Unit 8: Understandin

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Television &Film

Industries

Mansour Ahaidi

Film production and distribution technology has developed a lot since the first ever motion film, which was The Horse In Motion in 1878.

A number of new advancements have taken place in terms of production technology including the creation of new software programs, the introduction of High Definition, IMAX technology and CGI.

Distribution technology has also developed particularly in terms of home viewing with the introduction of Blu-ray, Freeview and Internet streaming services.

Production & Distribution Technology

High Definition is a video of higher resolution and quality than standard definition. In terms of filming, High Definition format not only improves the quality of the image but also enables the images to be transferred easily for editing and special effect purposes.

High Definition Television is now available in the UK on a variety of platforms including cable, satellite and terrestrial television. It is continually expanding to greater variety of channels as viewers purchase HD ready televisions in greater numbers

High Definition Television

Freeview is the only free to air digital terrestrial television service in the UK. Since the digital switchover in 2012, there is no terrestrial analogue television broadcast in the UK and all terrestrial TV is broadcast through Freeview. It broadcasts free to air channels, radio stations and interactive services, and has enabled a larger to have access to a wider range of channels and High Definition formats that were not available through analogue television.

Digital Free-View

Imax stands for Image Maximum. It is a motion picture film format and set of cinema projection standards.

It has the ability to record and display images of far larger size and resolution than previous conventional film systems. Since 2002, some feature films have been converted or upgraded so that they can be shown in IMAX cinemas and some have been shot using IMAX technology.

IMAX technology vastly heightens the visual impact of film presentations, making the experience more immersive for audiences. For this reason it is a particularly popular format for blockbuster action and fantasy films to be shown in and has particular value in terms of increasing the impact of CGI or Special Effects.

Imax

The computer generated imagery is the application of computer graphics to different creative formats like games, films, television programmes, commercials, and simulators. It is most commonly used in terms of 3D computer graphics to create special effects in films and television. The evolution of CGI led to the development of virtual cinematography in the 1990s where the simulated camera is not limited or restricted by physical laws.

They can also be created by home users and edited using software programs like Windows Move Maker or iMovie. The availability of CGI software and more developed computer technology has enabled individual artists and small independent production companies to create films and games to a professional standard.

CGI

In late 1990s and early 2000s, Internet users experienced a number of developments including:

Greater bandwith

Increased access to networks

Use of standard formats and protocols such as TCP, IP, HTTP and HTML

The Commercialization of the internet

These technological advances, in addition to access to more powerful home computing and operating systems, made streaming film and television programme practical and affordable for the vast majority of ordinary consumers.

Streaming

Netflix, INC is American provider of on demand internet streaming services that are available to viewers in North and South America, Caribbean and parts of Europe (Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom).

The success of Netflix has altered the way audiences consume televised content. Neil Hunt, theNetflix chief product officer, believes that Netflix is model for what television will look like in 2025. He highlights the fact that because users can watch shows at their own pace and convenience, there is no longer any need for episodes to end on cliffhangers in order to encourage audiences to continue following a series. This level of flexibility also enables Netflix to develop and work on a show until it finds its audience rather than cancelling it immediately due to initial disappointing ratings. He realised that a customers that has which they can watch different programs in one television show when they want than leaving as a cliff-hanger.

The service’s subscription fee also frees Netflix from having to show commercial advertisements which alters the viewing experience for the consumer and also enables the service to produce programmes that do not have to fit into a traditional length of 30 or 60 minutes.

Netflix has changed consumers’ expectations. By making the whole series of a programme available at once, Netflix has been able to capitalize on the increasing habit of binge watching, giving the freedom and control of scheduling back to the viewer. According to a 2013 Nielsen survey, more than 60% of Americans admit to binge-watching shows and nearly 8/10 Americans have used technology to watch their favourite shows on their own schedule.

Streaming

I believe that production and distribution technology will continue to develop over the next ten years and we will see improvements in a number of areas including the quality of hardware and software available to both professionals and amateurs. These improvements may make it easier to create films with advanced and specialised effects but it also means that producers, directors, cinematographers and editors working in the industry will need to continually update their skill set in order to be able to keep up and use the new technology effectively.

Due to High Definition Television and the expansion of streaming services, home consumer habits have already dramatically changed but I think there will be continued advancements in this area with larger audiences having access to such technology and even greater freedom for users to create their own viewing schedule whether it be at home or on the move using a variety of devices like phones and tablets to consume content.

My Opinion