Question 4

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages? 

New media technologies have transformed over the last 50 years, this transformation has brought benefits to both society in general and the film industry. One of the main processes for new technological development is digitalisation – where platforms are broken down into binary codes, this is where we start to see a shift from analog to digital systems.  New media technologies is demonstrating a few trends, one of which is miniturisation. Miniturisation is where new media platforms start to decrease in size and connect to each other. For example in the late 70s people used to carry large cassettes to play music, it then decreased in size with the likes of the Sony Walkman in the 80s and 90s. In the early 2000s music players become even small Eg Ipod nano. However, you could infer that home cinema is getting bigger. TV’s are now 50 inch plus.

There was also other trends, especially in portability. New technologies has now become multi functional. A key example would be the mobile phone. In the past you would need a music player/CDs/DVDs/portable camera/camcorders/buy games from shops/ use computer for surfing internet. BUT! It has all come into one format. The mobile phone is a multi functioning device. It has allowed society to take pictures, watch film, video, play games whenever and wherever they like.

New media technology has also created synergy and convergence. Synergy in my own words is where concepts become more interconnected, analog systems were all separate but have now all come into one (mentioned above). Synergy has benefited the film industry as one concept can go across different plat forms. For instance, the Star Wars franchise has the film, game, soundtrack, toys, spin off shows and much more. As a result, this enables the film industry to cross advertise by using one of many concepts. (briefly said above) convergence is where platforms are coming together (again its the process of miniturisation –  these two have almost the same meaning), the phone is an example of convergence which has been broken down to digital code (binary, coding/decoding) to make our lives a lot easier. 

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Impacts on media industries/audiences?

Production – has made making films a lot easier with the likes of cheaper and more accessible equipment. For example, YouTube streaming and making videos with little or no cost and cheap cameras.

Distribution – has allowed film industries to use social media for viral advertising – where people share and tell over via word or mouth, thus raising awareness to different audiences.

Exhibition – cinemas can now project films digitally and can screen things using satellite –  cinemas no longer require large projections of film it is all done on one disc.

Advantages 

• Films now have alternate revenue streams
• Easier to make films – cheap equipment
• YouTube, Netflix and Amazon makes it easier to distribute films and for audiences to view them
• Social media – viral advertising at low/minimal cost Eg Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
• has enabled people to become more creative Eg with special effect, animation and arts etc

Disadvantages 

• Piracy has become easier – the film industry has lost control of its products and money
• Streaming things illegally – cinemas revenue declining as less people watching
• However, new media technologies has made people become more lazy as they expect the tech to do it for them – WE GET TO COMFORTABLE AND START TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT !!!!!!!!!

Over the course of my Advanced Production, I had used many forms of media technologies Eg phone, camera and social media platforms like Whatsapp, prezzi and Facebook. Seen as the last Evaluation question is about how we used media technology in the construction of research, planning and evaluation. I thought that it would be quite cool to use technology to answer a question about technology. Here is our video: