New Technology and Media Covergence

Apart from our discussion of film we will touch now and again on issues involving the ever changing world of new media of which movies are very much a part. Only a couple of years ago the idea that you could hold an entire movie library and watch them in the palm of your hand hadn't even crossed people's minds. This technology is not only upon us right now, but it is only the beginning.




A brave new world

More than 50 years ago the television revolutionized the way people consume their media. It caused a stir in the industry as well, as marketers had to figure out how to use the new media tool and programmers had to develop new content and learn new skills


Media Convergence

According to a Wikipedia article, "Media convergence is a theory in communications where every mass medium eventually merges to the point where they become one medium due to the advent of new communication technologies." This is an idea that has been thrown around for years, but not until recently have we seen any products that can bring media together. At first there had been small advancements here and there. Some gaming consoles made their new systems have computer-like capabilities, TiVo brought the capabilities of a hard drive to television watching making many advertisers have to change their game plans, and now many new cell phones let you hold a few songs on their memory cards.

Then, there was iPhone...

This new device, more than any other, has been an example of what media convergence means and the potential of that technology.

A simple demonstration of the iPhone is enough to get you excited about the future.



















The future of Convergence

• Banking
• PDA
• Presentations
• College convergence
  

Finding the funny in Media Convergence:


Hey Steve Jobs, is the man getting you down?

Convergence killed the video star?

Conan O'Brian- The real future of convergence?

"Pan's Labyrinth" and "Children of Men"

These first two films have been getting crazy buzz coverage for the past month. Being the most talked about new movies, its interesting to note that they are both directed by relatively new directors who are both from Mexico. Guillermo del'Toro and Alfonso Cuaron are showing incredible skill and dexterity in their work and these newest films are only increasing their range.

Del'Toro is probably best known for his film "Hellboy" which was release several years ago and was based on a comic book series. Cuaron's best known picture was "Harry Potter 3 and the Prisoner of Azkaban" which completely redefined the Potter series and in my opinion made it more than just a rehashed children's story. He brought the world of wizarding into our real world and made it not only fun, but beautifully artistic.

Moving beyond comic books and wizards, they are now tackling very serious issues in their latest films, while still keeping a firm grip on the fantastic. One is a serious look at our current and potential political atmosphere in a world without children. The other is a study of fascism through the eyes of a child and her fantasy world.

Children of Men, Alfonso Cuaron

After a very long wait, I finally got to see this movie. I must say that as a piece of artwork, it excels in every way. It was a beautiful film. However, I wasn't completely taken with the politics of the film. This was only partially noticable during the film itself. Afterwards I watched one of the extras on the DVD which went deeper into the politics and basically I found most of the commentators to be completely wrong about the nature of humanity and of our world.

Ultimately I would say it's worth a watch but not worth owning. Still, I have high hopes for Cuaron's future projects.




Pan's Labyrinth, Guillermo del'Toro

This film totally lived up to del'Toro's skill and brilliance. It is a haugnting and beautiful tribute to the gift of innocence and imagination that has the power to make sense of a dark world of war and pain. It is also a beautifully tragic story. The music is simple and atmospheric and complements the fantastic set design. I would highly recommend this film to anyone. But do remember, though it is technically a fantasy film, it is not for children. This film deals with very mature subject matters and therefore requires a certain level of maturity from its viewer.

Mission Statement

Welcome to the best place to talk about
upcoming movies on the web.

We will discuss:

• Our favorite directors or actors and their upcoming projects.
• Films that have been anounced and who we think should be in them.
• What films we think should be made and by who.
• Recently release films and whether or not they met our expectations.
• The impact that new digital technology and the web will have on film and the media in general.

Welcome

Welcome to the Future Film Forum