Exam Questions Preparation- Technologies

History


Any update or modernisation on the technology front will inevitably lead to competition; this usually ends up being a head to head between two companies. For example;

• During the late 1970s to early 1980s there was a war between VHS and Betamax. In the end VHS won as it had a longer playing time, faster rewinding and fast forwarding times, more simple technology, and crucially it was cheaper. VHS was owned by JVC.

• When DVD came out it had no rivals or competitors. This is because DVD was just an expansion of CDs, so it was already backed by Sony, Phillips and many other major companies

• The next technology revolution also became a war. Blue Ray versus HD-DVD. In 2005 Blue Ray hit the market, it had 66% extra storage space than HD-DVD, also the picture quality on Blue Ray was a lot more vivid and defined. Like DVDs, Blue Ray has the backing of major corporate giants such as Sony, Sharp and PS3.

Methods of Consuming Films

Since films have been released in the late 1800s, there have always been new methods and prototypes of releasing and distributing them. One of the earliest methods was a roll of film screened in a cinema. Later methods involved digital screening (in which a 10mm film is used rather than the traditional 35mm), VHS, Betamax, DVD, HD-DVD, Blue Ray and Downloads.

Downloads

http://sy10.ukfilmcouncil.ry.com/14.10.asp

As downloads are a relatively new concept, it is mainly the younger categories who use it as a means of viewing films. 33% of 15-24 year olds (the highest cinema going age) said that they regularly or occasionally watch downloaded/shared films. As they age increases the percentage of people who watch downloaded films decreases. Only 25% of 25-34 year olds watched downloaded films. Out of all the age groups surveyed (7- 55+) just 5% said they regularly or occasionally downloaded films. Only 1.5% of 55+s watched downloaded films.

In my opinion downloads have lowered the standard of film. They can be downloaded onto laptops, Ipads, Iphones, Ipods, Ipod shuffles and many other small technologies. Laptops have a reasonably sized screen (similar to that of an old TV) on which watching films is satisfactory, however the smaller technologies for example the Shuffle (which has a screen size of about 5cm²) the screen is not big enough to view the film properly, also the ambience disappears. The initial idea of films was to be viewed in the cinema, on a large screen; it was the cinema going which was part of the experience. Viewing on small screens not only looses detail and the beauty of film, but it looses the experience.

On the other hand, downloads have made films more accessible to a wider range of people. In the modern world many people don’t have the time to go to the cinema, and also in the current economic situation, many people don’t have the money to either. Downloading films is a fast and cheap method, however some people choose to take advantage of this system and download them illegally. Illegal viewing of films has been around as long as films them selves, so this is nothing new; however as legal downloading becomes more and more popular, illegal downloading is increasing at a higher rate.

Effects of DVDs and other home entertainment technologies

Originally, films were advertised, and then screened in a cinema, then that was the end of their life span- this usually lasted between 1 and 20 weeks- depending on its success.

Traditionally, the trend was that they were advertised, screened in cinemas, and months later released onto DVD or other home entertainment packages. The film would have its prime time for around 1-10 weeks still, but it would never really disappear, as it’d always be on DVD etc or even viewed in an art house cinema.

Recently, the trend has changed again. Although some mainstream films are still done in the above way; due to the amount of competition in the film industry some films never make it to the cinema, instead they go straight out on to DVD(etc). If a film is on a home entertainment system it can never die; so home entertainment systems are strengthening the industry, because as long as the film is still ‘alive’ it is still turning over profit, of which some money will be put back into the industry.