film

  • An independent film is one made outside of the Hollywood studio system. 
  • The major Hollywood film studios are often referred to as 'The Big Six'.
  • These command a significant market share, and the budgets tend to be much bigger than those of an independent film.
  • The Big Six are:
  • Paramount
  • Warner brothers
  • 20th Century Fox
  • Universal
  • Columbia
  • Walt Disney

Bait

 

  • An independent UK film, released in August 2019.
  • Described as a 'now budget' film (no exact budget has been given)
  • It was directed by Mark Jenkin and initially recorded without sound
  • Sound was added in post-production
  • Jenkin also wrote and recorded the score.
This is an adequate example of a film produced as an independent film because:
  • Visuals, the use of black and white aesthetic. To look real. 
  • Unknown or no A-list actors may not be necessarily due to the low budget, but because they want to film to reflect a realistic story, and have that everyday look. 
  • More time spent on an Independent film with the pre-production and the production and little, if no time, on the post-production.
  • Emphasis on story through script and story board- pre production. 
Sight and Sound
Article on Bait in Sight and Sound magazine
  • Which distributor picked up Bait in the UK
BFI (British film institute), Julie Pearce
  • Where did they see it initially
Berlin film festival
  • What was the marketing strategy
Start in Cornwall and the southwest, to get word of mouth going, for this is was essential to get local commercial cinema operator WTW on board. As the film was based in Cornwall, it was important to market the product in Cornwall. 
The BFI released Bait in 23 cinemas on 30 August. 
  • How did Jenkin contribute to this?
Jenkin began a Q&A preview tour in Newlyn, his home town, on 16 August, continuing in WTW cinemas in Truro, Wadebridge and Newquay, and Falmouth, before venturing out to Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh and London. 
  • What did the film make on the opening weekend?
August 2019- £32,000 for the weekend, and £48,400 including previews. 
  • What was the films gross at the time of publication?
November 2019- £264,000
  • List some of it's technical specification
Mark Jenkin shot it in black and white on 16mm film, using a spring-wound Bolex camera. It also uses post-synch-sound, as it wanted to sychronise the sound with the visuals. 

But in the performance and simplicity, a lot of it is built out of the limitations in how I work with the camera. Im working with a 16mm Bolex that needs a finger holding down the shutter, so one hand is always busy when the camera is running. I can either pull focus or move the tripod head. So you never get a shot where I move camera and pull focus. Theres a real austerity in that which has something in common with what he did, but in a different way. 

  • Berlin: huge ques
  • Guardian review article
  • Director known for his experimental film
  • This is followed by a social media frenzy, which he describes as 'hundreds of comments'. 
  • Buzz- big distributors buy the film 
  • American premiere 
  • Shown- Italy, Turkey etc.
Joint ventures
Not all film shave this luxury though, so independent companies (i.e. those free from the control of a conglomerate) may undertake a joint venture- this is when one media company works with one another on a project mutually beneficial for both parties. 

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