ENGL221CC: American Independent Cinema

An independent film is one that has been funded independently of a major studio; typically the monies come from limited partnerships, personal loans, presales, private investors, or credit cards. The late 1980s and 1990s saw a tremendous emergence of U.S. independent cinema, as a variety of eccentric and challenging filmmakers and evolving film styles came to America. This course will focus on American independent film directors, the process of conception, funding to creation, and distribution of their initial film. With several directors we will explore their achievements and studio flops.