--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think American independent films…" description: "\"I don't think American independent films have ever really been particularly experimental, except for the original guys from the '60s who were huge infl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/gus-van-sant-5023_film_i-don-t-think-american-independent-films_3221873.jpg" --- # I don't think American independent films have ever really… ![“I don't think American independent films have ever really been particularly experimental, except for the original guys from the '60s who were huge influences, like Stan Brakhage, Robert Breer, and Stan van der Beek. They were the true independents.” quote by Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/gus-van-sant-5023_film_i-don-t-think-american-independent-films_3221873.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/gus-van-sant-5023_film_i-don-t-think-american-independent-films_3221873.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/gus-van-sant-5023_film_i-don-t-think-american-independent-films_3221873.jpg) > “I don't think American independent films have ever really been particularly experimental, except for the original guys from the '60s who were huge influences, like Stan Brakhage, Robert Breer, and Stan van der Beek. They were the true independents.” [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker notes that modern American indie films lack true experimental spirit, unlike pioneering 1960s filmmakers who embodied genuine independence. **In simple terms:** Modern indie films are less experimental than 1960s pioneers. Key Takeaway Seek true artistic risk. Themes film independence creativity Mood reflective critical Type cinematic analytical When to use this quote - film festivals - budget constraints - creative workshops Key Concepts experimental cinema historical influence artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How can indie filmmakers balance art and commerce? - What lessons from 1960s avant‑garde apply today? A Different Perspective Budget and market pressures limit experimentation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Independent film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-film/) [Independent films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-films/) [Independents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independents/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever I'm asked about independent cinema, I think of what Fidel Castro said during the Cold War about the league of non-aligned nations. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/whenever-i-m-asked-about-independent-cinema-i-think-of-what-fidel/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [But it's often been the case, I've done so many countless small, independent films that really 3.2 people have seen, so you never know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-bonham-carter/but-it-s-often-been-the-case-i-ve-done-so-many-countless-small/) [Helena Bonham Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-bonham-carter/) > [The films that I really liked and the ones that really blew my mind when I was younger were independent films. They're like great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sturgess/the-films-that-i-really-liked-and-the-ones-that-really-blew-my-mind/) [Jim Sturgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sturgess/) > [The independent films are really where I kind of come from and where I feel comfortable. It's never been about the blockbusters and making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/the-independent-films-are-really-where-i-kind-of-come-from-and-where/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [Independent films are really one of the greatest resources these days to actually find unfiltered truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-tickell/independent-films-are-really-one-of-the-greatest-resources-these-days/) [Josh Tickell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-tickell/) > [I'm really interested in making movies that people see: I've made a lot of independent films and it's really depressing when no one sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-banks/i-m-really-interested-in-making-movies-that-people-see-i-ve-made-a/) [Elizabeth Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-banks/) > [Independent films are where you really get to cut your teeth and have some fun and do the things that mainstream Hollywood doesn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/independent-films-are-where-you-really-get-to-cut-your-teeth-and-have/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) > [The independent films are really where I kind of come from and where I feel comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/the-independent-films-are-really-where-i-kind-of-come-from-and-where-2/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] is his own man - distinctly American. And where else would an independent spirit like his find a following than in the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/donald-trump-is-his-own-man-distinctly-american-and-where-else-would/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Independent films are really the best ones out there. They're the most original stories, and they're very good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taika-waititi/independent-films-are-really-the-best-ones-out-there-they-re-the-most/) [Taika Waititi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taika-waititi/) > [When I was young, I went with my mum to see some really random independent films, which really spoke to me: 'My Beautiful Laundrette,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-beecham/when-i-was-young-i-went-with-my-mum-to-see-some-really-random/) [Emily Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-beecham/) > [When you work on big commercial movies, of course there's more money involved and you can still do some good work. But with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/when-you-work-on-big-commercial-movies-of-course-there-s-more-money/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [I love independent films, it's the only place as an actor you're totally allowed to breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/i-love-independent-films-it-s-the-only-place-as-an-actor-you-re/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [A lot of independent films offer a harsh reality check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/a-lot-of-independent-films-offer-a-harsh-reality-check/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [Here are the good things about independent films: They do the more interesting, chancy scripts. They're run by love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/here-are-the-good-things-about-independent-films-they-do-the-more/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) ## More by Gus Van Sant > [The things that inform student culture are created and controlled by the unseen culture, the sociological aspects of our climbing culture, our 'me' generation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/the-things-that-inform-student-culture-are-created-and-controlled-by/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I mean, I think I'm pretty sentimental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-mean-i-think-i-m-pretty-sentimental/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [Usually people just hire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/usually-people-just-hire-me/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [My family moved a lot as a kid. We started in Colorado, where I lived for five years. We moved to Chicago for two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/my-family-moved-a-lot-as-a-kid-we-started-in-colorado-where-i-lived/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [No construction stiff working overtime takes more stress and straining than we did just to stay high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/no-construction-stiff-working-overtime-takes-more-stress-and/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I've told people who have just started to make a film that the one thing you might experience is this feeling that everybody is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-ve-told-people-who-have-just-started-to-make-a-film-that-the-one/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [A lot of times, I relied on connections through my agency, just for financing and things like that. Even when I'm looking for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/a-lot-of-times-i-relied-on-connections-through-my-agency-just-for/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I'm a junkie. I like drugs, I like the whole lifestyle, but it just didn't pay off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-m-a-junkie-i-like-drugs-i-like-the-whole-lifestyle-but-it-just-didn/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [There are all kinds of ways that people present their films, but that's kind of a good feeling, if you can make it seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/there-are-all-kinds-of-ways-that-people-present-their-films-but-that/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I find it interesting, the different rules that apply to journalism and drama, even though journalism has become more and more about entertainment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-find-it-interesting-the-different-rules-that-apply-to-journalism/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [As I do with most films, I try and find some music that you could use throughout, not just a sampling of lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/as-i-do-with-most-films-i-try-and-find-some-music-that-you-could-use/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [When you're on a film and you're doubting something, it's usually because you don't think the audience is going to like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/when-you-re-on-a-film-and-you-re-doubting-something-it-s-usually/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I don't usually direct actors in the classic sense of that word. Instead, I try to remind the characters before the shoot what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-don-t-usually-direct-actors-in-the-classic-sense-of-that-word/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [When you get to be 23, 24 or 25, you start to freeze up and become an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/when-you-get-to-be-23-24-or-25-you-start-to-freeze-up-and-become-an/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [The artist himself is actually the subject in everything after, say, 1900. Eventually, art becomes so removed from the community that you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/the-artist-himself-is-actually-the-subject-in-everything-after-say/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) [Explore all 102 Gus Van Sant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) ## More Film quotes > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [Pakistan now is like a horror film franchise. You know, it's 'Friday the 13th, Episode 63: The Terrorist from Pakistan.' And each time we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/pakistan-now-is-like-a-horror-film-franchise-you-know-it-s-friday-the/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) [Browse all 32,254 Film quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think American independent films have ever really been particularly experimental, except for the original guys from the '60s who were huge influences, like Stan Brakhage, Robert Breer, and Stan van der Beek. 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