FLM110 Topic 11. Spectacle and technology

Do you think technology has eroded the craft of film storytelling (spectacle is more important than a solid narrative)?

I strongly believe that new technologies in film have changed the craft of film storytelling, and that these days, in some cases, the spectacle and the visual effects a film has is more noticeable than a solid narrative. This change is not necessarily negative; new technologies have a beneficial impact on storytelling by employing and implementing broader tools. Some of these tools could fall under the concept of Transmedia Storytelling projects, where people has to interact with different parts of narrative in different mediums, Virtual Reality, blending of marketing and storytelling or Video Games. Then, going to the cinema does not comprise any longer just paying for a ticket and sit watching the screen. It also comprises getting involved with the use of the above mentioned tools to have a deeper or just different understanding of that film.

Batman is one of the most famous examples of Transmedia Storytelling. It first appeared in a comic in 1939 and later its TV adaptations. Batman’s story then released many merchandise products that have been sold for years, such as t-shirts, pins and posters. However, the most famous medium for the audience are the film adaptations that are watched in the cinema. Batman character has changed and has been involved in different stories across different mediums that have been possible because of the use of new technologies. Without the use of this mediums, Batman’s story would probably be a whole different one today.

References

Anon, (2017). [online] Available at: https://www.quora.com/How-will-the-craft-of-storytelling-change-in-the-future [Accessed 1 May 2017].

Anthony, S. (2017). How digital technology is reinventing cinema - ExtremeTech. [online] ExtremeTech. Available at: https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/128963-how-digital-technology-is-reinventing-cinema [Accessed 1 May 2017].

Jenkins, H. (2017). Transmedia Storytelling 101. [online] Henryjenkins.org. Available at: http://henryjenkins.org/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html [Accessed 1 May 2017].

Jenkins, H. (n.d.). Convergence culture. 1st ed. New York [u.a.]: New York Univ. Press.