Independent film vs studio film

INTRODUCTION 



Numerous people have pondered a similar question as independent film grows in notoriety. What is the difference between an independent film and a studio film? For many, the lines are blurry and undefined. The question is a roadblock to the medium's success, seeing that people don't know where to invest. Due to the creative decline of studio films, people have grown desperate for a new source of entertainment. But read this post to its conclusion to learn what separates them.



THE DIFFERENCES

The contrast between the two mediums is complex. There are three factors that separate independent films from studio films. They are funding, film distribution, and storytelling.



INDEPENDENT FILM



For independent films:



• FUNDING-The money for these movies comes from many sources. But funds are more scarce to come by for independent productions. The big reason is that indie filmmakers don't have the corporate backing of studios like Disney to burn billions. They're close-knit groups of passionate artists, not faceless corporations. So they must hunt and scavenge for their money. And it makes it harder for them to get investor support, seeing that they don't have brand recognition as collateral. But still, a filmmaker can get their support if they have a compelling case for why their project will succeed. However, there are several other options for filmmakers. Crowdfunding, grants, loans, and product placements are the most common ways.
• DISTRIBUTION-The act of getting independent films to an audience is complex. It all falls on the shoulders of the filmmakers in a process called self-distribution. In the process, they're solely responsible for the movie's success. After finishing their project, most people would send their work to one of the film festivals like Cannes. In the festivals, they receive exposure and good reviews that can entice them to a larger audience. And then, possibly, a longer run in theaters. However, there are less conventional options. For example, creators may want to network with their colleagues, building a social media presence to advertise and release their work on platforms like Google Play.
• STORYTELLING- The way creators craft their stories in independent films is miles apart from studio films. Independent filmmakers ' productions are extensions of themselves put in the medium of film. They use their life experiences to inform their writing decisions. These could include their defeats, victories, and everything in between. They view their movies as stories people need to see, thinking they have vital lessons or truths! Most likely because their lived experiences reinforced said beliefs in them. And more often than not, they're stories that go against the trends of the wider industry. The best example would be George Lucas's original Star Wars. The established studios of the time rejected his movie. But he didn't stop trying until it finally reached theaters through his company, Lucasfilm!





STUDIO FILMS



For studio films:



• FUNDING-The money for studio films similarly comes from multiple sources. For example, many companies that produce entertainment have additional streams of income. Disney has its theme parks, and Amazon has its shipping services. However, most companies rely on four pillars of income. And they are theaters, physical media, streaming, and investors. After a movie finishes its run in theaters, the studio takes half the earnings, leaving the remaining half to the theaters. Next, they would expand on its success by selling the movie on DVDs. Later, they would loan the film to a streaming platform, charging the owners licensing fees. But investors stand apart from the other pillars as companies put more stock in their money. With the increasing cost and unlikelihood of a movie's success, they rely on their money to subsidize their companies and productions.
• DISTRIBUTION-The process has grown complex in recent years. In the modern day, investors play a substantial role in a film's release. Investor money is needed more and more to subsidize their work. So, studios must promise high returns on investment to get their support. They manage their production and marketing around an agreed date on top of additional demands. The two parties settle on dates for a run in theaters, first locally and then internationally. However, the company keeps only half the earnings. The remaining half stays with the theaters, so they send the movie to other platforms to pay back the investors. Streaming has become critical for films, with the massive push for digital media. Studios either endeavor to make their streaming service or loan their projects to others to charge licensing fees.
• STORYTELLING-The writing on studio films can be formulaic for the creators working on them. People have levied a common criticism of unoriginality. But it comes from the same source for most industry standards money. The Executives who run the studios want profits above all else. So, they try to predict and follow popular trends. They have meetings with their marketing team and investors, managing their characters. It leads to them enforcing widespread mandates on all their projects, trying to mimic the success of another project. For example, the effects of Game of Thrones' acclaim are still here. Studios consistently try to market their fantasy shows for a Game of Thrones audience. They even alter the thematic core of their established source material to match the show better. Studio films are now well known for their restrictiveness on all but the top one percent of creators working in the industry.



CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the factors stem from how close the creators are to their projects. Independent films are extensions of the artist, using their life experience to write them. And they carry a massive amount of emotional value for those involved. But studio films are largely impersonal tasks for making money, lacking emotional value for those involved. In short, the difference between them is their levels of intimacy with the project.