Technologies Essay

"Digital technologies have transformed the way media is produced and distributed. Discuss with reference to the film industry" 

 

The production and distribution of film has been forever transformed by the introduction and proliferation of digital technologies. From pre-production through to post-production and distribution, digital technologies are slowly but surely taking over film. Web 2.0 creates accessibility for anybody to learn and become a filmmaker. The digitisation of our film world creates many positive effects but also many negative effects too. 

Anybody can become a filmmaker. With the proliferation of the internet, especially web 2.0, anyone with a mobile device or computer can find free resources, videos and information which gives the freedom to learn and create film from anywhere in the world. Before days of digital, filmmakers or soon to be filmmakers had to attend lectures, study film etc costing thousands of dollars just to gain the knowledge and appropriate skills to produce film. Many filmmakers from Keanu Reaves’ documentary “Side by Side” find the idea of this appalling, as it takes the special aspect of the dedication in learning film. Some filmmakers, however, are pleased about this, as more and more people can experience the love of film and share it internationally.  

In regard to learning the skill of film, digital has created easier and cheaper ways for the production process to commence. Film has been the exclusive production, distribution and exhibition format for over 100 years. The special process of handling the delicate film and loading cameras during sets has been something that many filmmakers have held dear to them. Film gives a distinctive quality and look which cannot be achieved with media, and it is much more personal and interactive. For example, directors would have to wait overnight for their “dailies” just to see if the shots were correct. Cast crew would take shooting seriously as they knew they had limited film and limited time. If they were not up to standard, they would have to shoot again the next day, and wait for the dailies. "It was almost an accepted truth that you didn't shoot films that you were serious about on any kind of video format" (-Geoffrey Gilmore). Simple processes like these are what make film so special and interactive. However, despite the fun and immersive nature of film, there are many disadvantages. For one, film tapes only lasted 10 minutes at a maximum, which means there was no continuity in the film process, and you would end up with bundles and bundles of film after shooting, "I could shoot as much as I wanted, I could get the best performances, I didn't have to worry about shooting these little bursts of film" ( -Anthony Dod Mantle). In addition to this, film is costly, limited, and the cameras were incredibly large and heavy; the inconvenience of film ultimately limits what you can do in the creative process of filmmaking. With the proliferation of digital, filmmakers can now shoot hours of content on a lightweight handheld camera that produces higher resolution images than film. Digital cameras have been one of the biggest advancements in media history and continues to develop and revolutionise the film industry. The question posed now however, is if, and when digital will completely wipe out the craft and art of film production. 

Digital has completely rewritten the course of how post-production processes work nowadays. Before digital, the process of editing film was incredibly long, tedious and exhausting. Individual pieces of film had to be cut and glued or taped together in sequence. This meant sorting through tens of thousands of little squares, which some filmmakers would argue connects you to the material, and for others, would just be a waste of time and money. One of the first breakthroughs in the world of digital was digital editing. In the 1980’s, the first digital editing machine was released, the RAVE. This allowed for editors to feed film into a machine and edit digitally. Over the years, advancements began to the point where today, editing means opening up software on your laptop and pressing buttons for a few hours. The editing process is still incredibly complex, but requires a technological skillset, taking away from the craft of film.  

The introduction and proliferation of CGI (computer generated images), green screens, VFX/SFX have allowed directors and filmmakers to bring to life ideas that may never have been fathomable if we solely relied on film as our only format of production. Movies such as Avatar (2009) grossing over 2.9 billion dollars in box office revenue alone, ranked number 1 as highest grossing film of all time. However, this would not have been possible without. CGI, green screens or special effects. The entire world of Avatar that we see as a realistic alternate planet, is completely compiled of 1s and 0s. Although this does take away from the tangible and hands on approach to filmmaking, the world of CGI and all things digital is truly incredible and has changed the approach of many filmmakers to production of what is truly “possible” and now, the limitations are endless, and are only limited to one's creative ability. 

Digital has taken a toll not only on post-production but has even carried through to distribution. Films can now be sent across the world to be edited on, critiqued by other creators, we can collaborate with multiple groups of people in multiple different countries at once, films can be distributed into worldwide cinemas and can be available at the click of a button via streaming platforms. However, despite all this good, the ability to release media worldwide comes with factors like piracy and illegal streaming. Big corporations may not be affected by this, but smaller Indi-filmmakers may suffer greatly financially. In contrast however, Indi-films are only possible due to the proliferation of digital release, due to the inaccessible and expensive nature of film, and the lack of knowledge and skill in the industry. There have also been mishaps with how the media is released now due to the great sum of choices, for example Black Widow being a simultaneous release reduced box office revenue, and actor Scarlett Johannsen was incredibly upset at this. Studies show that only 7% of Americans do not use the internet, which is a good thing, but shows how filmmakers must use the internet carefully because it is an interactive tool and can influence largely success, or damage reputation. 

In summary, digital technologies have transformed almost every filmmaker's approach to the production and distribution of film. Despite some still holding onto the character and originality of the art of film, it is safe to say that digital dominates largely every corner of the film industry and has made it incredibly accessible and easy for people around the globe to experience the world of film. Directors can bring their dreams to life, and films ultimately are unlimited to technology now, but rather limited to creativity and imagination.