Is Independent Filmmaking Dead?

Is Independent Filmmaking Dead? Blog post by Darius Stevens Wilhere

So you want to be a filmmaker?

So why do we hear in so many places about how hard it is to make money and survive as a filmmaker? It's pretty bleak sounding right? Earlier this year I had a couple friends who attended Sundance who told me that many of the discussions they were having were about it being a terrible time to be an independent filmmaker and how few people were surviving on it. 

This left me deep in thought for weeks. After all I had just finished an independent film. I want to continue making independent films. Is it truly terrible to be an independent film maker right now? 

And then I realized something: It doesn't matter. I am a film maker. Whether my journey as a film maker is blessed with unicorns who fart gold or cursed with the thousand slings and arrows of outrageous fortune (which in second thought might not be a bad thing).

What matters is your mindset. If you are only doing this for fame and fortune, trust me there are other careers which will help you get there faster. But if you want to be a film maker because you have to, because you have this passion for telling stories inside you that you can't get rid of, then there is no greater time in history to be a film maker. 

You don't have to have an in with a studio bigwig to make your movie now. You just have to have an account at B&H and Amazon where you can buy basic gear, friends who want to make movies with you and a lot of passion.  

Technology has given us the capability to create stories which look just as good as anything on the big screen from just a decade ago for a fraction of the cost. More importantly it has given us the ability to share those stories with the entire world. Instantly. 

Have a look at the video above and learn this mantra: 

1. It is the best time in history to be an indie filmmaker.

2. Forget about the pursuit of instant success and fame, focus on telling great stories and making people passionate about your art. 

3. Remember that you are not just an independent film maker, you are an independent filmmaking studio. As the studio executive it is your job to figure out how to make movies with the resources that you have available to you and to make them. 

In the next blog post and video, I'll cover strategies to help you survive while you focus on your career. 

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Is Independent Filmmaking Dead? Blog post by Darius Stevens Wilhere