The demise of the movie industry has been greatly exaggerated.
That’s the opinion of Bardya Ziaian, a Canadian filmmaker who sees plenty of trends that will continue to sustain movies and movie theaters — despite the naysaying of many industry observers.
The film industry is changing faster than ever before, with filmmakers embracing the changes of artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and other technologies — or simply ignoring them.
Ziaian initially formed his career as an entrepreneur focused on fintech, or financial technology, founding SITTU Group, a think tank, and several other companies, many of which went on successful exits. At the height of the pandemic, he decided to embrace his passion for film, starting his own production company, Bardya Pictures, and producing his first feature film, a comedy called “Super Dicks.”
With no prior experience in film, Ziaian had to rely on his background in management and team building to bring the project to fruition. He worked with a number of talented theatre professionals who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to work.
Today, Bardya Ziaian explores some of the trends he and other filmmakers have been keeping an eye on over the past year. While many may think that the movie industry is on life support, there’s plenty of reasons to believe exactly the opposite is true.
“It’s exciting to see how new technology is playing greater and greater roles in filmmaking these days,” says Ziaian. “As a fintech professional, I know all too well the power of innovation has a way of disrupting their respective industries.”
New ways of reaching audiences
The pandemic made all of us homebodies for two years. That changed the way we interact with each other, and how we consume entertainment.
We now accept the streaming of movies, even major Hollywood releases. Video calls and social media have become even more important in the daily lives of people around the world. The former opens up new possibilities for distribution, while the latter makes it possible for filmmakers to work across borders and to directly communicate with their audiences.
“Seeing as production of my first initial film took place during the pandemic, I’m very familiar with how COVID-19 restrictions impact the Indie film space,” Ziaian said. “It certainly made production more difficult, but it also impacted how the crew interacted with each other. We had to work together within guidelines while still creating something exceptional. Even when facing seemingly insurmountable odds, the same technology that disrupted the industry can be a means of keeping it relevant.”
Movies will become more immersive
There’s always been something magical about movies. Finding new ways to make movies feel special is crucial to maintaining their cultural relevance in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
That’s where VR and AR come in. Virtual Reality (or VR) allows users to immerse themselves in a story like never before, allowing them inside the world of the film. Augmented Reality (AR) on the other hand, allows viewers to see the real world through the eyes of characters in a film.
These technological advancements allow us to interact with movie characters in ways that were never possible before. This makes this one of the most revolutionary trends filmmakers have tracked in 2023. James Cameron’s “Avatar” films continue to crush the box office by offering movie-goers something that feels special and magical. These new technologies have the potential to create a whole new way of making movies that deeply resonate with viewers.
Film festivals
The time for film festivals is on the way! With distribution of theatrical releases becoming tougher each year, a film festival is the only chance to see a film in a cinema, especially an independent release outside of big studios.
And some festivals, such as Cannes, Toronto and Raindance, have embraced an online release strategy to leverage their unique position in the industry.
Rain Dance, for example, now has an online digital marketplace where filmmakers can monetise their work in over 140 countries. There are a plethora of new technologies that are flooding the film industry. It seems that in every aspect of filming — ranging from cameras (i.e. multidimensional movie technology), to drones and 8k cameras, and editing — the industry sees revolutionary new technology revolutionizing on a regular basis.
“I’m excited to see how things progress as we move forward in 2023, I’ll certainly be keeping myself up to date with the new technology as it develops,” Bardya Ziaian said. “You gotta stay a step ahead, after all.”
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