Independents (2007) Reviews

• Fun, worth a watch

  j21172008-06-02

  This was a fun movie -- lots of cool interviews with comic book artists. They talk about their creativity and how they get their ideas. It's well-made and interesting -- kept my attention throughout and I'm not the biggest comic book fan. Worth a watch! What I found most interesting was the discussions with the different creators -- where do ideas come from? There was a narrator who talked a little bit about current research and theory on creativity. But it wasn't a "stuffy" documentary -- people seemed to be having a good time and the director, Chris Brandt, knows what he's doing. It's clearly made on a very low budget, but it doesn't really matter; the key thing is what the different people in the comics world have to say, and they share their insights very well. I would recommend this movie to other people, even if they're not the biggest comic book fans in the world -- if they're interested in art, or creativity, they'll find something here to enjoy. High recommended!

• In depth personal account of creative process as told by top Graphic Novel Artists.

  j_e_guernsey2008-06-02

  This is the most complete and authoritative documentary on graphic novel and comic book artists and their process. I found that by listening to the artistic experiences of others I could gain insight into my own. This is a good video to relieve writers block or inspire other types of creative output. This isn't a commercial for comic books. It's an honest exploration as any good doc should be. It's funny when you get to watch the people behind the art. It becomes clear that it's impossible to really create without tapping into oneself in an honest way. That's why it's so difficult. It should be watched for the interview with the ninja turtle guy alone. (That's what it feels like.)