1. Viewing Films
Lesson 4

2. Objective
• Understand how the ways we view films have
changed over the last 100 years
• Assess the effect new technology has had on
the dominance of the Film Industry

3. Can you name these media formats?

4. Can you name these media formats?

5. Can you name these media formats?

6. Can you name these media formats?

7. Can you name these media formats?

8. Prior to 1956
• Films viewed in cinemas
• Attendance grew each year (from 903m
attendances in 1933 to 1.6bn in 1946,
declining to 1.1bn in 1956)
• Then suddenly, a change.

9. Between 1957 and 1987
• Slump in cinema attendance
• 915m in 1957
• 72m in 1987
• Reason is very simple...

10. Television

11. Weighing it all up...
Cinema TV

12. Methods, Pros and Cons
Method Advantages Disadvantages
Cinema Spectacle, crowds, shared
experience, novelty, event
Spiralling cost, poor quality
product, where to watch
Blu-ray Quality, extras, sound Limited choice, cost,
‘niche’ product, quality?
DVD Cheap, quality, extras,
sound, choice
Permanence, storage,
capacity
Online streaming Immediacy, cost (free?),
availability
Infrastructure, copyright,
cost (subscription)
Digital TV (e.g. Freeview+,
Sky+, VirginMedia TiVo)
Choice, convenience,
quality
Permanence? Monthly
cost, capacity
Smartphones In your pocket! Privacy,
convenience
Capacity, data limits,
interruptions

13. Viewing proportions - Cinema
• In 1984, 49% of population
• In 1999, 75% of population
• Why has there been such a change?