The proliferation of hardware has affected the film industry in several ways. It has benefited large production companies and institutions by improving production quality through new camera and editing technologies. However, these technologies are often too expensive for independent companies to access. While special effects and quality improvements attract wider audiences for large studios, independent films still find audiences with low-budget productions. The increase in distribution platforms makes it harder for films to find their target audiences, but also benefits independent films by providing new exhibition opportunities online. Overall, the increased hardware and content benefits institutions and production quality more than audiences who experience less variety and originality as similar techniques are now used across the industry.

1. Withinthe mediathere are manywaysin whichthe increase inhardware haseffectedhow media
institutionsdevelopmovies/films.The mainareasinclude production,marketing,distributionand
exhibition,whichare the 4keystageswithinthe life cycle of a film.Case studiesthatcan be usedto
compare the proliferationinhardware andcontentinclude“Rogue one”(2016),“71” (2014) and
“deadman’sshoes”(2006).
The proliferationinhardware hasmanywaysinwhichitbenefitsinstitutionsthatare developing
newfilms.Thiscanbe seenthroughthe increase intechnologywithgreaterfunctionssuchas
camera’swithaspectssuch as stabilizationandmanual focusingetc.These wouldbe usedduringthe
productionstage of a filmslife cycle,benefittinghow the productionismade.Thismeansthat
institutionscanincrease qualitywithintheirproductions,makingaudiencesmore likelytowatchthe
filmasthe higherqualitycouldcreate verisimilitude andrealismforaudiences,allowingthemto
relate toa productionmore furthermore increase how theyengagewithafilm.Thislinksthe uses
and gratificationstheory,meaningaudienceswill seekoutproductionsthatfulfil theirneedssuchas
verisimilitude.However,thistype of hardware maybe hardertoobtainfor smaller,independent
companies.Thisforcesthemintousingalternativeoptions.Anexample of thiscanbe seenthrough
the film“deadman’sshoes”createdbythe independentfilmcompany“WarpFilms2in2006. This
companydecidedtooptfor a camera qualitywithlessfunctionsandquality,meaningtheycould
integrate theircreative style intothe productionviathe camera.Thisbenefittedtheircompanyasit
suitedtheirethosof individualityandfurthermore promotedanew style withinfilmmaking.
The secondbeneficialaspectthatcan be noteddue to the increase of hardware andcontentisthat
aspectssuch as special effectswithineditingcanbe introducedtoattract a wideraudience.Some
audiencesmayfeel enticedtowatcha productionwithspecial effectsasforthemit will generate
escapism,theywouldwanttoexperiencesomethingtheycouldnotexperiencewithineverydaylife.
Thiscreatesa largerappeal tothose whoenjoyspecial effectsastheyare enticedtowatchvia the
escapismelement. The mainexample of thiscanbe seenwithinthe Starwarsfranchise,createdby
conglomerate companiessuchas“20th
CenturyFox”and “Walt Disneystudios”Theydecidedto
create theirowncompanyfor editing,meaningtheycoulddeveloptheirownindividualisticediting
and special effectswhichcouldbe appliedwithinthe film“Rogue One”whichgeneratedanoverall
global profitof $1,016,138,137. However,special effectsmaybe hardertoaccess forindependent
filmstudios,thisisbecause theymaynot have the funding.Thiscreatesadifficultyforniche
companiesastheycannotattract audienceswhoare interestedwithescapism.Although,an
example thatdisprovesthisis“71” producedbyWarp studios,anindepdentfilmcompany.They
usedverylittle specialeffectstocreate thisfilmandstill managedtogenerate abox office figure of
“$1,268,760” showingsubtle effectscanstill generateaprofit.
However,there are some disadvantagesforinstitutionsdue tothe increase inhardware and
content. Thisisbecause itmay be harderto appeal to yourtarget audience viaexhibitionplatforms.
Withinexhibitionthere isanincreasingamountof waysinwithconsumerscanview afilmfor
example,onlinestreamingwebsitessuchasamazonprime,Netflix etc, Television,andcinema.This
meansitmay be hard to findthe appropriate platformtoexhibitafilmdue tothe increase inchoice.
I personallywouldfinditmore difficulttochoose where Iwouldlike toview afilm, makingme less
likelytoviewthe filmaltogether.However,thiscouldbe anadvantage forindependentcompanies
as theycan opt to exhibitasmallerfilmintoaslightlylargercompany.ForexampleNetflix hasa
sectionforindependentfilms,allowingthose withalowerfundingtoshow theirfilmonapopular

2. online streamingsite andpossiblygeneratingthemmore revenue linkingtothe longtail theory,
suggestingthere are lessmainstreamhitsandniche filmsare onthe rise.The increase inonline
streamingpopularityisdue totechnological convergence,meaningyoucanaccesseverythingyou
needwithinone technological device.
Audiencescanalsobenefitfromthe proliferationof hardware andcontentwithinthe filmindustry.
There are nowmultiple differentways,inwhichaudiencescan view afilm, forexampleaspectssuch
as IMAX,3D and 4D have recentlybeenintroducedwithinsociety.Thisincreasesthe likelihoodof
audienceswatchingafilmastheycan gainemotional pleasuresfromviewingsomethingthatthey
wouldperhapsnotview everyday,suchasa 3 dimensionalpicture animation.Forexample Iandmy
peerswouldgainmore pleasure fromwatchingafilmthathaspicturesshown“jumpingoff the
screen”than we wouldanormal 2D picture.Similarly,indepdentcinemashave alsobeenintroduced
allowingthose whoare fansof smallerfilmstofurthermoreenjoythe cinematicexperience.An
example of thiscanbe seenfromthe independentcinemainBerkhamstedcalled‘The Rex’Showing
smallerbudgetfilmssuchas“Manchesterby the sea” whichhasa budgetof $8.5million.
Secondly,audiencescanbenefitfromthese aspectsincreasingasitallowsthemtobecome “pro-
sumers”Thismeansthat people whohave little orevennofundingcannow create and make their
ownfilms.Forexample,mypeersandIhadto create an openingsequence tofilmusingnofunding
at all.The increase inhardware allowsconsumerstodevelopintoprosumersthere are multiple
differentwaysinwhichtheycancreate filmsandunderstandwhatgoesintocreatinga filmfrom
theirownview.Thissimilarlylinkstothe Longtail theoryas prosumerscan create films atlevelswith
higherproductioncompanies.
However,there canbe weaknessesthataudiencesexperience when there isanincrease incontent
and hardware isproductscan lack originalityandrealism.Withall institutionshavingaccesstothe
same technologyandhardware,productionswill have similareffects,qualityandeditingtypes.This
createsa patternwithinthe societyof filmastheywill all have similar featuresdue tosimilar
hardware and content. Thismeansaudienceswilllackengagementastheyfeel theyhave perhaps
feltsimilaremotionstootherproductionswiththe same techniques,meaningtheycannotfulfilthe
usesand gratificationstheory.Thiscouldfurthermore leadtoissuessuchassocial convergence,
whereinwhichaudiencesshare theiropinionsonafilmandit goesviral.
So,in conclusion,the proliferationincontentandhardware ismore beneficialtoinstitutionsas
there are many new techniquesintroducedaswell asincrease inefficiencyviaaspectssuchas
qualityandsoftware thatcan be purchasedto increase the productionof afilm.Similarlythere are
benefitstowardsthe audience howeverthese are notasgreat as theyadvantagesforinstitutionsas
audiencescanonlyviewwhatcontentcreatorsare makingwiththese new features,althoughnow
can create theirownby becoming‘Prosumers’