What is the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences?
Technological convergence is the tendency that as technology changes, different technological systems sometimes evolve toward performing similar tasks; they come together in one object. An example of technological convergence would be a smart phone such as an iPhone or Android. These devices perform an assortment of tasks all in one piece of kit. You are able to use a camera, access the internet, download movies and apps, use voice recorders, text and phone people, use social networking sites and film videos. Some iPhones have Siri which is a voice in the device that you can speak to and ask questions to, it replies to your question no matter what it is, almost like a friendly robot. It's almost inevitable that with progress, technologies become more complex and are most certainly able to handle more tasks. Digital Convergence has allowed Technological Convergence to happen; it's where you're able to previously separate technologies such as voice data video sharing resources and interacting with each other. A mobile phone will soon become a device that caters for all of your needs.
The importance of technological convergence for audiences is that they have access to everything in one product, and for institutions it's that the audience are tied to only one product. The main positive of technological convergence that stands out is the fact that people have a more broad access to films; there's many more ways to watch a movie than in just the cinema. New technologies have affected film because when it comes to the consumption stage, there is an increase in Blu-Ray discs where the quality is in higher definition for the consumer, home cinema, online streaming, DVD and PVR's. Skyfall is an example of a movie that can be viewed on online video streaming sites such as Netflix and Putlocker. Exhibitors have responded to this by making the cinematic experience more unique for the audience to try and keep an audience visiting the cinema. Ways they have done this is through creating premium seats which are a lot bigger and more comfortable, along with D-Box seats which offer chairs with motion; your cinema chair is synchronised to the film and mimics movements and vibrations on screen - immersive cinema at its very best. It is also accessible through a disc on an xbox. The title of the movie is the title of the main song featured in this film, Skyfall by Adele. Her song was released before the film was brought out to advertise it. The official music video for this song contains footage from the movie, and the effects in the movie are the effects behind the lyrics in the lyric video as well. which is accessible on a smartphone. Media industries are diversifying so that they produce and distribute across several media - for example, a newspaper with an online version and audio podcasts or the coming together of video games with films e.g. Quantum of Solace and Avatar. Skyfall also has a game version on the xbox which helps to promote awareness of the movie and allow the audience to interact with the storyline and characters. Those who are interested in the game, would perhaps also be interested in viewing the movie and vice versa; this would not usually be the case if it wasn't for technological convergence.
The internet acts as a hub and brings together many aspects of the film making process, such as the film itself, the trailer on YouTube, film poster, news, interviews, official film sites and blogs, fan sites and blogs. The downfall of this however would be the overall price of the cost for all of this. It's miles more expensive to bring out a game copy, work with a famous artist, advertise on tele and youtube and Facebook etc.
The question is asked though how mobile phones are affecting film making at the production, marketing and exhibition stages?
