Digital Technology and Film (Production, Distribution, Exhibition and Exchange)

1. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
AND FILM

2. ADVANTAGES FOR FILMMAKERS
• The advantages for the filmmakers is that the production is cheaper.
• Easier to light a scene.
• Realism.
• Naturalistic performances.

3. ADVANTAGES FOR DISTRIBUTORS
• The advantages for the film distributors is that they celluloid films that are
deteriorated very quickly – Digital storage is cheaper and more effective.
• Easy to duplicate and send around the world for a worldwide gross – Directly from
net or on tape where it can be digitally projected in 2001 Phillip Anschutz said that if
cinemas swapped from film to digital, it would save $800 billion in distribution costs.

4. DISADVANTAGES FOR DISTRIBUTORS
• However, the disadvantage for the distributors is that it is easier to make flawless
copies with digital – Opened to piracy which can be pirated by the audience and
have a loss on profit and loss on the next production.
• Competition – If Digital democratises access to production and distribution

5. ADVANTAGES FOR AUDIENCES
• The advantages for the audiences is that they increase the mount of realism of
performance – ‘emotional honesty’ of a story.
• Cheaper production – Wider range of film styles, themes and content.
• Easier to access – Via Web; YouTube, illegal sites (uTorrent) and licensed vendors.
• Become producers themselves – A good concept can be shot, edited and posted on the
internet for very little money.

6. DISADVANTAGES FOR INSTITUTIONS
• The disadvantages for the institution is that there could be poorer quality images –
Not as much depth of field, colours aren’t as Vivid, detail on costume.
• $300 million to convert cinemas to digital projection in the US alone

7. DISADVANTAGE FOR EXHIBITORS
• The disadvantage for the exhibitors is that the home cinema are improved (surround
sound, bigger TVs, video projectors) plus high speed broadband which does not cause
any buffering while watching a film.