What is NonDē for?
Perhaps cinema needs a NonDē Manifesto now?
Updated 11/6/25
I guess we are going to have to start to get serious with this, eh?
I think we are all coming to the same realization.
Indie Film has run its course. Sure, I take perhaps a harder line than I really need to and say it failed — or at least has done the wrong thing for forty years — but sometimes we have double down to make sure we are heard.
Indie was the hope of a more inclusive system, not just for perspective and voices, but for all forms and attitudes. But it never really got there (and for reasons that are becoming clearer), did it? The Studio world was never going to let some of us really in the door either. And the International Auteur scene is the pinnacle of gatekeeper structure. But for most of us it was never about any of that anyway. The dominance of the Global Streaming Platforms — and all that has meant — was the final nail.
But let’s be clear: we wanted something different from the start.
We know there is a vibrant film community of makers, lovers, and workers, who don’t subscribe to a singular diet, who want both spice and comfort, sweet and savory, complex and direct. One size will never fit all. Yet we currently only have one system, and then a couple others that have been tacked on to that, parasites on the beast’s back. Many of us are not only recognizing that it does not need to be that way, but that it will only be built by us. We also recognize that there is no right time, no time like the present, and that everything is a step and not the solution, so why not get something going. Boom. Boom. BOOM! Hit that drum please.
And of course all this recognition has a tremendous amount to do with FilmStack — the gathering of distinct voices communicating with each other, building bridges and supports, in support of a better cinema ecosystem, one that is committed to sustainability of the art, the artists, and all that supports them. And it is not just the community either, it is the process of belonging — of writing, writing regularly. Organizing your thoughts on a daily basis is a creative practice. It helps you determine what you want. Once you are in the zone, found your rhythm, I think it is inevitable that — if your love is real — you are going to say IAMAHAIANGTTIA.
And hence…. NonDē.
My path to a manifesto, perhaps?
I noodled around with some organizing principals for a NonDē Manifesto (sort of) before in my post “Why we must change the goals of so-called “indie” film”. Call that “SCIF”.
And…
I have written extensively about the steps we need to take to be prepared to begin to build a Non-dependent cinema ecosystem.
You’ll have to read this post to get the full list as I couldn’t do a screen grab that large":
And…
As I was preparing this post, I saw that some of you had already poured some gasoline on the match I threw down. It is inspiring to me to see Taylor Lewis and Ellis Jamal Sutton launch “The Label: the new thing in NonDē film”. I am very excited to see what they build and am grateful they are just getting started.
But I’d also like to take the next step and clarify NonDē a bit more. We are moving into manifesto territory with this one… beware! Many of these twelve tenets are formed from those initial steps I laid out last year. So….
What does Non-dependent cinema support? What do we stand for? Let us count the ways.
What is NonDē?
*=updated 11/6/25
No filmmaker, film worker, or film lover should be dependent on any particular system or platform to develop, fund, collaborate, release, market, preserve, share, view or engage with the art , cinema, support, or the business thereof that we love and create.
*Embracing a holistic approach with a systems-focused vision: we think about the life cycle of our work, how each stage is connected, and one person’s labor influences other, while also recognizing that we are in the system and the system is in us.
The sustainability of the art, artist, and ecosystem is the primary goal of NonDē.
*This is not about ourselves, We are committed to the support and advancement of others with a commitment to all we are becoming, rather than just our prior accomplishments.
*Caring, compassionate, and supportive
We will no longer neglect — as So-Called “Indie” Film (aka SCIF) has — what is necessary to build to make our cinema ecosystem work well for all participants. NonDē commits to the improvement of the product, process, environment, and experience through delivering a regular cadence of operational improvements to the cinema ecosystem.
Filmmakers are the ultimate owners of their work and the proceeds thereof, and as such, NonDē adheres to an Artist Bill Of Rights — particularly the right of artists to share in the results — be it profit or data or derivative rights — of their creative labor. NonDē encourages this to become the law of the land.
NonDē celebrates innovation and risk taking in all aspects of cinema, but particularly in anything that leads to diminished dependence on the dominant business models. NonDē supports and encourages boldly authored work willing to explore new perspectives, story forms, aesthetic approaches, and distinct expression of all types.
NonDē contributes to the capture and sharing of institutional knowledge — building into a collection of open source “recommended practices”, and the publication thereof — and thereby freeing that knowledge to all.
NonDē determines our values, share them openly, and live/work for them in all we do. NonDē believe our values should show clearly in both our work and business.
NonDē builds honest, authentic relationships based on establishing trust and confidence, in a manner that fosters compassion, participation, and unity regardless of our differences — ie. Community.
NonDē speaks truth to power, says what we mean, and does what we say. No bullshit!
NonDē is not about ourselves; NonDē is committed to the support and advancement of others with a commitment to all that we are becoming, rather than ever resting or relying on anyone’s prior accomplishments.
NonDē embraces leadership that plans its own obsolescence by making sure their team members take over their leadership responsibilities as soon as they are capable.
NonDē prioritizes process over product. Hollywood and corporate is product. NonDē is process. NonDē is an ongoing discussion with all of your life and loves.
If I have got this part down, I can probably get to the manifesto part, but you really are no where unless you have a song to sing… who’s got that part?!
Help me out here, won’t you?
Love the idea of a manifesto. And this is a phenomenal start.
I should add as part of this effort I'm also working on building a community of documentary filmmakers in my home state of NJ by establishing a Video Consortium hub.