Essay on Cinema and the Digital Age

Notions surrounding the “death of cinema” have been infiltrating cinema discourses for many years now. As we move away from cinema in its ‘purist’ form, we have almost completely transitioned into the digital age, and with this transition, ideas and opinions on the ultimate fate of cinema have become more popular and important. Many contribute technological advances in film as the driving force behind the dissolution of cinema’s distinctive art form. Yet this involuntary “transformation” of cinema is but one “death” in a group of discourses. As Michael Witt (1999) summarizes in his article The death(s) of cinema according to Godard, cinema has suffered not a single death, but “a series of deaths”. Jean-Luc Godard has for many decades been at the forefront of the discussion surrounding the death of Cinema.

“Fame once attained can seldom be held- unless early death makes it immortal” (Runcie).The art of filmmaking and the whole idea of entertainment has changed dramatically through the years. Movies have ranged from dramatic expressions and the over the top scenes to portraying  life more realistically. The industry of entertainment with all it’s coups and defeats has come together from silent movies, the starting point of its success technologically and creatively taking cinematic experience to a whole new level.

Although cinema is now a priority, some feel as if cinema is no longer the cinema when it was first established. Movies no longer have that special feeling like viewers once had. Today, films are not only shared within a theater, if one pleases they could always have the same experience elsewhere. Moreover, with technology expanding, it takes away the importance cinema once had. “The

In the digital era of convergent media, the most obvious about the change of cinema is the storage which rely on celluloid that you can touch in the past. Now, however, it is stored as electronic packets of 1s and 0s which is virtual. The changes of the cinema is not only about the film storage, but also the production，post-production, exhibition and distribution which is the main part of the film industry structure. In the era of celluloid, the four steps of movie is relatively independent and has its sequence. In digital movie, whereas, the connection and integration among four parts of industry structure are ever close.

Article Three – Author: David Bordwell / Title of Article: The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film

“The point of theatre is transformation: to make an extraordinary event out of ordinary material right in front of an audience 's eyes. Where the germ of the idea came from is pretty much irrelevant. What matters to every theatre maker, I know, is speaking clearly to the audience 'right now. '” This quote by English playwright and screenwriter, Lee Hall, from an essay he published in the Times of London, is central to the connection between theatre and motion picture technology. Since the rise of film in the early twentieth century, these elements have been influencing each other, and working together, to elevate the storytelling and experience of each medium and, in turn, better connecting them to the modern audience. The collaboration of these two mediums has resulted in a new form of theatre, known as digital theatre, that shows “theatrical entertainment does not have to be either purist (involving only ‘live’ actors on stage), or be consumed by the dominant televisual mass media, but can gain from the strengths of both types of communication.”(Masura). Throughout this paper, the intersection of theatre and motion picture technology will be explored through their effect on each other, in storytelling and experience, and the product of their collaboration—digital theatre.

“The biggest mistake we have made is to consider that films are primarily a form of entertainment. The film is the greatest medium since the invention of movable type for exchanging ideas and information, and it is no more at its best in light entertainment than literature is at its best in the light novel.” - Orson Welles

36). The cinema industry is being affected by the fast turnover rate of movies playing at the theatre to online releases, the increasing trend of online streaming of movies, and adopting sustainable practices. Cinemas are facing a more competitive environment due to the growing accessibility of home theatres and evolving consumer preferences. However, the major issue within the industry is the presence of online movie streaming becoming more popular. Canadians are presented with many platforms on which they can access content on numerous devices as well as at home. As the market and media platforms continue to evolve, it is important that each company in the cinema industry understands how to keep up technological developments and engage with their

For if we account for all of the industrial underpinnings of cinematic production, distribution, and exhibition—from the mines where the metals and minerals that make cameras and projectors are extracted to the factories where this equipment is assembled, from the reliance on aviation and trucking industries to distribute prints to the energy consumed by movie theaters, computers, HDTVs, and other exhibition technologies—it becomes clear that cinema is thoroughly entangled with the major industrial causes of

1st Draft Movies are a big part of everyday life. Millions of Americans go to the movies every week. Have you ever stopped to think about what movies used to be like, or how movies became what they are today? All of that can be traced back to the 1930’s.

The universe of movies and film has created the some of the most outstanding things over the years. Film is an amazing topic. It is outstanding how much it has evolved over the years. It started in black and white, and with no sound. Now we have things like 3D.

In “Could This Be the Year Movies Stopped Mattering?” by Brian Raftery, Raftery empathizes how present-day individuals are constantly absorbed towards social media and discover other alternatives to satisfy their entertainment needs. This led to the belief that movies are considered less significant. Furthermore, the author provides us with examples for instance, music, considered an unappreciated category of entertainment, yet unexpectedly, it is a resurgence and recurring item in today’s pop culture, and television, cinema’s long-time competitor in the entertainment industry. He also blames the sudden advancement based on the unexpected deaths of talented artists and a surplus of must hear albums from present artists. Meanwhile, in the year

The film industry has continuously changed since its inception due to rapid technology advancements. Camera technology has been a key factor that has influenced the growth of filmmaking. The first motion picture in the world was produced in the early 1880s, and the first public screening occurred ten years later. It didn’t take long for the quality of films to improve as new filmmaking equipment emerged. Ever since the first movie was produced, the film industry has been continuously changing in response to emerging filmmaking technology. Introduction of digital photography and digital data storage along with the development of internet significantly influenced the film industry (Barsam, 2015). These technologies contributed

While Arnheim’s views on the future of film and the idea of a complete film can be somewhat insightful, I disagree with his conclusion that the introduction of sound and color diminishes the creative quality and originality of movies. He states his belief that eventually film will develop to the point where we “we have nothing to look forward to” (Arnheim , 184).

Film Industry has been expansively affected by the changes in technology. The mechanical and digital innovations give cause to the influence of equipment, distribution and the way in which films are made and consumed. New trends shape directors and filmmakers to expand creatively towards telling stories in motions. The film industry has developed to one of the most important tools of communication, it's cause so powerful affecting the way individuals and societies think, act and behave. Among the new Era approaching film, and seeing celluloid film fade is that of the Digital Era and a camera that saw celluloid films passing hastened.