Independent vs Major Studio Film

by Gen

2 differences...

Firstly---
A Major Studio Film is usually a blockbuster film ... usually a action or thriller...
An Independent Film is usually of a special genre, like wildlife or contrevsal topics.

Second---
A Major Studio Film usually has a very big budget.
An Independent Film has a limited budget.

Examples of Independent Films---
The Silence of the Lambs
American History X
To Kill a Mockingbird
Magnolia

Examples of Major Studio Films---
Finding Nemo
The Sentinel
Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties

Now we will take a look at 2 independent film makers...

Woody Allen

Real Name - Allen Stewart Konigsberg

Woody Allen was born on December 1, 1935, as Allen Konigsberg, in Brooklyn, NY. When he was 15, he started selling one-liners to gossip columns. After working a while as a stand up comidian, he was hired to write What's New, Pussycat in 1965. He directed his first film a year later, What's Up, Tiger Lily? in 1966.

Trademarks:

Often makes films about a director making films, casts himself in the lead role.

Frequently plays a neurotic New Yorker.

Frequently casts himself, Diane Keaton, Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, and Judy Davis.

Often talks to the camera directly.

His thick black glasses, the same since the 60s.

His films are almost all set in New York City.



Spike Lee

Real Name: Shelton Jackson Lee

Spike Lee was born Shelton Lee in 1957, in Atlanta Georgia. At a very young age he moved from pre-civil rights Georgia, to Brooklyn, New York. Lee came from a proud and intelligent background. His father was a jazz musician, and his mother a school teacher. His mother dubbed him Spike, due to his tough nature. He attended school in Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he developed his film making skills. After graduating from Morehouse, to go to the Tisch School of arts graduate film program. He made a controversial short, The Answer (1980), a reworking of D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915) - a ten minute film. Lee went on to produce a 45 minute film Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983), which won a student academy award. However success did not mean money, and Lee's next film, 'The Messenger', in 1984, was somewhat biographical.

With pointed political messages, insightful, different and intelligent films, Spike Lee has become a well known political presence. He looks likely to have further success in the film business.

Trademarks:

Frequently casts himself.

Frequently casts John Turturro,Samuel L. Jackson, Delroy Lindo, and Roger Guenveur Smith.

His films frequently involve African Americans and African-American themes.

Films called "A Spike Lee Joint"

Frequently has characters directly address the camera. Frequently places actors on dollies to achieve a gliding or rotating effect against the background of the shot.

His films often have the phrase "Wake Up!" as in an urging to the awakening of maturity and social conscience.

Baseball: Every one of his narrative feature films makes reference to baseball teams and players.