indie
Outside big studios
Indie is short for independent, describing creative work produced outside major commercial systems.
An indie film has no studio backing; an indie band releases music without a major label.
The term names both a mode of production and an aesthetic—lo-fi, quirky, uncommercial.
I mostly listen to indie rock.
It started as an indie game but got picked up by a publisher.
Another available choice
- lo-fiImperfect audio quality, informally
- undergroundBelow ground or countercultural
- unsignedBearing no signature
- singer-songwriterSelf-composing musical performer
DIY · acoustic · garage · folk · shoegaze · emo · post-punk · chillwave
Aggressively alternative person
- bohemianArtistic nonconformist type
- countercultureRejection of mainstream values
- zineSelf-published small periodical
- sceneDramatic unit or locale
vintage · thrifting · nonconformist · grassroots · eclectic · artisanal · underground · alternative
Released by the creator
- zineSelf-published small periodical
- chapbookSmall booklet of verse
- pamphletUnbound topical booklet
- print-on-demandProduction upon order placement
Venue for noncommercial films
- low-budgetCosting relatively little
- auteurDirector with total control
- filmmakerOne who makes movies
- festivalOrganized public celebration
Sundance · cinematography · documentary · cult · shorts · narrative · premiere · self-funded
Permadeath procedural game genre
- platformerLeap-based video game
- sandboxEnclosed play area
- SteamDigital game distribution service
- 8-bitVintage computing standard
retro · procedural · narrative-driven · modding · crowdfunded · Undertale · Hades · Unity
alternative
Another available choice
- lo-fiImperfect audio quality, informally
- undergroundBelow ground or countercultural
- unsignedBearing no signature
singer-songwriter · DIY · acoustic · garage · folk · shoegaze · emo · post-punk · chillwave · synth-pop
hipster
Aggressively alternative person
- bohemianArtistic nonconformist type
- countercultureRejection of mainstream values
- zineSelf-published small periodical
scene · vintage · thrifting · nonconformist · grassroots · eclectic · artisanal · underground · alternative · small-batch
self-published
Released by the creator
print-on-demand · crowdfunded · handmade · risograph · letterpress
arthouse
Venue for noncommercial films
- low-budgetCosting relatively little
- auteurDirector with total control
- filmmakerOne who makes movies
festival · Sundance · cinematography · documentary · cult · shorts · narrative · premiere · self-funded · crowdfunded
roguelike
Permadeath procedural game genre
- platformerLeap-based video game
- sandboxEnclosed play area
- SteamDigital game distribution service
8-bit · retro · procedural · narrative-driven · modding · crowdfunded · Undertale · Hades · Unity · side-scroller
- genresaction, comedy, detective fiction, fantasy, horror
- music genresblues, pop, jazz, rock, classical
- film termsfilm, auteur, genre, celluloid, mise-en-scene
- hipstermustache, skinny jeans, beard, flannel, vintage
- Alt Rockalt-rock, alternative metal, grunge, post-grunge, post-punk
- subculturespunk, punks, hippie, goth, hippies
indiemainstream
Dominant cultural current
major label · studio · blockbuster · commercial · Hollywood
indiemainstream
Dominant cultural current
corporate · conventional · formulaic · focus-grouped · manufactured
indiemainstream
Dominant cultural current
pop · commercial · mass-market · Top 40 · chart-topping
- indie artistsSelf-managed creative performers
- East IndiesSoutheast Asian archipelago
- Independence DayNational sovereignty anniversary
- Declaration of IndependenceAmerica's founding proclamation
- indie filmsNon-mainstream cinema productions
- indie movieNon-studio film production
independent, independence, independently, independents, indy, indies, indie rock, indie pop, indie folk