Section B Film – What Significance does the development of digital technologies have for media institutions and audiences?

The film industry is constantly being introduced to new ways their audiences are able to view their films and how they are actually filmed.  I will be comparing high budget and low budget films to show the development of technology and how it has affected both.

All institutions will use the power of current technology to create a build up of excitement for their upcoming films. There is very basic technology such as social media and websites; this is the pre production of the film that the producers will gradually build up the buzz for the upcoming film. The Hobbit for an example the main director Peter Jackson has his own blog where he will most post announcements about the film to his fans to create an excitement for the film. Will always usually announce the making of the film around a year before it is released as an early press release to start to create the buzz for the film especially if it is a sequel and already has a good reputation such as The Hobbit. Low budget films such as 127 hours and Ill Manors will create social media accounts to create a buzz for the film but will struggle because of the lack of the publicity but with actors such as James Franco and Plan B there fans will follow the updates of the film.

The actual technologies that are used during the production of the film are usually very budget dependant, you will find the big 6 will use special effects when others small institutions in the film industry will not be able to afford as many. The Hobbit was filmed throughout at 48FPS throughout the whole film that came at a very costly expense being a very high frame rate, this is the first series of film that have a released a film world wide to film at such a high film rate. Where as the other small budget films would not be able to afford. To release their films at such a high frame rate with this standard of technology. Also 3D cameras were used in the making of The Hobbit but it then makes the film available to be seen in 3D which may increase the final take in the box office but 3D has not been as popular as first expected. Institutions can also reach different audiences and give their fans more interactivity by releasing apps and trailers for the production. Low budget films are not able to produce as many different viral apps and interactive games as the high budget films are able to, for an example The Hobbit was able to create games on its website and also join partnership with the Lego Company to create The Lego Hobbit game and actual pieces of Hobbit Lego whilst looking at lower budget films such as Ill Manors no games or apps were produced. 

Distribution has become even more significant with the change in technology how they now market the film and to attract people into the cinema to see their film. As previously spoken about social media accounts would be set up on twitter and Facebook to advertise the film more towards the younger generation, getting there film page shared or tweets retweeted is now a great way towards advertisement of a film. Two trailers were released for The Hobbit one as a teaser then a full main trailer was released to create a buzz for the film the same as for 127 hours also releasing 2 trailers for the film in the same standard. Whilst Ill Manors only released one main trailer showing the financial divide between the 3 films that how due to funding available Ill Manors is not able to create the same buzz for a film as a blockbuster standard film such as The Hobbit franchise. For The Hobbit The Battle of the Five Armies this was premiered in London’s Leicester Square on the 1^st of December then first released in public cinemas on the 11^th of December in New Zealand and the 12^th in Great Britain then later released in USA then worldwide. The Hobbit involving with Lego to create video games and to promote their film to possibly a slighter different audience they designed a unique Hobbit football kit for a wellington based football team, which was worn during a game just after the release of the film. The Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies game was also released for Apple and Android on phones and tablets which is a free purchase to promote the film in a 3D fight to save middle earth this shows the true funding and the power of a blockbuster film.

The online film legal streaming services are becoming a good market to introduce the film into with them becoming very popular such as Netflix, Love Film etc.… DVD’s, Blu-ray’s and downloads are also now popular with previous cinemagoers having all the technology at home to receive the same experience that you would at a cinema. This has encouraged film makers to adapt to the current technology, The Hobbit franchise currently has the first two films available on Netflix and expecting the landing of The Battle of the Five Armies on Netflix in the next coming months. All three of these films are all available on iTunes, which is now the normal for films being released. The latest development of new technology has played a massive part of the amount of money that is now going into the film industry, with films now being able to view on many different platforms using different software, which now many small films such as Ill Manors will be targeting online streaming websites to keep money coming into the film.

With the continuing development of new technology it also brings many positives and negatives with it. It brings new range of entertainment to be able to view the films at home and at the cinema giving you a more realistic experience. But with other technologies adapting at the same time piracy is a very big issue resulting in less profits, audiences may rather stay at home and play video games then go to the cinema. Many factors will depend on in the development of technology is a positive or a negative for the film industry.