This is so depressing. I mean, can it all coexist?

William, it can get depressing. But then I read others in the indie film world and their attitude is simply that the viewing tastes of indie movie fans are changing, watching more DVD and VOD at home. That's one of the operating principles that Mark Cuban's Magnolia and HDNet Films has had for several years: They release movies in theaters, on DVD, and on their HDNet cable net at the same time.

Next Saturday, we'll feature an interview Steven Soderbergh did recently in which one thing he said was this:

"I’m wary of predicting the death of the independent world. Every time I’ve done that, something pops—and changes everything. Years ago, somebody screened Chris Nolan’s “Memento” for me because all the distributors had passed on it at a festival. Watching it, at that moment, I really felt, ‘This is the end, this is really the Death of Independent Film: If nobody wants to buy a movie this good.’ But Newmarket ended up forming their own distribution company and making $25 million off the movie—and suddenly, pop, the independent world is back."

This from the writer-director who gave us Sex, Lies, and Videotape which arguably ushered in this most recent wave of more mainstream indie films.

So a long way of saying perhaps it's not as bleak as it looks.

Thanks for staying positive Scott.

It seems like a confusing time for many right now. I try not to categorize what I'm writing in terms of independent or studio because those terms really mean nothing at this point in time except when your dealing with extremes. A film like Frownland is one extreme and The Dark Knight is another. Those are more clear cut examples but what about the rest?

What I think is going on now is some sort of Darwinian reboot across the board in every industry. Everything from politics to filmmaking. Technology has caught up with our ideas and those who don't want to make the leap will be left behind. It's scary and exciting at the same time.

William said, "What I think is going on now is some sort of Darwinian reboot across the board in every industry. Everything from politics to filmmaking. Technology has caught up with our ideas and those who don't want to make the leap will be left behind. It's scary and exciting at the same time."

I couldn't have said that better. Don't know if you saw this post featuring the NY Times Sunday Magazine a few weeks back, but it's a must read re new technologies and possible changes to the very idea of 'story.'