We explain what something indie is, and what is the origin of the term. In addition, we tell you what indie music and indie cinema are like.
what is something indie?
The term indie is a loan from English, specifically from the abbreviation of independently, that is, “independent”, which has been used since the 1980s to refer, in general, to cultural products that do not come from the large Business of the item (that is, mainstream), but of alternative initiatives that, in principle, are less likely to follow a strict market logic.
This term is used, mainly, to distinguish between music and mass cinema, produced for the general public and with commercial success as a purpose, from other initiatives that would be more committed to the art and with quality. Thus, there is often talk of "indie music" or "indie cinema" to refer to proposals outside the large circuits of distribution and consumption of music. culture.
The success of the label indie, however, ended up becoming a western subculture, based on the association of the independent with quality.
The followers of "indie culture", therefore, aspire to distance themselves from the tastes, ways of life and consumption patterns of the great masses, embracing the ideals of the autonomy, the DIY (do-it-yourself, that is, “Do it yourself”) and the idea of achieving an “own style” outside of the trends promoted by the culture mainstream. Originality, singularity and irreverence are aspirations of the "indie" mode of consumption.
Music indie
The music indie or independent is not exactly a genre or a musical trend, so it does not have common aesthetic features or identifiable trends. Simply, it is that music that does not come from the big record labels and that does not fit with the patterns sustained by the music industry. mainstream. This means that independent music responds much less to popular trends and fads, and more to genuine and personal pursuits.
In general, for an artist or a band to be classified as "indie", some of the following conditions must be met:
- The performers are not part of the commercial music circuit, nor do they have the support of large cultural or advertising broadcasting and marketing companies, so they reach their audience through marginal or alternative spaces.
- The musical project does not aspire to commercial success, but to avant-garde and musical experimentation, often going against the current of what is fashionable.
- The records are produced and marketed by a minor record label, of an amateur nature or openly opposed to the system.
- The artistic process falls entirely (or almost entirely) in the hands of the musicians, without interfering with decisions of marketing or commercial distribution policies.
Cinema indie
The marginal condition of cinema indie often translates into greater creative freedoms.
The cinema indie o Independent cinema is one that is made outside the large channels of production, promotion and distribution of films and projects audiovisual, such as Hollywood and its associated companies. In general, these are projects with low budget, since they do not have the resources of the so-called official cinema or cinema mainstream, and are often financed through cooperative or alternative investment models.
As with independent music, there are no esthetic or thematic features that are essential or characteristic of cinema. indie, since it is not an aesthetic movement, but a marginal position with respect to the great circuits of the film industry.
However, this marginal condition often translates into greater creative freedoms, so that independent cinema can tackle more daring themes (or in a more daring, raw, frontal way) such as drugs, sexual diversity or social decadence in general.
Regarding the aesthetics of the cinema indie, it is usual that the absence of great resources and capital implies the need for greater imaginative efforts and more specific languages on the part of the filmmakers. Conventional cameras are often used instead of professionals, closed sets and few actors, which in turn allows more avant-garde bets, given the lower fear of commercial risk. Even so, indie cinema is extremely diverse in terms of artistic proposals.