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How Does Technology Affect Independent Films

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How has the role of technology affected independent films and their film-making process?

The distribution of film has changed phenomenally during the last 10 years. Independent film is an area of production where filmmakers produce their films independently, outside of the studio system. Many argue that cultural value is taken from independent films whereas commercial releases follow the same narrative structure. Often, mainstream cinema will follow a common narrative arc which fits into the equilibrium theory e.g. Protagonist is faced with a challenge, a stage of disequilibrium occurs, equilibrium is restored and the film has a traditional happy ending. Independent film’s niche audiences enjoy the creative freedom that comes with genre. This freedom has been extended by new technology, giving filmmakers the ability to fulfil their artistic vision. Advances in technical equipment have benefitted the film-making process for independent directors, who are now able to create high quality films on a low budget. In addition to advances in technical equipment, social …show more content…

The Blair Witch Project was reportedly made on a budget of less than $60,000 and made $240,000,000 at the box office. The film played on the concept of homemade videos and was shot using a handheld camera. The film was one of the first films to go viral due to its affective viral marketing campaign through the use of technology. The film advertised itself by creating a website which detailed to tale of The Blair Witch. Many people even believed that the movie footage featured on the website was real until the actors began doing interviews after the films initial success.The Blair Witch Project success can be partly accredited to the convincing material that was provided on the website, which enabled word-of-mouth marketing “Blair Witch was a full-steam word-of-mouth

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