The constant struggle for independent filmmakers: Part One

In the upcoming weeks, I will delve into a long-standing issue that has bothered me within the film industry. Specifically, I will explore the current state of independent filmmaking and how and where they are choosing to showcase their content, taking into account the transformative impact of the streaming industry, the lack of opportunities, the growing divide between independent and corporate and what the future may hold for these filmmakers.

YouTube

YouTube has emerged as a vast platform, housing a large amount of content from individuals all around the globe. This has paved the way for many filmmakers to achieve newfound success and recognition. Moreover, it serves as a primary hub for filmmakers seeking tutorials, reviews, industry insights, and more. The platform offers impressive features such as custom thumbnails, high-resolution exporting, and auto-generated subtitles. However, it is not without its significant challenges.

One of the most notable obstacles on YouTube is the sheer volume of content available. While the diversity of perspectives and backgrounds is positive, this saturation makes it increasingly difficult to locate specific content. With no quality checks required to post a video, You must sift through countless mediocre or irrelevant videos to discover the right content. Consequently, this poses a considerable challenge for filmmakers who struggle to garner engagement and viewership for their work.

Furthermore, the YouTube algorithm tends to favour shorter, family-friendly content, which impacts independent films' visibility on the platform's home and trending pages. If you were to visit the trending page today, it would be hard to find more than a single short film featured, highlighting the platform's priorities, which unfortunately do not align with the interests of filmmakers. Additionally, YouTube's fair use copyright policy remains a significant concern. Often, YouTubers receive warnings or strikes on their channels for alleged copyright infringement, even when their usage falls within the boundaries of fair use laws. This not only hinders content discoverability but also removes monetization opportunities for affected videos.

It is essential to emphasize that I do not consider YouTube a detrimental platform for filmmakers. In fact, I believe it offers great potential and serves as one of the many avenues for independent filmmakers to share their content. However, in my next post, I will explore the rise of streaming services and how their emergence has impacted the realm of independent filmmaking.

Thank you for reading!