Being Independent - A Documentary Looking at the Lives of Independent Artists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 3rd, 2013 - Los Angeles, CA.

From filmmakers Minoti Vaishnav, Erik McCall and Kitty Kalkbrenner comes an international documentary film about the struggles, hardships and ultimate triumphs of independent artists and bands in the music industry today. Following 7 artists and bands - 3 in the UK, 3 in the USA and 1 in Germany - Being Independent is a feature length documentary aiming to educate people about the hard work and passion that goes into independent music, and the struggles unsigned artists go through as they support themselves and their music career.

According to Billboard and SoundScan stats, 32.6% of US album sales came from independent artists. However, these sales come from artists that are already signed to independent labels. There are hundreds of thousands of artists and bands around the world who are one-hundred percent unsigned, and these talented musicians make up less than one percent of chart positions around the world. Furthermore, the National Post in Canada reported in 2012, that independent artists make an average of $7228 per year – less than half of the income of the poverty line.

Why are unsigned artists not getting more recognition in the music industry? The film addresses this question as well as many others, including why so many talented artists are still without record deals, the passion and determination that goes into making music, why more people should listen to and support unsigned artists, and the personal and professional struggles each individual in the film has faced to get to where they are now.

In the US, Being Independent features Chinese-Italian-American artist Di Lee, who writes poetry and converts it into music that personifies peace, love and tolerance, the Ska-Reggae band PapaFish who have just released an EP and have built up quite a following in Southern California, and Minoti, who moved to the US from India at the age of nineteen and just released her second full length album on her own self-started record label. In the UK, the film follows Manchester based Gareth Evans, whose unique blend of experimental and electronica music got him into the regional finals of the UK mic competition, Norman Lamont, a music industry veteran who writes music that is reminiscent of The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, and Erik’s Own, an instrumental musician, former lead guitarist of the Scottish band Ease, and owner of his own radio station EDA music radio. In Germany, the film follows the band Simplistic, a rock band with a rich history, tight friendship with each other, and amazing tunes from their just released first album.

Being Independent is currently in need of funds to complete and distribute their film. You can find them on IndieGogo at http://igg.me/at/beingindependent/x/3012036. Follow them on Twitter @BeingIndieFilm and visit their website at http://www.beingindependentfilm.com.

Being Independent is scheduled to release at the end of Summer 2013.