The continuing development of digital media technology has significant impacts on both media institutions and audiences. For institutions, new technologies have changed production, distribution and exhibition processes, allowing the use of advanced visual effects and new marketing avenues through social media. However, technological changes require large investments which present financial risks if profits are not achieved. Audiences have generally responded positively to improved quality but are mixed toward 3D/4D formats due to issues like increased ticket prices and potential sickness.

1. What significance does the continuing
development of the digital media
technology have for media
institutions and audiences?
Or in other words..... What affect
does the on going development
of digital technology have on
media institutions and audiences?

2.  The first thing you should do is to choose from one of the
six options, which in our opinion we think choosing film is
the best option as we have spent a lot of time going over
institutions and audiences in film.
 When starting your answer, we would advise an
introductory paragraph setting the scene about what digital
technology is and a brief description of its history.
 An important thing you need to do is go into detail about
examples, because this is where the examiners will give
out marks, due to it shows a broad knowledge of film and
an answer relevant to the question

3.  When completing this answer it could be
easy to name all the different
developments in digital media, although it
is incredibly important to stay on task
with what the question asks and not list
the points. What you need to do is make
the point and then explain why it is a
continuing development. To get the best
answers. All ways make sure you are
relating back to the question.

4.  Take a quick look at this clip to see how
advanced visual effects have become and
how reliant some films have become on
using ‘Computer Generated Imagery’.

5.  In the second paragraph you should talk about what digital
technology was used during; production, distribution and
exhibition.
 You can talk about the 5k camera used to film the Hobbit which
can shoot up to 120 frames per second, the CGI used in furious 7
to map Paul Walkers face onto his brother Cody, the viral video
that Jurassic world uploaded onto social media of their dinosaurs
chasing people or IMAX cinemas allowing you to have perfectly
pitched tuning and laser-aligned audio placement.

6.  In the third paragraph you can talk about how new
technology isn’t always a positive in the media industry as
it does sometimes force a company to re-invest millions to
reach the same level as their competitors, this financial risk
can affect a company’s future, if the investment doesn’t
reap overall profit the company has lost most of their
money in dead technology.
 An example of a company not taking this risk can be seen
in Disney’s history as they had produced Tron, a short CG
animated film which was a staff production which was
never destined to be released to the public, as it was only a
test to see what CG animation could bring to the world of
animation. In the new era of films, there is a lot of
technology available for the producers, which sometimes
too much is added to a film.

7.  Due to the advances in digital media technology,
institutions now have social media, television and online
adds to advertise their film. This has massively increased
the institutions audiences because more people are likely
to see their advertisement. Unlike 30 years ago where
films were advertised by posters on the side of buses,
newspaper adds and radio adds.
 This has had a large impact on audiences because they are
now more aware of new films coming out due to the
increase in forms of advertisement due to digital
technology.

8.  How have audiences reacted to the development of new
media technology?
 Audiences have positively reacted to the increase in quality of
films. This is one feature that all cinemagoers will never get
bored of. But with better quality comes a higher price to
develop the film, this leads to higher priced cinema tickets.
However, features such as 3D and 4D cinema has not gone
down well with consumers. Audiences are watching films in
3D and 4D, but most consumers prefer to watch films in
normal 2D. This is because people find 3D and 4D too chaotic
and can make some consumers feel sick. This is a negative
affect for institutions because it costs a great deal of money to
create a film in 3D/4D. This is why tickets cost more for 3D
and 4D. This steep price can drive audiences away.


9.  What is the exam board looking for?
What are the
positive and
negative
impacts?
Compare old methods
of
distribution/marketing
with new methods of
distribution/marketing
How does
new digital
technology
allow
institutions
to reach
their target
audiences
easier?
How have
audiences
reacted to the
change in digital
technology?

10. QUIZ
What is CGI?

11. QUIZ
Computer Generated Imagery

12. QUIZ
What is distribution?

13. QUIZ
Digital distribution is the delivery or
distribution of media content such as
audio, video, software and video games.

14. QUIZ
Name the big 6

15. QUIZ
 Columbia, Universal, Paramount, Warner
Bros, 20th Century Fox and Disney