Film is a beautiful form of artistic escapism that has made an impact on so many people since its birth. It has served as not only entertainment but a way for filmmakers to exercise their artistic liberties and bring light to issues in the world.
As someone who was placed in front of the TV and forced to watch countless films with my movie-lover dad as a kid, I have an undeniable appreciation for the art of filmmaking. It shaped the way I viewed the world and made me more conscious of certain matters.
Though in recent years it seems that filmmakers have been remaking already existing films or ones connected to franchises. The recycling of old ideas is clearly caused by the preference for profit over art, and it’s worrying movie lovers about the future of filmmaking.
I think that although the consistent production of million-dollar movie franchises is being prioritized, there are still filmmakers and production companies that want to keep film as an artistic expression rather than a moneymaker.
I feel as though a lot of big production names like Disney or Universal Studios are promoting the ideology that films are made to make money. So they stick to old ideas, or specifically Disney’s progressively failing idea of making live-action versions of their old movies.
These popular companies know that in doing this, they will attract the audience that loved the originals. This makes it more of a guarantee that the movie will be liked and more people will go to the theaters or stream it at home.
The big problem with the incessant production of these reboots is that it leaves little room in the theater for independent films. It gives off the idea that these types of films are prioritized, but it is only because smaller filmmakers and companies aren’t being supported as much as they should be.
Though the large presence of these big film companies doesn’t mean that creatives in the industry do not exist anymore. There are still people out there supporting the ideas of smaller artists.
A24 is a great example of an independent production company working to support creative ideas and smaller filmmakers with talent. With its contribution to the indie film genre, I believe that it is helping diminish the erasure of artistic filmmaking.
Over time, the company’s growing name has reached the attention of many people. I personally feel myself drawn towards its films because I know that it supports independent filmmakers with amazing ideas.
As someone who loves non-conformist films and authentic ideas, I had to ask myself how I could support these artists as a viewer. I placed it upon myself to avidly support this underappreciated industry, so here are a few things I do to avoid monotonous filmmaking.
The first thing I started doing was supporting smaller filmmakers on the streaming services where their works are available. By doing this, the filmmakers are being compensated for their work, and it gives the streaming services the idea that these kinds of films are what people want to see.
In order to seek out more independent films, I downloaded the movie rating app Letterbox. I find that this app supports smaller films and suggests an array of them for people to watch. I have found a lot of unique and underappreciated films by downloading this app.
Another thing you can do is pay attention to the array of movies in the theaters and maybe try to go to one that has a director or cast you may not know. One person can make a big difference when it comes to box office numbers.
Keeping track of film festivals like Cannes or Sundance can bring to light some of their past winners or promote upcoming films being made that might be of interest. In supporting smaller films it can alert the consumer market that people want to see original movies from passionate creators.
The more support this type of filmmaking has, the more light can be shed on independent filmmaking. It is not just the filmmakers but the lovers of film to keep this art vibrant and imaginative so it doesn’t fade into the past. So let’s break the cycle of profit prioritization in the industry and give the power back to creativity.
