indie
n. countablen. a person or company that makes music, films, or games without help from a big, famous corporation. It is also the name for the style of art these creators make.
n. an individual or organization that operates independently of major commercial labels or studios, particularly in the music, film, or gaming industries. Often used to describe the specific aesthetic or subculture associated with such independent production.
The band signed with a small indie instead of a major label.
After years of working for a large studio, she left to start her own indie and produce personal documentaries.
The rise of digital distribution platforms has allowed many an indie to bypass traditional gatekeepers, reaching a global audience without the marketing budget of a multinational corporation.
From independent, by shortening, + -ie. Used of popular music since the 1980s, and of cinema for some decades before that.
Commonly used as a noun to refer to the company itself, or as an attributive noun (acting like an adjective) to describe the genre.