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An interview with B. R. Rich, professor in the Film and Digital Media Department at the University of California at Santa Cruz, is presented. She is asked to define the independent film genre, discuss American independent cinema and comment on the role of the American Sundance Film Festival in the promotion of independent films. She also discusses LGBT film festivals, women's festivals and her career as a journalist and film critic.

An essay is presented on the trajectory of the American independent film industry in the post-1980 period. Topics discussed include the corporate takeover of independent film companies by major conglomerate Hollywood companies based in Los Angeles, California including Time Warner Entertainment Co., Walt Disney Productions, and Universal City Studios Inc. Further discussed is Indiewood, a term coined by scholars describing the convergence of filmmaking methods of both independent and mainstream film.

The article discusses the ability of the American independent filmmakers Ethan Coen and Joel Coen (known as the Coen Brothers) to maintain a high level of authority over the production of their films while receiving funding from major motion picture studios including Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Topics discussed include a definition of independent film, the brothers' independent screenwriting process, and their preferred methods of film production and film distribution. Also mentioned are independent studios that are subsidiaries of major motion picture studios, such as Sony Pictures Classics, an independent division of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The article analyzes the 2010 film Meek's Cutoff, directed by Kelly Reichardt. Emphasis is given to its success within the American independent film genre. Topics discussed include the production, formal qualities, and politico-ideological stance of the film. Further discussed are the characteristics of successful American independent films including low-budget films, low-cost distribution, and niche marketing.