The Indie Movement
Indie: The Independent Movement
D.I.Y. culture has entered a new age with the modern indie movement surging strong across all mediums. Music, movies, television, even home businesses are now seeing stories of self-made success. The primary tool used for facilitating these success is the internet. Regardless of the means though, people are now becoming successful at what they want to do. More importantly though, they’re doing it all themselves. The internet has changed the rules of modern media. First off, it is important to note that the playing field has been leveled.
The internet now allows for people to get their ideas and products out into the vast world of consumers at a very cheap cost. The mass networking available allows artists to cut out the middle man, thus increasing personal risk and gain. People can now create their own products, and sell them without the aid of a larger business model. Surely the internet is playing a large role in not only educating the public, but in facilitating a means for them to connect with one another. It used to be that a person needed help getting their product out to the public. However, the new modern store front is the webpage.
Mass distributors or expensive start-up capital spent on an actual storefront are no longer necessary. Vendors can now do it all themselves. The result of the modern indie movement is an increase in individuality. Whereas mass products were usually somewhat homogenized to enhance mass appeal, newer indie products pride themselves on vision and personality. The list of compromises artists are being forced to make is decreasing. Particularly, in film and music artists are taking matters into their own hands. People are creating things themselves, and living or dying by their own choices.
No longer are we a culture who’s products are molded around focus group opinions, but rather we receive raw goods direct for the source. There are pros and cons to this new way of life. Clearly the independence of the artist is allowing for more unique goods to make it to the consumer. Also, the middle man being cut out has lowered prices, and lessened the fees a person used to have to pay just to get their products noticed. However, this new way of business has offered a flood of options. Consumers now have more choices, which is good or bad depending on your opinion. Regardless, the indie movement is alive and kicking. Like it or not, this movement is changing the way the world does its business and distributes its art.
