Why Independents
Matter
95% OF ALL PRODUCTION
The Independents produce 95% of all entertainment programming enjoyed by audiences worldwide.
$4.8 BILLION IN REVENUES
Revenues generated by the licensing of independent film and TV productions by IFTA members each year.
500 FILMS IN THE U.S. ALONE
The number of features produced annually in the U.S. by Independents - just a fraction of the global independent industry.
$1 BILLION IN DEALS
The deals done each year at IFTA’s American Film Market on feature films and projects in development.
In 2018, U.S. independent production companies shot 507 feature films, resulting in 144,422 full-time jobs related to the production and billions of dollars in economic output and resulting income for local, state, and federal governments. And this was just in the U.S.
Independent films and television programs are made in every genre and budget level and provide the choice and variety in entertainment consumers want. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to create or deliver this content to audiences around the world. Producing an independent film or television program presents a variety of challenges – creative, business, legal, and depending on the country - sometimes governmental.
As the major studios and platforms become more specialized around marketing and distribution, an opportunity has developed for independents to fill the creative and business space of producing. Independents are creating and releasing great work every day for consumption by audiences around the world. And, while some films and TV shows may be licensed by one of the major studios, broadcasters or online platforms for distribution, they are created, and the copyright is owned, by an independent.
To assist in meeting these challenges, the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®) continually acts to make sure that the independents' ability to create and license their works around the world is protected and cultivated, so that we all benefit from what they produce.