The Future of the Movie Industry

During COVID, the movie industry came close to the brink of collapse. It was the first time that the end of cinemas was a possibility. The pandemic has definitely accelerated the rise of streaming services which is allowing more people to have the latest movies streamed directly to their living rooms. Completely bypassing the long queues in the cinemas and the freedom and convenience to pause and continue a movie whenever you want. 

The meteoric rise of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime has cemented their dominance in the minds of moviegoers. These platforms have completely disrupted the traditional distribution of movies and given rise to a new era of streaming exclusives. With more consumers shifting to streaming services, it’s likely that studios will prioritize digital releases over theatrical releases as time passes. 

Another seismic shift in the movie industry is in its production techniques. The use of technology in filmmaking is nothing new but these days, there’s heavy reliance on digital technology. Gone are the days of big budgets and practical movie effects. Movies these days have done away with plywood and cardboard and instead replaced them with green screens and massive computing power. A recent example of this is the Star Wars series ‘The Mandalorian’ which is shot exclusively on LED screens that create realistic backgrounds. There’s no need for expensive physical sets when digital ones can be made instantly with templates from past shoots loaded up in seconds. Not hours and days like in traditional movie-making. 

Are the cinemas of the future secure? Well, that remains to be seen but nothing beats a date night at the movies where you can share the suspense and action with strangers and be shaken by a powerful megawatt sound system.