Faster…. Technology & the acceleration of film & society

Film at the Edge Peripheral (c ) –Motion picture camera (1888) –Projectors (1896) –Short, silent depictions of real events –First story film (1903) Is Film Socially Desirable? –Moral questions: Were darkened movie houses a wholesome place for kids? –Concerns over propaganda

Questions for Early Film Educational value –Film a benefit to society or an immoral distraction? Technical problems abound –Flickering lights caused headaches, queasiness Early film culturally problematic –Most actors, producers and directors were from immigrant communities

Development of Film Story Introduction of character/situation (attn. getter) Character development for empathy Plot point(s): main character’s world turns upside down, thrown for a loop Tension build: struggle to overcome adversity Climax scene: generally resolves the problem Denounement: final playing out of the character’s situation, some type of closure

Film Moves to Cultural Center Central to society ( ) Movies become an art form & mass medium –Moral lessons emerge about good vs. evil –Also inspirational stories – American dream, rags-to- riches theme

Acceleration of Hollywood 2000 TV and movie productions -- we are becoming accustomed to fast visual pacing Pacing involves rapid editing camera movements shot sequencing

Acceleration of Hollywood 2000 Digital technologies – enable spectacular effects –driving the pace of art & entertainment Digital editing –reduces shot duration and time between shots

Acceleration of Hollywood 2000 Traditional Film – –600 to 700 cuts Year 2000 –Some have more than 2000 cuts

Acceleration from Culture Home video cameras Video games Constant acceleration of visual image –keep the viewer in his/her seat Content over Movement? Arguably having effects in society –Cut & Paste culture

Film in 2000: Acceleration of Culture “All the movies of the summer are rides.” –Director Barry Levinson “Scenes (are) just chunks…data chunks. PlayStation cinema…” –Darren Aronfsky

Fast-Paced Images Fast-paced images on TV and film –Cartoons, MTV videos, action movies –may be shortening attention spans Increasing expectations of speed Accelerating society? New meshing of “human & machine?” –Film as cyborg-maker

Cognitive Overload? Are we reaching a limit on our ability to process rapid images? –Now recognize an image that only lasts 1/3 of a second What are the effects of cognitive overload, where we don't fully process what we see? –For the film experience? –For social experience outside the theatre? What are we losing when we gain new cognitive abilities?

Effects of Acceleration Even if we have gained the ability to process rapid sequences... –we may have lost something else Patience: the simple ability to sit on the porch and daydream as the clouds float by Interesting to compare old movies with new

Keeping Viewers Glued Need to keep viewers with program Since 1973, Nielsen measures TV audiences minute-by-minute

Squeezing Content When a TV show reaches its end and the credits roll 1 in 4 viewers change channels Intolerable situation Consider: a 25% drop in market share in return for boosting the egos of the cast! NBC 2000 unit came up with the “squeeze and tease”

Squeeze & Tease Squeeze & Tease: credits are compressed to 1/3 of screen remaining 2/3 used for “promo-tainment” Every network adopted this technique second breaks between shows nonexistent Many shows just start w/ a running story