Let me start by saying that my transition into Indie was not a recent one but rather a very gradual movement I've been making over the past few years. I was never really raised mainstream child, but I wasn't raised Indie either. I didn't care what I listened to as long as it wasn't country and I didn't care what movies I watched as long as they weren't chick-fliks. I just cruised along in my own little boat of homeschooling completely unaware of any peer pressure for the first twelve years of my life. Sure, my loud personality was (and still is) easily defined but I never had a preference in movies or music. I just didn't care.
My first dip into Indie began after I started caring about what I listened to and watched. I didn't like most of what was being played on the radio anymore because it was all so redundant and honestly, kind of shallow. I didn't like most of the movies I watched because I'd seen it all before. It was like the copy-cat had a litter of copy-kittens and they were now running my generation. I'd seen the "mainstream" world, and I didn't like it. Being an individual means being different, a solitary personality that is truly defined your own by what you like, what you do, and what you live for. I didn't like mainstream, so I didn't listen to it and peer pressure never changed my mind.
Indie : Independent
Independent, not a follower. The indie band does it because they love it. The indie filmmaker does it because it's they're passion. They want to be defined as someone who tried something different. Sounds like how I've always wanted to be defined.
Plus, you have to respect a person who can make something amazing out of so little. Think about it. When a Hollywood film is being made and they come across an issue they throw money at it. When an Indie film is being made and they come across an issue, they have to find a way around it, which forces creativity and doing something new and different. Sometimes that creativity can bomb, and other times that creativity is the indie filmmakers best friend.
If this rant was inspired because Sundance is in the air, I don't know. Indie is not for everyone, even I haven't made the full transition. But it is something different, and I like that.
Mel,
ReplyDeleteYou are a different kind of person. New and exciting. When you first came to our school, I didn't know you. Only saw a Sullen-type girl in the middle of the Drama room. Well, when you did your improv-monologue, I became fascinated with your personality. I had never met someone as interesting as you, to be honest. Now look where we are! Great friends, and with only a year of knowing each other. Seems longer, huh? This post is inspiring. That’s the kind of filmmaker I wanna be. New. Different. Tries new things. Finds ways around problems. And in this day and age, mainstream rules almost everything. Stay Indie.