Indie movies tend to be better than major studio projects

By Shelby Horton

The years 2015 and 2016 are promising to be great for the movie industry, as many major branded movies will be coming out.

In 2015 we have “The Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Star Wars VII,” “Jurassic Park,” and “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

As if that’s not a big enough year, within the next year “Batman vs. Superman,” “Deadpool,” and “Avatar 2” come out.

These movies are have big attention because they’re marketable.

Several future titles have well-known name, Marvel and DC comics have been pumping out major movies since 2013.

The comic book industry has made a major impact in the movie industry, along with the flood of sequels to previous successes.

But what about the underdog, the independent films?

Independent Films are movies that are not distributed or owned by a major corporation such as Disney, Warner Brothers, and Paramount.

They are funded through private investors, or through the directors and producers. The films are character-driven, with grainy visuals, using natural light and inspired cinematography.

The films usually reflect ongoing struggles and social issues, along with an artistic take on the story.

The movie industry’s huge corporarte studios, such as Disney and Fox, have lost their original sense of purpose of telling a story around a character that will encourage thought and discussion among viewers.

Now it’s all about making a quick buck with a major brand name.

Independent films are being buried underneath these major brands. The integrity of movies is at risk.

“Hollywood has become an institution that is more interested in launching the next rubberized action figure than in making an interesting movie,” said Mark Harris, a movie critic and author.

Branded movies are still doing well. Take the success of “The Hunger Games,” and “Star Wars.”

Both are heavily branded franchises, but they have are examples of masterful storytelling skills. However, this does not leave some of the audience without the bitter taste of branding.

“Branding as a concept can make the creation process feel artificial, like it has superseded the artistry,” said Jeremiah Dollins, a film instructor in Colton, California.

Branding isn’t entirely evil since it can put an audience in the seats, and the movies can be thought- provoking.

Also studios are learning that even though they have a branded film, it may not be a winner.

An example of this is when “Twilight.” Even though it was a popular brand, it became less popular at their end.

An audience can tell when a brand is just producing more films, to have fatter paychecks.

Branded movies are overshadowing the independent film industry, but it hasn’t consumed it.

In 2014, independent films came out with a bang, and they can do it again.

Branded movies are good, but independent films are better.

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