When people think of movies, they think of Hollywood, a big name good-looking star, and flashy special effects. Independent or “indie” films aren’t always on the “Must See” list of the average movie goer.

However, the advancement of technology may change this. With the advent of the digital age, independent film makers and companies are starting to get their films out to the widest possible audience. Technology is making the possibility of creating spectacular films on a shoestring budget feasible, something that, years before, could not happen.

“When it comes to the technology, a lot of movie theaters are saying they are going digital. From a practical standpoint, it’s a lot easier,” says Wolf Moon Films CEO Mark Armstrong. “You don’t have to worry about bringing in reels that weigh 150 pounds.”

Indeed it has become easier. Years before the digital revolution, indie film makers were filming movies like everyone else, on film. This was expensive and time consuming, especially for an indie filmmaker on a small budget. Quality was also a problem as indie filmmakers generally couldn’t afford good and clean film compared to the major studios, so the quality was lower. Now with digital filmmaking, the quality in the finished product is much better.

Technology has also produced the Red Camera. The Red Camera is a digital camera that is lighter and easier to use compared to the old film cameras. The Red camera has already been used several times on big Hollywood productions such as Ron Howard’s Angels and Demons, Wanted, and the more recent Oz: The Great and Powerful, directed by Sam Raimi.

Before the Red Camera was invented, independent film makers shot most of their films on 16mm cameras, which were cheaper than the professional grade 35mm cameras being used by the mainstream studios. Still, the process cost a lot of money and the quality of most of the films shot on 16mm was either mid-grade or poor.

Not just cameras have changed, but distribution as well.  Before the digital age, distribution for independent filmmakers was just as challenging as actually making the film. Most of the time, major studios would either ignore an independent film completely, or if they did decide to distribute it, like what happened with Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, in a limited release. This can cause frustration for an independent filmmaker in that their finished product isn’t reaching the widest possible audience.

Now independent filmmakers can form their own companies and help distribute other independent films, like Mark Armstrong’s Wolf Moon Films, and the New Zealand based film company, IndieReign, founded by David White. In an interview for PRWeb.com White said, “We help filmmakers sell more films, by providing an army of incentivized promoters who are rewarded for sharing. This allows filmmakers to reach outside their existing social networks,”

Many mainstream filmmakers, like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, George Lucas, Ron Howard, Gareth Edwards, Spike Lee, and many others have started their filmmaking careers making independent films. Released in 2010, Monsters, directed by Gareth Edwards, cost only $50,000, and was mostly shot using a digital camera operated by Edwards himself. For the film’s creatures, director Edwards created and animated them himself on his computer at home. This cut down Edwards’ cost and allowed him to create creature affects that can stand up with any created by the mainstream special effects company Industrial Light and Magic.

With the success of Monsters, independent filmmakers could see that they now have the technology to do the films they want without the intervention of a major studio.  The technological revolution has greatly helped independent filmmakers break down barriers, and allows them to stay independent and work without the intervention of a major studio breathing down their necks. As technology continues to improve, the possibilities are endless for independent filmmakers.