New Media
10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2011
The Independent's Nikki Chase lists the top 10 filmmakers we think you should watch this year.
May 17th, 2011 | Nikki Chase
From animation and shorts, to Web series, narrative features and documentaries, The Independent's 10 to Watch list brings you filmmakers from all backgrounds and genres, each of whom has one very important thing in common: Crazy-big talent.
It's time for our annual 10 Filmmakers to Watch list. We’ve pooled our resources and brainpower to get the scoop on who’s who this year.
Facebook Exclusive Content for 10 to Watch
Via Facebook, The Independent announces our 10 to Watch in 2011 with one filmmaker (and one piece of exclusive content) per day, from May 6th through the 15th.
May 6th, 2011
We'll be announcing our annual list of 10 of the most talented filmmakers we think you should keep your eye on by posting exclusive content daily on our Facebook page.
Editor's Note: This collaborative reporting effort was led by Nikki Chase, Maddy Kadish and Beth Brosnan.
Beyond a Social Network
At SXSW, Steven Abrams explores the threads between technology, fundraising, and independent filmmaking.
March 24th, 2011 | Steven Abrams
What's interactive to the third or fourth power? SXSW and its deepening relationship to all things tech and social media. Steve Abrams comments on how, at this year's fest, the intersection of social networking, fundraising, and technology affected the showcased films and which filmmakers are leading by example.
South by Southwest (SXSW) has become a convergence of film, interactive media, and music, as the lines between these media have increasingly blurred. So it's appropriate that David Dworsky and Victor Köhler's documentary, Press Play Pause, was chosen for an opening night premiere.
Distributor FAQ: FilmBuff
In an interview with FilmBuff's Chris Horton, The Independent asks about the evolving landscape of digital distribution, and whether or not it's an independent filmmaker's new best friend.
July 30th, 2010 | Courtney Sheehan
More and more filmmakers use digital release platforms like iTunes, Netflix Streaming, and Video-on-Demand. Chris Horton, head of acquisitions for FilmBuff, explains the role his company can play in digital distribution.
FilmBuff is a digital distribution service provided by Cinetic Rights Management (CRM). Although FilmBuff is less than three years old, its sister company, Cinetic Media, has been a major player in film sales since 2001.
How an Innovative Web Doc Secured Traditional Distribution
French filmmakers David Dufresne and Philippe Brault used web engagement to stir interest in American prison reform.
July 15th, 2010 | Courtney Sheehan
Led by two French filmmakers, the web doc Prison Valley addresses prison reform in the US with an interactive online format, making a splash in the world of digital journalism and securing distribution with Arte TV in France.
Prison Valley, a multimedia prison reform project, tells the tale of Fremont County, Colorado: a tiny patch of the Southwest packed with 13 prisons and a local economy that revolves around the incarceration of 7,735 people—many of whom are the county’s own residents.
A Meeting of Worlds: YouTube Biennial at the Guggenheim
Courtney Sheehan reports on the Guggenheim’s foray into digital culture and the mixed reactions to merging low and high culture
July 9th, 2010 | Courtney Sheehan
YouTube and the Guggenheim are joining forces to orchestrate “the first biennial of creative video,” called YouTube Play. The Independent's Courtney Sheehan ponders the high-meets-low aspect of this endeavor with help from the blogosphere.
The Guggenheim Museum: one of the art world’s most venerable institutions, home of masterpieces from the Impressionist movement to the modern era.
Struggle and Triumph for Haiti's Ciné Institute
Against all odds, students and faculty at Haiti's Ciné Institute use their cameras to transform pain and destruction into artful moving images.
May 6th, 2010 | Beth Brosnan
In a special report for The Independent, Beth Brosnan speaks with students and staff of Ciné Institute, Haiti's only professional film school, about life after the region's devastating earthquake. Brosnan explores how, months later, they're using filmmaking techniques to cope with tragedy, rebuild, and even thrive in the face of adversity.
On January 12th, Haiti’s only professional film school, Ciné Institute, lost its main building in the massive earthquake that devastated the Port-au-Prince region.
Building an Audience with Social Media
Social media is free, can reach a large audience, and did we mention it's free? Two filmmakers share pointers on how they used social media to their advantage.
February 17th, 2010 | JBlair Brown
Let's face it...social media is quickly taking over the world. With everyone and their mother – literally – on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, how can independent filmmakers use social networking to find and build an audience?
Your film has all the elements of an underground hit: tears, laughter, intrigue, love, hate, betrayal… audiences will love it! But you spent your entire budget on production.
So the question remains: How can you effectively spread the word so that your film is viewed by as many people as possible, particularly when you lack adequate funding?
What Is Social Media?
10 to Watch in 2010... Plus Five Runners-Up
After 10 days of Facebook-exclusive interviews, the suspense is finally over: The Independent's 10 filmmakers to keep an eye on in 2010... and the runners-up.
February 4th, 2010 | Nikki Chase
They come from all walks of life, and each has a different story to tell. Some have found success, while others are just beginning their careers. And although their filmmaking reflects this diversity, they all have one major thing in common (other than being on this list): talent. Be sure to take notes as you read...you'll want to remember these filmmakers.
Choosing The Independent's 10 to Watch is like trying to predict the future, or the stock market, or the weather in New England. The films on this list are in all stages of production and the filmmakers range from seasoned professionals to debut artists. So you might wonder how we named this particular group. How, exactly, does one go about predicting what 2010 has in store?
AIVF: And What it Meant to Me
July 1st, 2006I first became aware of AIVF when Martha Gever was editor of The Independent. I marveled at this national organization that put out each month a magazine chock full of weighty, intellectual and critical articles on film and video.
See all The Independent's