The business development of the film industry was predicated upon it being an economy of scarcity - the physical reels of film had to be created and moved and displayed within the limits of cost of distance affordable. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that video cassettes were available to the general public - thus sparking the revolution that has both profited and beggared the film industry. The advent of the digital revolution with its emerging economy of abundance provokes changes that contrast sharply with the earlier development of that business we call show.

“History doesn’t repeat itself but it does rhyme.” is how Mark Twain said it.

I also recall Mary Pickford, quoted in “The Parade’s Gone By”, Kenneth Brownlow’s seminal work on silent films when she said: “It would have been more logical if silent pictures had grown out of the talkie instead of the other way round.”

She was referring to the technological developments required to advance the art instead of the art itself driving the form - becoming increasingly minimalist and spare in its execution rather than adding on constant layers of gloss and spectacle, colour and sound, wider screens and surround sound and so on.

Now we find ourselves in a mirrored state with rudimentary images and sound (by comparison to what large theatres offer) but with advancements rapidly closing the gap between not just what is acceptable and saleable but also desired by the public. Few could imagine a mere 10 years ago being able to walk around with a feature film library in their back pocket.

The tech now, however, is not being developed for the purposes of increasing or maintaining an existing business model (as it was with cinema in the Hollywood heydays) but in concert with an explosion in communications and data usage that rivals video cassettes, television, telephony, radio and cinema combined.

Yes, what we are watching online today will be regarded as archaic and quaint in a very few short years - just as we now regard the Biograph and Pathé short subjects from a hundred years ago. But the evolution of the quality and content of what we will be watching in the future will be driven by technological advancements not necessarily directed by conscious audience desire nor artistic inspiration nor limited to the purposes of a singular business model. These newer forms of visual storytelling will emerge from innovations created simply “because it can be done”.

Both artist and entrepreneur are running in the same race to keep up and use these culturally disruptive technologies to create works that speak to us all and make a pant load of cash for a lucky few.

Great post! Thank you.

Cheers.

P.S. I adore (and follow) Sockington but he ain’t no Chaplin.