indiewire.com
There are, however, plenty of smaller sites that have played pivotal roles in their respective niches. Many of which go unrewarded and unrecognized.
Respectfully, when someone has the vision and ability to create something new and innovative, it is a testament to their skills. This can be especially true in cases where the innovation is helpful or relevant to our hobbies or interests, which may be less mainstream or popular than others.
This is what makes the IndieWire site so special - particularly for fans of independent cinema. Indie films, although loved all around the world by many, are still considered a niche. That is to say that there are fewer indie film lovers than there are casual Hollywood blockbuster moviegoers. Indie films have taken on something of a cult following, typically attracting people who appreciate the more subtle and artistic sides of the cinema.
Nevertheless, IndieWire was the first website of its kind to be found on the vast expanse that is the internet. Full of news and reviews of all things related to independent films, it quickly became a valuable resource for indie cinephiles everywhere. Information and reviews that were previously much more difficult to come across (due to independents? lack of mainstream recognition and pop culture appeal) suddenly had a convenient home page.
The site rose to prominence quickly and was well-received by professional writers, film critics, and fans of indie films alike. For instance, Janelle Brown writing for Wired said in 1997 that "Currently, IndieWire has little to no competition: trades like The Hollywood Reporter and Variety may cover independent film, but from a Hollywood perspective, hidden by a huge amount of mainstream news. As filmmaker Doug Wolens points out, IndieWire is one of the few places where filmmakers can consistently and reliably keep on top of often-ignored small film festivals, which films are opening and what other filmmakers are thinking."
Further, Forbes has also been praised by IndieWire in 2002 for applauding the site in the 'Cinema Appreciation' category of their 'Best of the Web' list. Forbes highlighted the site's potential as a useful tool for independent filmmakers to network, citing its 'message boards teeming with filmmakers.' Legendary film critic, Roger Ebert has also gone on the record to recommend IndieWire, as well as eventually going as far as hiring IndieWire blogger, Matt Zoller Seitz as the editor-in-chief of his own website, rogerebert.com.
History
On July 15th, 1996, IndieWire officially launched as the daily news service for independent film. It began as a free daily email newsletter in the same vein as early AOL-based editorials by a small collective of filmmakers and writers from both New York City and Las Angeles, California: Eugene Hernandez, Mark Rabinowitz, Cheri Barner, Roberto A. Quezada, and Mark L. Feinsod.
Although IndieWire's initial readership consisted of just a few hundred subscribers, it quickly grew in popularity. By the time the fall of 1997 rolled around, IndieWire had boasted over 6,000 subscribers.
In 1997, the scrappy startup IndieWire made its first appearance at the Sundance Film Festival, one of the most reputable annual indie film festivals of all time. This new section of the publication appeared both in print dailies and on their website.
In July of 2008, however, IndieWire acquired Snag Films. This acquisition gave IndieWire a larger budget, which they used to branch out and reinvent themselves in January 8th, 2009 with a sleeker website design and the stylization of publication changed to IndieWire.
As of 2016, IndieWire has become a part of Penske Media Corporation, and it currently employs about 20 writers. James Israel is the publisher, Dana Harris is the editor-in-chief, Eric Kohn is the chief critic, and Anne Thompson is the editor-at-large.
Design
In my opinion, their redesign is a good step forward for the site.
Speaking about IndieWire's pivotal redesign, I absolutely love what they've done with the site. It is very sleek and clean-cut, and a lot of film review sites can get bogged down and cluttered by trying to lump way too much information and content into one cramped space on the page. But IndieWire has avoided making the mistake of its contemporaries (thankfully), and in my opinion, their redesign is a good step forward for the site.
Information is easy to read, easy to find, and the site's design is user-friendly. I am a big fan of their minimalist approach with their rebrand - a simple white background with blue and black overtop makes for a classic and classy feel.
At the top of the page, you will find a menu bar that allows you to browse any corner of IndieWire with ease. Just select from News, Film, TV, Awards, Toolkit (more on that in a bit), or More. Below that, a list of some of the site's trending topics and one more pace down you will see a few articles that IndieWire has deemed ?Must Reads.? This website naturally and gently guides the eye in a logical and effective order.
Content
Additionally, IndieWire has a stellar blog that offers up new and investigative reporting on all things indie.
If you are looking for quality indie film reviews, then you will definitely want to check out IndieWire. They have a vast amount of them, covering everything from news to movie reviews. But IndieWire is so much more than just a movie review site. They have sections like the newsroom where you can keep up with what is happening in the independent film world, as well as an amazing blog that offers up fresh takes on various topics. So if indie film is your thing, then be sure to check out IndieWire!
IndieWire has been reviewing television series. They have not stuck to just the independents, and you will find plenty of interviews, videos, awards show beats, information on the craft of filmmaking, and podcasts (rife with useful resources and think pieces specifically for filmmakers).
Pricing and Plans
IndieWire is a website where users can read articles without any limits on how many they can read, and there are no paid subscriptions or paywalls. The website is completely free to visit.
Okay, I admit that one string attached to IndieWire's revenue comes from ads. But, hey, I think that having to look at a few ads here and there can be considered a small price to pay for all of what IndieWire offers - not to mention the quality of the writing therein.
Desktop and Mobile Experience
The IndieWire app is excellent, just like the website. It's available on both iOS and Android, and has a sleek, minimalist design that mirrors that of the website. I love how well the app compliments the website, with a consistent theme, style, and feel across all platforms. That's a great touch if you ask me.
Suggestions that I have for IndieWire
I don't have many suggestions for this website. It's a site for film criticism and news, and it's done well for a reason. But I do have one suggestion: Maybe IndieWire should consider offering a premium membership to supplement some of the revenue brought in by selling ads? Just a thought.
Conclusion
If you are looking for the authoritative source on indie films, television, film festivals, and entertainment news, IndieWire has you covered. Whether you are an aspiring filmmaker yourself, or just love indie movies, IndieWire has the information you need.
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