All human society has been defined by a series of ages, brought on through a process of evolved ideas or dramatic revolutions which changed the status quo. History has taught us about the Stone, Bronze and Iron ages, as well as the medieval ages, the Renaissance or the industrial age. Each of these ages are bound by a shift in either cultural or scientific ideas which have affected or changed the lives of the populous.
So we turn our minds to today’s day and age, where without hesitation we can claim that we live in the ‘Technological and Communication Age’ which will hereafter be referred to as the 'TechCom Age.' A recent advert for Apple’s IPad2 perfectly sums up our dependence and reliance on modern forms of communication. The Ad, filled with visuals of a variety of Apps tells us ‘To a teacher it’s the future, to a child it magical, to a musician its inspiring.’ and ends with a statement which we all know to be true ,’To us it’s simply the beginning.’ Where this advert stands as a perfect testament to the TechCom age is through the complete awareness that these innovative forms of technology have affected every part of our hectic lives and furthermore through the recognition that this change will continue to happen at a pace which is difficult to comprehend. This assumption that technology, once underway, is unstoppable or unavoidable is referred to as the Technological Imperative
And so, in considering these changes we can begin to offer an educated reflection on the current state of the film industry and where its future may be heading, with regards to how this most modern of the art forms has allowed itself to be driven by new media technologies.
Firstly we must recognise that from the outset, film has always been about pioneering technologies. A quick journey through the history of film teaches us that changes in the cinema experience have always been as a result of new innovations; from sound in film, to colour as well as developing new production practices such as animatronics. However when we talk of New Media Technologies we are referring to a more recent and rapid revolution of how films are produced, distributed and consumed that is driven, in no small part, from the audiences’ hunger for more immersive experiences. Our desire for faster, more portable communication is insatiable; people on the whole need to feel connected 24/7 and have instant access to vast amounts of material. This in turn has led to film producers adapting to these changing times beyond all measures.
So let’s begin to explore exactly how production values in the film industry have benefited from such changes. As with any discussion relating to film there are two variables to consider. Firstly we must consider the benefits to both producers of film, and consumers of film. Our second variable is the effect it has had on both major film companies as opposed to smaller independent producers.
With regards to film production, new practices have, and always will lead to (hopefully) sustainable develops in technical quality; SFXs are better, sound is crisper, IMAX looks significantly more impressive, and 3D brings visual pleasures unmatched by 2D screens. However we mustn’t confuse this with an improvement in artistic quality. Take a look at Sight and Sounds lists of the top 10 films of all time and you’ll see that not a single feature in the list was made in the past 30 years. We can draw one of two conclusions from this; either film these days relies too much on technology rather than artistic skill in directing, (often refereed to as style over substance) or that these polls simply rely on a sense of past nostalgia and arguably a sense of filmic elitism on the side of the people who cast the votes. Whatever your thoughts on the artistic value of these films, what cant be ignored is that a similar list, focusing on the highest grossing films of all time, almost exclusively contains films produced in the last 10 years. Without questions films have become more commercially successful – that is, they give the audience an experience they crave. Producers are embracing exciting technologies such as 3D and IMAX, they are making films of unrivalled visual excitement, and the audiences are lapping it up; does it matter whether the film was of quality or not when the experience itself was exceptional?
Yet these technologies are expensive to use and ultimately are the tools of the major Hollywood companies. 2010 marked the first time that two films grossed more than $1b in the same year, both films (Toy Story 3 and Alice in Wonderland) were produced by Disney, and both were in 3D. One might conclude that technology is therefore causing a larger divide between the majors and the independent studios; however this is not the case.
Of the 92 film distributors in 2010, 6 Hollywood majors controlled 73% of the market share (the 72 distributors not in the top 20 accounted for less than 1% of the market), highlighting the poor commercial success of independent films. Yet this is not a new phenomenon - this has always been the case. Commercially the majors have always dominated; the clue really is in the name. What is we are seeing is that production companies with much smaller budgets than their Hollywood counterparts are also reaping the benefits of technological changes through the use of less expensive, more portable camera, which retain the quality of more expensive film cameras. Director Danny Boyle has talked at length about the benefits of using a SI-2K Digital Cinema Camera (costing a fraction of traditional film cameras) when shooting in the tight streets of Mumbai in his Oscar winning hit, Slumdog Millionaire. Rather than more bulky 35mm film cameras, this cheaper, more portable alternative allowed him and Director of Photography Antony Mantle to capture the frantic pace of the city.
Moreover, when you learn that an episode of hit US medical drama House was shot on a Canon EOS 5D - an SLR camera retailing for around £1500 - you begin to appreciate how the modern independent film-maker can now affordably match its rivals in terms of quality. In fact this pricing opens up further opportunities for student film-makers who can purchase the above mentioned Canon’s little brother (the 550D – which also shoots in HD) for less than £800. The ability to combine quality with the independent film-maker’s experimental approach to film-making makes for a truly exciting concoction for any audience looking for an alternative viewing experience. Let Hollywood continue to embrace the high production values that mass audiences crave, and allow young film-makers an affordable route into the industry to experiment, safe in the knowledge that through social media, there will always be an avenue for both distribution and exhibition.
These two polar methods of filmmaking can co-exist in light of changing technological developments and will continue to provide every audience with what they crave from the filmic experience. However, the moment Hollywood begins to make edgy, challenging cinema, which is the current stock and trade of the minors, then independent film-making may then have to hold up his/her hands and admit defeat. But for now, as long as the Slumdogs, Kings Speeches and Hurt Lockers, continue to triumph over the Avatars, Dark Knights and Pirates at the Oscars, things will continue to stick to the script.
No comments:
Post a Comment