I read a lot of books and watch a lot of movies. Over the years, my personal preferences have shifted, but what's changed even more dramatically is how I view the entertainment industry—especially as it has evolved over the past decade.
Not long ago, the only books you could buy or movies you could watch came from the gatekeepers of mainstream media: major publishers like Random House and HarperCollins, and film giants like 20th Century Fox and MGM. The stories we consumed were filtered through a narrow lens, shaped by marketing departments and bottom-line concerns.
What's happened recently is something of a paradox. On one hand, the entertainment industry has become even more centralized, with a handful of massive multimedia conglomerates controlling most of what reaches the public. On the other hand, the self-publishing revolution and the rise of accessible digital filmmaking tools have cracked the door wide open for independent creators. Now, anyone with a story and some grit can publish a novel or make a film.
The result? A flood of content. And like any flood, the waters are mixed. Yes, the sheer quantity of books and films has skyrocketed—but not always the quality. Still, for every unpolished gem or forgettable release, there's something that simply couldn't have come from the mainstream system—something original, risky, or deeply personal.
That's where I believe the real value of indie storytelling lies: in its willingness to tell stories mainstream media often won't touch.
In indie books and films, we find narratives that challenge dominant worldviews or explore the lives of characters rarely centered in mainstream work. Here, you might find:
- A speculative novel about a woman priest navigating faith in a post-capitalist society.
- A historical drama focused not on kings and generals, but on a forgotten washerwoman whose small act of resistance changed her world.
- A sci-fi film where neurodivergence is portrayed not as a limitation, but as a superpower.
- A love story between two elderly protagonists rediscovering intimacy in a world that's all but written them off.
- A quiet, character-driven film about a long-term lesbian couple navigating the subtle grief of being erased in their adult children's retelling of family history.
- A gritty realist novel about a single father working night shifts at a meat-packing plant, trying to keep his undocumented neighbors safe during an ICE raid—where poverty isn't just background, but central to the characters' agency, dignity, and struggle.
- Or even a novel that challenges dominant religious and political paradigms.
These are stories that might never clear the corporate greenlighting process—but they exist because indie creators put them into the world.
Choosing to support independent media—when it's thoughtfully made and well-executed—is, in my view, a political act. Much like growing your own food or shopping local, it's a way of saying: I want more choice. I want more truth. I want more voices.
So don't let media conglomerates dictate what you see and read. There's a whole world of indie stories out there, waiting to surprise you.
Try indie. You just might like it.
All the best,
Matthew