The Proliferation of Hardware and Content for Institutions and Audiences
The following page will consider how significant the proliferation of hardware and content is, for institutions and audiences in the Film Industry. The information in this page will assist an understanding of the evolutions of the technological landscape and its effects on the current FIlm Industry and its audiences in the UK and abroad. The post will attempt to:
Define and explain what is meant by the terms Hardware, Cotent, Institution and Audience
Identify and Illustrate Hardware and Content used and produced by Independent, Independent Spirited and Hollywood Institutions
Critically Analyse the effects of the proliferation of Hardware and Content for Independent, Independent Spirited and Hollywood Institutions and their audiences with relation to production, distribution and exhibition/consumption.
Define and explain what is meant by the terms Hardware, Cotent, Institution and Audience
Identify and Illustrate Hardware and Content used and produced by Independent, Independent Spirited and Hollywood Institutions
Critically Analyse the effects of the proliferation of Hardware and Content for Independent, Independent Spirited and Hollywood Institutions and their audiences with relation to production, distribution and exhibition/consumption.
Defining and Explaining Proliferation
The term Proliferation principally features in biology and refers to a rapid growth or reproduction of cells however, within the context of the Film Industry and in this case, with reference to; Hardware and Content, similarly to the biological definition, the term Proliferation refers to the rapid increase and growth of Hardware and Content for the Film Industry's Institutions and Audiences.
Proliferation in terms of Hardware
Proliferation, in terms of Hardware, primarily concerns the increasingly varied and ever evolving technologies used to Produce, distribute and exhibit or offer the film for public consumption.
In terms of Production we are referring to such technologies as high resolution HD cameras such as Red Scarlets, Canon 1D’s and 5D’s, Motion Capture Technology and Green Screen, which assist in the creation of CGI. |
In terms of Distribution, we are referring to the technologies which create digital copies of films and the processing of 35mm and 70 mm prints, DVD’s, UMD’S, Triple Play which allows cinema screenings at 2D and 3D, Digital Downloads, DVD Rental and Online Streaming and TV Beta Tapes.
We are also referring to the Marketing technologies such as virtual based Viral Marketing Campaigns, Trailers and Posters which create cheaper and sometimes free advertising on the internet and the availability of fan based and audience marketing through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, Youtube and Vimeo, Fan Blogs and Viral Mash Up video’s, Creative Contents Licensing to further advertise Films. The following video, The Blair Witch Phenomenon, reflects on the success of the pseudo-documentary horror The Blair Witch Project (1999). The film shows the beginnings of a new phenomena in terms of the marketing of films. The really interesting point comes about a third of the way into the film where the film makers refer to the choice to enter a viral true crime site to publicise the film.
We are also referring to the Marketing technologies such as virtual based Viral Marketing Campaigns, Trailers and Posters which create cheaper and sometimes free advertising on the internet and the availability of fan based and audience marketing through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, Youtube and Vimeo, Fan Blogs and Viral Mash Up video’s, Creative Contents Licensing to further advertise Films. The following video, The Blair Witch Phenomenon, reflects on the success of the pseudo-documentary horror The Blair Witch Project (1999). The film shows the beginnings of a new phenomena in terms of the marketing of films. The really interesting point comes about a third of the way into the film where the film makers refer to the choice to enter a viral true crime site to publicise the film.
When we are referring to the Exhibition and Consumption of films we are referring to how film are consumed by audiences. We are referring to such technologies and platforms such as 3D, IMAX, Digital Screens Digital Projection, Computers, Televisions, Smart Phone, Tablet Systems which allow Digital Downloads, Rentals and Streaming from Love Film Instant, Netflix, Itunes, BBC TV, iplayer, 4 On Demand, SKY Movies etc.
The first video portrays a 16mm projectionist in Istanbul, the film is weirdly cool and sublimely ridiculous, but does show the analogue projection process which was very typical of cinema's up until the introduction of digital projection beginning in the late 90's and becoming standard practice in the mid 2000s.
The second, exemplifies some of the proliferation of technology which aid film production. The video is from the behind the scenes DVD extra's of Ted (2012). The clip illustrates the special effects processes used to create Ted and it also illustrates significant leaps which offer as much criticism as they do praise, both terms of technologies but also in the way films are made.
The first video portrays a 16mm projectionist in Istanbul, the film is weirdly cool and sublimely ridiculous, but does show the analogue projection process which was very typical of cinema's up until the introduction of digital projection beginning in the late 90's and becoming standard practice in the mid 2000s.
The second, exemplifies some of the proliferation of technology which aid film production. The video is from the behind the scenes DVD extra's of Ted (2012). The clip illustrates the special effects processes used to create Ted and it also illustrates significant leaps which offer as much criticism as they do praise, both terms of technologies but also in the way films are made.
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The next video shows the alternatives to shooting on film and if you can suffer the pretentions of the next presenter, you can see that there are some very inexpensive ways to capture a movie when compared to the costly business of shooting on film.
The next two videos are from the American Film Institute Interviews with George Lucas. In the first film he speaks of his legendary sound technology THX Sound System and the second video, he discusses the progressions made in digital cinema, and whilst a majority of his fans think his digital work is unfathomably poor in characterisation, narrative and verisimilitude, his own personal advancements have shaped the cInematic landscape. His progressions in sound and image are monoliths in the evolution of the medium.
Just as a point of interest, the the doumentary beneath Lucas, refers to his work on the first three Star Wars pictures. It's a very informative documentary and illustrates the landscape of Hollywood and technology in the 70's and the wave of Neu Hollywood which was already bringing the birth of the Blockbuster.
Just as a point of interest, the the doumentary beneath Lucas, refers to his work on the first three Star Wars pictures. It's a very informative documentary and illustrates the landscape of Hollywood and technology in the 70's and the wave of Neu Hollywood which was already bringing the birth of the Blockbuster.
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The next clips shows two examples of fan mash ups.Both are exceptional reminders of the power of music in film. The first is called The Shining (Happy Version), next to it is Kubrick's original. The second example recuts Scorsese's gangster film, Goodfellas but puts a romantic twist on it. The wise guys in this movie would not have been best pleased with the redux. Scorsese's original is next to it.
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Proliferation in terms of Content
In terms of content, proliferation refers to the vast amount of products sold in an equally vast array of mediums, which the Industry produces for consumption by audiences, be it in the cinema or for home release. This firstly refers to the films themselves and the varying genres and auteurs whose movies are made avaible in cinemas, streamed via internet or dvd, umd or blu ray. Content also refers to the products or services which are designed to advertise the Film such as trailers, posters, websites and social networking sites and other merchandising such as OST's, Graphic Novels, Action Figures etc.
The following examples of content are all taken from the Warp X production of Richard Ayoade's Submarine (2011). The trailer is posted along with the OST EP by Alex Turner of the Artic Monkeys. The film assumes a Godardian, Coming of Age, Romantic Comedy/Drama guise, a film that ticked a lot of boxes and did quite well in American. It was also produced by Ben Stiller. Here is the Submarine page from www.warp.net/films/submarine.
The following examples of content are all taken from the Warp X production of Richard Ayoade's Submarine (2011). The trailer is posted along with the OST EP by Alex Turner of the Artic Monkeys. The film assumes a Godardian, Coming of Age, Romantic Comedy/Drama guise, a film that ticked a lot of boxes and did quite well in American. It was also produced by Ben Stiller. Here is the Submarine page from www.warp.net/films/submarine.
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The following videos are some adverts from the late 60's, 70's, 80's and early 90's for popular action figures of the time. The first is for the Planet of the Apes franchise. 20th Century Fox mass produced action figures from the film to make the film experience more interactive. There is a great documentary on the Original Planet of the Apes Boxset called Behind the Planet of the Apes, narrated by Roddy McDowell, the actor who plays Cornelius.
The film is a very early glimpse into the Industry's b-line towards merchandising and franchising the film as a product within the body of a films brand. In this case, the first life of the Planet of the Apes brand ended following 5 films with associated character and location action figures, 2 TV drama series,
George Lucas capitalised over Fox by signing a deal to own merchandising rights for the film. It made him a very rich man. The last two films are points of note as they illustrate the interactivity of film using the figures for animations. The first of the animations is from 1978 and the second is a much more recent example of the proliferation of technology and content in the Industry.
The film is a very early glimpse into the Industry's b-line towards merchandising and franchising the film as a product within the body of a films brand. In this case, the first life of the Planet of the Apes brand ended following 5 films with associated character and location action figures, 2 TV drama series,
George Lucas capitalised over Fox by signing a deal to own merchandising rights for the film. It made him a very rich man. The last two films are points of note as they illustrate the interactivity of film using the figures for animations. The first of the animations is from 1978 and the second is a much more recent example of the proliferation of technology and content in the Industry.
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Defining and Explaining Hardware
Hardware can be defined as a device, a machine or any other physical equipment directly involved in performing an industrial or technological function. In the context of the Film Industry, hardware, can be further defined as a technological device which assists the production, distribution and/or exhibition of a film. Examples of hardware would include the camera that captures the film, the computer and editing software that cuts and markets the film or a digital projector, to exhibit the film in a digital cinema.
The following diagram is an advertisment illustrating the benefits of digital cinema but it caused many problems for the Independent Cinema's who were not part of the Digital Screen Network. Beneath that, David Lynch explains why how he fell in love with the digital cameras, Sony PD150 and then, the PD170 in his film Inland Empire. The trailer for the film is beneath the Lynch interview.
The following diagram is an advertisment illustrating the benefits of digital cinema but it caused many problems for the Independent Cinema's who were not part of the Digital Screen Network. Beneath that, David Lynch explains why how he fell in love with the digital cameras, Sony PD150 and then, the PD170 in his film Inland Empire. The trailer for the film is beneath the Lynch interview.
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For this purpose, it is essential the definition is extended to specifically reference technologies that are not considered hardware but operate in conjunction with the hardware as virtual machines, formats or platforms which are increasingly frequent in the successful exchange of a film. Examples of this kind include Editing, CGI and Animation Software (Final Cut X, Shake, Flame, After Effects etc), Websites (Viral Marketing Platforms, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Love Film, Netflix) DVD’s, Blu Rays, Triple Play, UMD’s or Digital Downloads to mention just a few.
The following videos illustrate the capabilities of hardware and software in the makings of 3D movies in The Amazing Spider Man (2012). Beneath that, Mark Kermode rather angrily disapproves of 3D and instructs you how to create a
2D experience from a 3D film.
The following videos illustrate the capabilities of hardware and software in the makings of 3D movies in The Amazing Spider Man (2012). Beneath that, Mark Kermode rather angrily disapproves of 3D and instructs you how to create a
2D experience from a 3D film.
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Defining and Explaining Content
Content at its simplest, can be defined as the products that audiences receive from the film institutions (Hollywood Studio, Independent Spirited and Independent/Art House/Foreign) who Produce, Distribute and Exhibit or offer alternative forms of consumer platforms for films). Content is very important as the term refers to what exactly the Institutions offer audiences in terms of the Production, Distribution and Exhibition of the films.
Content can be received through a myriad of devices or hardware (televisions, cinema Screens, tablets, smart phones etc) and through many legal platforms (Love Film Instant, Net Flix, Sky Movies, Film 4, You Tube etc) as well as illegal platforms (Pirate Bay, Let Me Watch This etc) and it is up to the Institutions to provide content in as many formats as possible to increase success both critically and financially.
The following trailers show the types of content produced by UK Independent Warp X, UK Independent Spirited Working Title (Universal) and US Hollywood Studio, Warner Bros. |
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Defining and Explaining Instituitons and Audience
Audiences are fairly self-explanatory and can be defined as the consumers of the content and marketing produced by Institutions within the Film Industry. The Film Industry can be categorised very simply into three major fields of business: Hollywood Studios, Independent Spirited and Independent/Art House/Foreign.
The current Industry arrangement began to take its current form in the 80's and lines between the traitional cinema model were blurred between its counterpoints, Independent/Art House/Foreign and Hollywood. Hugely influenced by the success of Neu Hollwood in the 70's and the power it commanded, Independent cinema had a multitude of box office successes and critical acclaim which interested Hollywood.
In the 70's Hollywood had been rescued from bankrupcy by Exploitation films and the European cinematic traditions expressed, by the current Hollywood mainstays, Scorsese, Speilberg and Coppolla, then, young rebelious auteurs, who were used to very low budgets and uncompromising narratives .
At the same time, Speilberg and Lucas were developing visual storytelling into an uncompromising financial machine, the mid 70's saw the birth of the Event Picture, or what is now called the Blockbuster. |
The following series of videos come from an exceptional documentary called Easy Riders and Raging Bulls made by Peter Biskind. It charts the progress of the Neu Hollywood movement and illustrates how much power, relatively inexperience film makers could attain, achieving the Auteur status of Hitchcock in the space of a few movies.
These direcors could control more and more aspects of their films, some even had final cut. Neu Hollywood had created a scenario that Hollywood was not used to at all. The last video in the series is a great documentary taken from the Blaxploitation classic Superfly (1972), scored by soul legend Curtis Mayfield. The film discusses its influence on the Blaxploitation film movement and its place in film history. |
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By the early 90's, the real success story of the American Independent scene, Miramax, owned by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, branched out with Disney. The next film is a from Quentin Tarantino, a director who greatly alters the perspective of traditional Disney productions but he also highlights his love of Neu Hollywood and Exploitation Cinema in Jackie Brown (1997).
The institutions within the film industry can be simply categorised into the further business sectors which concern; Production, Distribution and Exhibition/Consumption.
Production refers to the processes by which films are made and include Screenwriting, Cinematography, Sound, Editing and Design at its most simplistic levels. The term essentially refers to the making of the content.
Production refers to the processes by which films are made and include Screenwriting, Cinematography, Sound, Editing and Design at its most simplistic levels. The term essentially refers to the making of the content.
Distribution refers to the process through which content is made available to an audience with a theatrical release (cinema’s, 2D, 3D, imax), a home entertainment release (DVD, Blu-Ray, Blockbuster, HMV, Play.com) a television platform for broadcast syndication (Film 4, Sky Movies, ITV, C4, BBC, 5) and may now include digital distribution in the rental and purchasing market (itunes, Netflix, Love Film). Distribution also encompasses the advertising and marketing of the content and the sale, production and transfer of content to Exhibition Institutions which will be further explained below.
Exhibition primarily refers to the content being screened at a Cinema of any description (3D, IMAX, Multiplex, Independent, Art House). The content is projected with a movie projector onto a large projection screen at the front of the auditorium. Most multiplexes are now equipped for digital cinema projection, removing the need to create and transport a physical film print, however, this technology is extremely expense and most independent cinemas cannot afford to switch to digital means, meaning they are paying more for Hollywood’s 35mm film prints or in many cases, less well established Independent Cinemas cannot afford to only screen Independent films and depend on larger budget Hollywood films for their revenue. Subsequently, this type of cinema is not feasible in the current market place and the cinemas are in jeopardy of completely losing their patrons, its revenue and closing down.
The definition of Exhibition has changed dramatically over the last 30 years and now moves to include any consumption of a film. This includes theatrical release (cinema’s, 2D, 3D, imax), a home entertainment releases (DVD, Blu-Ray, Blockbuster, HMV) a television platform for broadcast syndications (Film 4, Sky Movies, ITV, C4, BBC, 5) and digital consumption in the rental and purchasing market (itunes, Netflix, Love Film).
The definition of Exhibition has changed dramatically over the last 30 years and now moves to include any consumption of a film. This includes theatrical release (cinema’s, 2D, 3D, imax), a home entertainment releases (DVD, Blu-Ray, Blockbuster, HMV) a television platform for broadcast syndications (Film 4, Sky Movies, ITV, C4, BBC, 5) and digital consumption in the rental and purchasing market (itunes, Netflix, Love Film).
The Significance of the Proliferation of Hardware to Institutions and Audiences
The proliferation of hardware refers to the rapid increase in physical technologies which assist the production, distribution and exhibition/consumption of a film or its related products or services. There is inevitably a vast array of technologies available for the film industry.
The Significance of the Proliferation of Content to Institutions and Audiences
The proliferation of content refers to the amount of the respective films and their related products and services, so for film to maximise its profits it creates franchise products as illustrated previously however, when concerned with the film industry and specifically H