US Independent Film

In this twice a week lecture, students will explore the history of independent film production and distribution in America, from the early 20th Century to the present. The course will look at all aspects and genres of independent cinema, from art films to exploitation films, and will examine the work of numerous filmmakers whose work either sprang from the independent world or remained there.

We will pay particular attention to the unique things independent films can do, but studio films can't, such as: subject matter that addresses politics, race, or religion; unconventional approaches to form and structure; boldness in casting; storytelling that eschews formula; extremes of sexuality, violence, and language; representation of minorities and subcultures; and appeal to niche audiences. 

The result will be a shadow history of the entire film industry, as students learn how innumerable innovations have migrated from independent experimentation to the cinematic mainstream. It's also a shadow history of the last 125 years, due to the immediacy of independent cinema, which often reflects the world with far less artifice and mediation than studio-produced movies.