digital technology and film

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND FILM

ADVANTAGES FOR FILMMAKERS

• The advantages for the filmmakers is that the production is cheaper.

• Easier to light a scene.

• Realism.

• Naturalistic performances.

ADVANTAGES FOR DISTRIBUTORS

• The advantages for the film distributors is that they celluloid films that are

deteriorated very quickly – Digital storage is cheaper and more effective.

• Easy to duplicate and send around the world for a worldwide gross – Directly from

net or on tape where it can be digitally projected in 2001 Phillip Anschutz said that if

cinemas swapped from film to digital, it would save $800 billion in distribution costs.

DISADVANTAGES FOR DISTRIBUTORS

• However, the disadvantage for the distributors is that it is easier to make flawless

copies with digital – Opened to piracy which can be pirated by the audience and

have a loss on profit and loss on the next production.

• Competition – If Digital democratises access to production and distribution

ADVANTAGES FOR AUDIENCES

• The advantages for the audiences is that they increase the mount of realism of

performance – ‘emotional honesty’ of a story.

• Cheaper production – Wider range of film styles, themes and content.

• Easier to access – Via Web; YouTube, illegal sites (uTorrent) and licensed vendors.

• Become producers themselves – A good concept can be shot, edited and posted on the

internet for very little money.

DISADVANTAGES FOR INSTITUTIONS

• The disadvantages for the institution is that there could be poorer quality images –

Not as much depth of field, colours aren’t as Vivid, detail on costume.

• $300 million to convert cinemas to digital projection in the US alone

DISADVANTAGE FOR EXHIBITORS

• The disadvantage for the exhibitors is that the home cinema are improved (surround

sound, bigger TVs, video projectors) plus high speed broadband which does not cause

any buffering while watching a film.