Is independent Television Production/Distribution A Mirage?

[seunosewa]

Hello There,

As a young indie filmmaker, there was a point at which I decided to specialize in episodic sitcom production instead of the comedy movies I had dabbled into.

1) I figured that TV shows are less risky on the long run because you can learn from your mistakes as you produce one episode after the other. It's not an all-or-nothing proposition like a movie.

2) I felt that it would be less challenging than movie-making because people don't expect perfection from the shows they watch. As a first-timer, I thought this would give me room to grow.

3) I also felt TV production was more of a business than movie production because movie buyers are fickle while there is never a shortage of potential advertisers in any economy.

Now I'm thinking I made a mistake because even if I produce my show independently, I cannot distribute it without getting it picked up by a TV station. And in the process of pursuing that, I lose my indie-ness.

Did I make a mistake? Is "independent TV" basically an oxymoron?

Regards,
Rather Confused.

 

[indietalk]

Don't worry about the "indie" word so much, and just figure out exactly what your objective is, and what you will and won't do to get there.

 

[seunosewa]

I see what you mean. Thanks. I guess I just want to make something that a lot of people will watch and love, and break even without getting lost in the industry. I'm not really trying to join the industry, really, because I'm happily self-employed, but I wish to tell good stories with video. I don't even know where to start and I've lost confidence in my knowledge of what I want to achieve. Thanks for listening.