Using Lars von Trier's 2003 film Dogville as a launchpad for his ideas, Jake Horsley aims to discuss the conflict between "artistic" and "commercial" movie-making that he believes exists in the film industry today. He proposes that the term "independent," when applied to filmmaking, be considered an artistic term relating to sensibility and vision and not simply a question of backing or funds.

Can an "independent" film also be a commercial success in Hollywood? Charting the history of independent cinema from early pioneers Jean-Luc Godard and Sam Peckinpah to modern masters such as David Lynch, this book provides a critical analysis of the state of today's film industry.