This document discusses how digital technology and convergence across media industries has revolutionized film production, distribution, and exhibition. New technologies have allowed for cheaper and easier filmmaking as well as enhanced viewing experiences through high definition and 3D. Audiences now have more active engagement with media through user-generated content and social media. Film marketing also leverages convergence, using multiple media platforms and technologies to promote movies. Digital distribution in particular will transform the industry by providing cheaper, quicker, and piracy-resistant global releases.

1. Digital
Portability
Convergence
High Definition

2. Revolutionised the modern world (not
just film)
 Revolutionising production, distribution,
marketing, exhibition (consumption of
film)
 Films are now cheaper and easier to
make, cheaper to distribute, and DCinemas are enhancing the viewing
experience


3. 
NDT has allowed audiences to become
„produser‟ – producers/users of media

“Conventional research methods are replace –
or at least supplemented by new methods
which recognise and make use of people‟s
own creativity, and brush aside outmoded
notions of „receiver‟ audiences and elite
„producers‟.”
› Gauntlett

What is NDT from an audience point of
view?
› Web2.0
› Social Media

4. Active users of the media
 Audience „Fragmentation‟ – this makes it
hard to reach everyone (360 degree
branding is to surround us with the produce
across all form of media – eg)
 The need to use convergence –

› A) - technologies coming together, eg, a mobile
phone
› B), media industries are diversifying so they
produce and distribute across several media eg
newspaper

5. 
Cross Media Convergence and The
Hobbit
› How did „convergence‟ come together for
the Hobbit?
› Find out what different technologies were
used to connect people to The Hobbit
› Find out what other forms of media were
connected to the film (eg video games)
› What impact did new media technologies
have on this film?

6. The relationship has changed
 Rather than keeping the audience
together institutions are trying to „trigger
engagement
 Push Media vs Pull Media
 Push = institutions push media at us
 Pull = we choose want media we what
and in what form
 Long Tail


7. Proliferation is media spreading out – in the
past there was „old media‟:
• Old-style TV
• Radio
• Movie studios
• Music studios
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Books
BUT now there is NEW MEDIA and there is more
proliferation……

8. 
Media has proliferated through new media
– accessible through interactive power of
computer and communications
technology, computer-enabled consumer
devices and most importantly the Internet.

Media industries are diversifying so that they
produce & distribute across several different
types of media (i.e. a newspaper with an
online version & podcasts OR video games
linked with films), accessible on these
converged devices

9. 







New technology used in Avatar
The Hobbit?
Digital Cameras – cheaper, cleaner, easier to
manipulate
HD – higher quality
3D – spectacle, hard to pirate, hard to
produce at home, new
Imax - spectacle, hard to pirate, hard to
produce at home, new
CGI – achieve the impossible, exciting,
creative
Synthespians? (term coined by Randle and
Culkin – used for extras which are costly)

10. 
In media economics, synergy is the promotion
and sale of a product (and all its versions)
throughout the various subsidiaries of a media
conglomerate, e.g. films, soundtracks or video
games. Walt Disney pioneered synergistic
marketing techniques in the 1930s by granting
dozens of firms the right to use his Mickey
Mouse character in products and ads, and
continued to market Disney media through
licensing arrangements. These products can
help advertise the film itself and thus help to
increase the film's sales. For example, the
Spider-Man films had toys of webshooters and
figures of the characters made, as well as
posters and games

11. Digital Distribution will transform the film
industry more than any other
technological advancement
 Key Point

› Cheaper
› Quicker
› Simultaneous global release (cuts down
piracy)
› Great Potential and Great Danger

12. 





Digital Data Files can be
broadcast/downloaded by satellite (fast)
Via satellite reduces the risk of film prints
„going astray‟, reduce piracy
Film stock is heavy, hard to work with and
fragile
Film needs specialist handling, digital does
not
Quality remains consistent over multiple
screening
Multiple copies for the price of one!

13. Audience attitude to the internet being
„free‟ (think Napster, LimeWire, BitTorrent)
 Marketing becomes way more important
 Quality?
 The „Experience‟
 Production Companies are always one
step behind technology so could they
lose total control of their product?


14. The use of NDT in marketing has made a
huge difference to society.
 There are now viral advertisements to
promote products.
 Apps on phones for games or latest
information – the possibilities are endless
 The internet- you can find anything.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPNj
WWQqWCA
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55
e-uHQna0


15. 




Better quality of image because it is digital
(???)
More flexibility for Exhibition and for the
audience
Cheaper to run
Disadvantage – change over to digital, 3D,
HD, Imax is very expensive!!!!
The Digital Screen Network is helping British
cinemas change over