All I want to do is make independent movies

Some folks just want to make movies. Good movies. Movies that scare or thrill, frighten or inspire, movies that make you feel something. Filmmakers just want to make movies.

The only problem is many filmmakers are stuck, dead smack in the middle of the "independent film movement." It is a movement as fragmented, disjointed and self-serving as any white-collar business in the US, despite the fact that many of the movement members are jean-clad.

Once upon a time being an independent filmmaker meant something. It was part of a dream, a step up the rungs of aspiration so that one day, said filmmaker wouldn't have to be independent. A successful documentarian once said, "Do not rely on other filmmakers for your personal success." What he said still resonates and examples of it waft through the air of social media like lung-choking smoke. The indie film world is engulfed in a sea of factions and gurus and self-proclaimed independent marketing experts. Many of whom cannot and do not sustain a meaningful financial existence from their endeavors. These the folks who have marched many unsuspecting filmmakers into a dizzying wilderness, just like the Pied Piper.

The problems lies in the forgotten belief that independent filmmaking was to be an all-inclusive, welcome-to-the-party celebration of artistry at every level. The bad, the poor, the mediocre, the inspired, and the genius. Filmmakers paid their dues through blood, sweat and tears. Filmmakers understood that their first works might... suck. But it was a part of the process. In the end, it was all about joining the community, and then enhancing the community through once continued growth as an artist.

Not so now. Now many filmmakers believe that their freshman film effort is on par with the likes of Bergman or Hitchcock. But even that isn't the problem. The problem is independent filmmaking has become and industry.  Like any industry, it is now ripe with charlatans, snake-oil salesmen, and liars. Unfortunately, even that isn't the main cause of the largess surrounding the independent film community.

The main problem lies in the filmmakers themselves. The community is replaced by organizations, cliques and factions. It's ripe with folks who have shrewdly placed themselves at the top of the heap and not beckon to others to follow. They set up Google Alerts and RSS feeds to snatch information from the air and spit it back out in the form of enlightened education.

But some people just want to make films.

Those who just want to make films are bombarded by information telling them how little they know and how stupid it is to believe in the dream that once fueled the hearts and minds of independent filmmakers. They're told to forget about Hollywood distribution deals, despite the fact that these deals still go on. They are told that Hollywood doesn't have their best interest at heart, when in truth, no one does. They hear glorious speeches about empowerment and regular receive do-it-yourself pep talks. But in the end, when the filmmaker questions the indie film community in the same way he questioned Hollywood, they are no longer welcome.

A community exchanges ideas, beliefs, philosophies and ideas -- and they do so with understanding and tolerance. There is no more tolerance in the indie film community. If you attack the film gods, those flesh-and-blood men who've leveraged their way to the top of the crab barrel, you are a fool. 

But some people just want to make films. Some filmmakers have fully embraced the flow of technology and the manner in which it heavily influences independent do-it-yourself filmmaking. They understand Twitter, Facebook and Friend Feed. They employ search engine optimization in the CSS code on their pages. They purchase film festival survival manuals.  They know that they have to put on their marketing hat once the film is made. But do they have to give up on the dream? 

The cliques say, "yes." They say yes despite the fact that they would gladly jump ship in hopes of no longer being independent if given the right distribution and first-look deals for their projects. What will they say to this? They will say, "Of course I would because that is what I've always wanted."

Always wanted? So wait a minute, they never gave up on the dream for themselves, but in order to convince you that they were enlightened and smart, they convinced you to empower yourself and give up on your dream.

Name one successful independent filmmaker who stayed independent after their film went wide, grew an audience and...studio attention.

But the cliques rule. There are several of them and they are smart enough to tap into each other's strengths and weakness to further their cause. They pimp each other with congratulatory slaps on the back and tell others how cool the new guru is. They're linked together, like terrorist cells, exchanging information that keeps them in power.

Often these cliques reach into the masses and bring someone in closer. Sometimes a clever filmmaker, artist or auteur successfully manipulates his/her way into the clique. He is rewarded for his efforts with inclusion. They unify around certain projects or certain filmmakers who have bought into their cause. They claim to be the champions of indie filmmakers yet they are quick to offer the silent treatment to those filmmakers who still believe in the dream.

The clique claims to respect hard work and effort -- but if a filmmaker challenges their ideas they withhold their influence. There is no open door policy in the indie film community. The only heated discussions are about which filmmaker was the French equivalent of Kurosawa. There are no debates, only bullying tactics to put filmmakers back in their place.

Some filmmakers just want to make films. They want to write, direct, produce, edit and watch their film a hundred times. They want to watch their film in a tiny theater with ten paying customers. 

Some filmmakers want to dream about making the film that will end their independence.

If you are someone like me who just wants to make a film, or if you are a film fan, please help this filmmaker bypass the BS and make a film. My next project is an epic fantasy film that takes place in an enchanted land in ancient Chins.  Please visit my fundraising campaign on Kickstarter. Help me make the film that will end my independence. Then I will be able to return to the indie film community, find others like myself, and drag them out of that godforesaken place.

Help me make, Legend of Black Lotus. Learn all about it here: http://kck.st/d5cQmu