The film, or motion-picture industry, has progressed rapidly since its supposed inception by the Lumière Brothers’ in 1895. Autonomous drone cameras of the 21st century have replaced humans placed in airplanes to achieve aerial shots, and cloud-based technology now allow multiple teams across the globe to work on a project simultaneously. Other digital technologies currently used and highly invested on includes 3D printing, 4k 3D cameras, computer graphic imaging and many more. Evidence the film industry’s technological achievements can simply be seen in the recent Marvel films.
Many argue that despite the high initial investment to develop and purchase said technologies, cost-savings will occur in the long-term due to faster editing and processing. New devices such as drones also minimize the safety risk of cameramen and 3D printing allows more efficient production of sets and props owing to speed, scalability, and flexibility.
The Pixar Era is believed to be the period which jumpstarted the wide acceptance of digital technologies. Animated films such as Toy Story and Nemo were seen as highly technical and innovative films while also proving to be very lucrative. Filmmakers such James Cameron and David Fincher also share the view that modern tools can be a great way of story-telling.
In contrary, there are many within the industry that emphasize the possible detriments of digital technology. Philip Clapp (2019), CEO of UK Cinema Association, states that there are too many new technologies entering the market while there is a lack of education on how to utilize them. A processing lab may also experience a film release with 500 versions varying on audio, imaging, premium and language. Technology overload negatively impacts the production side due to technical complexity, as well as the consumption side as more films are diluted with unnecessary computer graphics.
As an avid consumer of film, I reap few losses on the detriments of technology in film hence favoring to embrace new technologies. When combined with an authentic and artistic eye, the film produced can be incredible.
References:
Harman, R. (2019). How is Digital Technology Reshaping the Film Industry? – Raindance.
Matthau, C. (2019). How Tech Has Shaped Film Making: The Film vs. Digital Debate Is Put to Rest. WIRED
Pennington, A. (2017). Why new technology could be hurting the film business. ScreenDaily.
