Faster….

Technology & the acceleration of

film & society

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Film at the Edge

Peripheral (c. 1895-1915)

– 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 (1915-1950)

• 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

• 10-30 second breaks between shows nonexistent

• Many shows just start w/ a running story