HOW HAS THE MOVIE INDUSTRY CHANGED?
There is no denying it: the Internet has changed our world. Nearly every aspect of our society has been affected by it and has had to adapt. If telephones and airplanes made the world smaller, the Internet shrank it many times more. The ability to communicate instantly with anyone in the world—with words, pictures, film, and video—has forced us to change how we do business, and how we interact with the world around us. The Internet has changed the movie business drastically as well, not only by affecting how movies are marketed and watched but also by changing the pathways and entrances to the movie industry itself.
HOW HAS TECHNOLOGY CHANGED THE FILM INDUSTRY?
It used to be that if you wanted a career in film, there was a narrow path to take to get there—one that involved a lot of face-to-face networking and “dues” paying. Most people couldn’t make independent films, much less get them seen, unless they went to school to get access to the equipment, or grew up on the set. Most people didn’t make the right connections unless they moved to Hollywood and were lucky enough to land a job on a movie set doing whatever.
HOW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY HAS AFFECTED THE MOVIE INDUSTRY?
Digital filmmaking and digital technology have made it easier than ever to get started in the movie industry. Today, there still is a lot of networking and dues-paying to get into the movie business, but the Internet has radically changed what that looks like, and the biggest change has been in accessibility. Combined with the advent of cheap digital technology, the Internet now makes it much easier for almost anyone to do a video project and get it seen.
Web sites like YouTube and Vimeo have made it so anyone with a camera can post a video, and computers now have editing capabilities to help anyone “tweak” their projects and make them look better. As a result, millions of aspiring filmmakers, who otherwise would not have the resources to get seen, can now “go public” on their own.
HOW IS THE MOVIE INDUSTRY ADAPTING TO THE INTERNET?
The Internet simplifies the process of entering films into contests and makes it possible to network with many more people. Most of all, it allows filmmakers to get their work “out there”, getting attention on the web before a movie mogul ever sees it. There are also (obviously) a lot of mediocre projects posted by amateurs for fun, but for the serious-minded, the Internet has become a virtual “calling card”. Not only does it help unknown filmmakers gain more access to the public and to industry professionals; it also makes a possible career in film more accessible to more filmmakers.
As with anything else, the movie business has had to adapt to the changes the Internet has brought and is still adapting; neither is the Internet a guaranteed ticket to Hollywood. You still have to be good to stand out, especially with all the competition on the web. But the Internet does provide much more access than before, and forward-thinking individuals may even find more innovative ways to use the web for filmmaking in the future.
HOW TO LEARN FROM FILM INDUSTRY PROS?
With the Film Connection Film Production Programs, you’ll be placed inside a professional film production company for six to nine months and learn what it takes to succeed in the film industry. During this time, you’ll work one on one with a mentor, taking on those day-to-day projects while learning creative aspects of a production.
This will lead to potential on-location shoots, time behind the camera, and learning how to edit pieces under the watchful eye of your mentor. There is no trial and error with our program. You are learning how productions are made from the ground up, from people who do this for a living.
