A self indulgent filmmaker can be considered all sorts of things, and I already touched on this. Self indulgence is frequently inseparable or close to inseparable from what an artist says and how they say it
Cool and thanks.
What the term is generally used as though is more sinister. It is a way to look down on a film that doesn't comply with what a general audience wants. And what this audience wants is usually primarily storytelling and the handful of ways it is considered appropriate to tell one.
Agree 'self indulgent' would primarily be used in the derogatory sense. However I don't feel that's necessarily a bad thing per say as it expounds, to some degree, on how one person feels about a movie. I liked
Heaven's Gate, but it is in my mind a good example of a self indulgent movie...It might be more accurate to say the director Michael Cimeno was self indulgent. From what I read, it sounds like Cimeno would be described clinically as having OCD.
So in short, people who cry foul on self indulgence believe an artist should conform to their whims. An artist isn't their to express themselves, unless it is conventionally entertaining. It is meant to keep alternative voices quiet.
Do people literally say that an artist should conform to their whims? I can't recall too many post where someone has said that. They might have said, I wish the film was different, but that only speaks to type of film they like.
It is meant to make people who feel a movie didn't speak directly to them, that this was a movie that was arrogant. It is meant to bring a movie down if it dares to confuse a viewer or make them feel like they didn't understand something, because how dare a movie make them feel like they might not be up to the task of that movie.
I'll respect that you feel that way. I feel opposite. I feel that it's more than fair for a viewer/consumer of a movie to use a verbal sledge hammer if they didn't dig the movie. If an artist isn't to be constrained in their vision, then the audience shouldn't be constrained in their viewpoints of said art.
It's basically a word that tries to keep artworks stagnant, and remain forever placating the ego and needs of the majority.
I understand negative wording of art or movies could upset you, but I'm sure nothing any of us ever say on this board is going to influence a film maker in any way.