March 2, marked the end of the film and TV award season, where the academy and various platforms celebrated the best films of 2024. From the British Academy Film Awards to the Oscars, this year’s winners pool was rather consistent with films like “Anora,” “The Brutalist” and “Emilia Perez” winning big in many major categories.
With that being said, this year’s nominations also reflected a strong need for independent films to be platformed more prominently.
There is no doubt that independent films have more freedom to discuss and display a myriad of ideas and cross the boundaries of storytelling that studio films may not be able to. Some of the Academy’s most decorated films fit into more niche emotionally challenging sectors of film like “Moonlight” of 2016 or “CODA” of 2021.
This is not to say that a massive budget ($145 million) negates a good story. “Wicked” is a great example of this, although the box office hit that took social media by storm with its captivatingly talented ensemble and worldbuilding, walked away without a single win in the major categories despite several nominations.
Films like “Sing Sing” and “A Real Pain” were both nominated in various categories, which took about under $4 million to make, and shared fresh and thoughtful stories that left audiences feeling and connecting on a new level after watching.
Independent films require the extra step of advocating for themselves for the resources to get these stories told. The Best Picture winner proved that these films are worth paying attention to, spending money on and celebrating. So, how can we platform these films at a higher rate? The simple answer: spreading the wealth.
The seniors of the university’s TV & Film program are just a few with intriguing stories to share, but many challenges in the way of breaking into the industry that they love, and funding is one of them.
These students are crafty and creative when it comes to using what they have to their advantage and more often than not, it is social media that they can turn to. One of those seniors is Keith Stokes, from Jacksonville, Florida.
His film, “The Last Claim” which follows an insurance claims adjuster who has a fatal encounter with a scored client and is presented with a major decision in the afterlife, is currently underway.
To forgo the issue of finding investors or studios with their built-in resources for his film, Keith and his team utilize social media and the Howard network to send out the links and information for everything from funding to crew calls. The Howard network allows him to communicate with people he has worked with before as well as spread the word to get the production up and running.
“Especially being on campus, you run into so many different people that you’ve worked with before, so you get to see how they work. And either you bring them on to work with you or you go work with them,” Stokes said.
But even with these small luxuries of a university, the disparity will follow these filmmakers as they move through the industry. Director and owner of The Content House Production Company, Sharik Atkinson, worked hard to get her creative foot in the door and has no plan to slow down despite the challenges.
Social media has played a larger-than-life role in the lives of many creatives. Similar to the music streaming model, independent talents have had the opportunity and obligation to make their way and Atkinson is no stranger to this.
“You really have to make opportunities for yourself, which is why I think TikTok and social media have been so big is because it allows people to pretty much make their opportunities for themselves,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson’s short film “Bodego,” which follows two queer girls crossing paths in a Brooklyn deli, served as a social media success story clocking in at nearly 200k views on YouTube just two months after posting with the help of social media platforms. This story is one of many by Atkinson that highlights queer people of color, protagonists we don’t see often enough, as if diversity is perilous.
“I think it’s incredibly necessary [for investors] to take risks because if you really think about it, it makes a bit more sense for an investor to invest $5 million in four projects instead of $20 million in one project because that really allows for a diversity of risk,” Atkinson said.
So why not cast a wider net? When spreading the wealth, the pool of thought grows larger and bigger, and with the rate at which topics change and trends shift, it makes the most sense to spread out the millions across various creators and allow one or all of the ideas to land.
With the hope that the people with the deep pockets will catch on to the independent film revolution, Atkinson, Stokes and seemingly The Academy are looking forward to further recognition of these films without the common barrier of garnering the money and attention that other films may not have to fight as hard for.
As the changes in the industry continue to evolve, it is important to remain curious and attentive to the range of voices that will come out of that. No two stories are the same, and each deserves its chance in the sun.
Copy edited by Anijah Franklin
