Amber AS Media: What significance does the continuing development of digital media technology have for media institutions and audiences?

What significance does the continuing development of digital media technology have for media institutions and audiences?

distribution

marketing

It may be argued, by a main stream audience,that the continuing development of digital media technology carries great significance in improving the quality of viewing and experience for an audience. (mainstream audience) In my opinion, the continuing development has little impact on my viewing experience,however it has had great impact on my ability to access films online or through iphone making them more appealing as i can watch from the comfort of my home. This is an example of media convergence. It may also be considered that the development of digital media has caused negative impact for media institutions and audiences. Film Buffs and aficionados may argue that the development of digital media technology has made all action and sci-fi films so similar that they are now only watched by mainstream audiences.

Production practices have progressed due to the continuing development of digital media technology. The use of advanced media technology including computer controlled camera movements have made it easier for film producers to capture more action scenes that appear more intense. Mad Max: Fury Road examples the use of this. An 'edge arm' placed on top of a moving vehicle was used to capture fast paced action scenes with clever camera shots and angles. Mad Max: Fury Road was filmed using six ARRI Alexas supported by eleven Codex onboard recorders and a number of Cannon 5Ds. These new digital cameras have improved quality of picture for the audience and allowed director, George Miller, to use Eye Trace and Crosshair framing techniques to keep important visual information in one spot. However, the use of these new digital cameras and devices hasn't come easy to all film production teams. Mad Max: Fury Road was filmed in the coastal deserts of Namibia meaning frequent sandstorms and intense heat required special precautions by the camera crew. In an interview for Codex Digital, Cinematographer John Seale commented, ''I’d shot plenty of film-negative films in deserts and jungles under severe conditions, but never digital so I was a bit worried.'' Similarly, some directors prefer to use traditional celluloid cameras rather than digital. It may be considered that this occurs more commonly among British directors as stereotypically, the British favour tradition. This may then infer that the British film industry is so much smaller than the American industry because advanced media technology has allowed the American film industry to please a wider audience.

Similarly, the ongoing advance of digital media for post production practices has benefited media institutions and audiences. Well established editing software's have allowed film editors to create faster paced, more 'realistic' continuity action. Mad Max: Fury Road, edited by Margret Sixel, consisted of 120 minutes showing 2700 individual shots. Thats 2700 consecutive decisions that must flow smoothly and immerse the viewer to reveal the story line in a clear concise manner. Mad Max features extensive action scenes including one battle scene in which character Nux practices a suicide jump from one vehicle to another blowing it up. Obviously during the film production no actors could be blown up or injured so clever continuity editing had to be used to create the illusion of this really happening. With the power of foremost editing programmes, Sixel could amplify and accelerate scenes like this to create an overall more intense experience for the viewer. Whilst this is considered a large advantage to media institutions, some media audiences for example film buffs or aficionados may feel that it is this editing that is creating identical films that show only explosions and large battle scenes therefore choose to watch films that avoid this. For example Ex Machina, edited by Mark Dey, uses a more simplistic editing technique.

Furthermore, Distribution has been impacted by the development of digital media technology. The development of digital media technology has allowed for easier access and a wider range of digital distribution platforms for example, Netflix, itunes and YouTube. Smart phones, tablets and easy internet access support that media audiences can watch films anywhere at any time through these distribution methods. Most media audiences have benefitted from the development of digital distribution. It has allowed mainstream audiences to view films from the comfort of their own homes and it has allowed

distribution
institutions - more competition, harder for indie films
audiences - easier to access,

The final edit ran 120 minutes and consisted of 2700 individual shots. That’s 2700 consecutive decisions that must flow smoothly and immerse the viewer. 2700 decisions that must guide and reveal the story in a clear and concise manner - See more at: http://vashivisuals.com/the-editing-of-mad-max-fury-road/#sthash.22KAM3J4.dpuf

Amber AS Media

Friday 4 December 2015

What significance does the continuing development of digital media technology have for media institutions and audiences?

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