This undergraduate textbook examines American independent cinema from the very beginnings of US cinema and includes chapters on independence within the studio system, B Films, exploitation cinema and independent cinema in the age of the conglomerates. In the 10 years since the first edition of the book was published, there have been a number of developments within film industry in general, many of which impact upon American independent cinema. Social media, web 2:0, mobile entertainment, digital production and distribution, were all in incipient phase during the mid-2000s but have been moving with giant strides ever since. In the process they have contributed to redefinitions of all media sectors, including the US independent cinema one, which a new chapter within this second edition will tackle. With an updated design, student friendly features such as case studies and filmographies, and an increased extent, this new edition should gain numerous adoptions in the UK and US.

Author Biography

Yannis Tzioumakis is Lecturer in Media and Communication Studies at the University of Liverpool.