indieWIRE INTERVIEW "The Dukes" Director Robert Davi"What is your definition of "independent film," and has that changed at all since you first started working?
For me, an independent film is under five million dollars. It is independently funded from outside sources. There are no "wink-wink" side deals made with an existing studio. There is no negative pick up deal made with a producer who comes on board and has an output deal with the studio. The idea of independent film is absolutely no ties to agencies, studios - a film made truly outside the system. I have seen what is considered an independent film change over the years, from films that were made outside the studio system that were considered independent to what we have today - which to a large degree are films being called independent, but are really in fact not. This is not to say there are not those young Cassavetes out there who are still maintaining the purity and spirit of maverick filmmakers."
For the rest of the interview see:
http://www.indiewire.com/people/2008/11/indiewire_inter_197.html
