3 minute read
How has tech changed the entertainment industry?
how
We spend our spare time at the cinema, bingeing Netflix, playing video games and watching our favourite artists perform. And technology is always there to elevate our experiences. We might even say that technology is entertainment.
Let’s explore this relationship further to see how new technology has changed the entertainment industry.
The rise of Esports
The history of gaming goes as far back as humans themselves. But the gaming industry has firm roots within the old-school arcades that have been around since the 1930s. Coin-operated machines allowed people to test their skills at now iconic games like Duck Hunt, Space Invaders and Pacman.
Ever-evolving technology made games more immersive and elevated the experience. And gaming moved away from arcades into people’s homes with new gaming consoles. The decline of arcades gave rise to online gaming and consequently Esports!
Now, the Esports industry is a global phenomenon, experiencing unprecedented growth. Esports tournaments require high-quality technology like large format displays, monitors, speakers and headsets. But even playing Esports at home requires a technology setup.
Virtual concerts
The post-pandemic world is far more digital than it was before COVID-19. Live events adopted virtual and hybrid event formats. Extended Reality (XR), Mixed Reality (MR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Production (VP) are growing in popularity, creating engaging experiences for live and remote audiences.
Digital technologies have opened up a variety of options to see our favourite artists perform:
Virtual concert: Duran Duran made history by having a concert in the ‘Second Life’ video game in 2006. Since the global pandemic, virtual concerts went mainstream to be enjoyed inside video games like ‘Fortnite’. Digital avatars of artists such as Travis Scott, BTS, Diplo and Ariana Grande have been performing in a virtual space, while Minecraft has even hosted a virtual music festival! Hologram concert: Some may class a hologram concert as a virtual concert but instead of virtual avatars, artists are projected onto a physical stage for real audiences in-house. Gorillaz has utilised hologram technology to project the virtual characters we see in their music videos, 2Pac was brought to life by holograms and most recently, ABBA set out on a world tour as their younger holographic selves.
Hybrid concerts: experiencing live events from the comfort of your home are now a reality. Not restricted by geography, hybrid concerts opened up the industry for wider audiences.
The art of filmmaking
From the first ever film captured in 1888 to the first feature-length motion picture in 1927 to today with the adoption of virtual and remote production - the art of filmmaking has always advanced in step with technical invention.
Modern cinema has moved away from film and gone digital – not only is it cheaper but it’s also more convenient for post-production. The green screen is inseparable from the filmmaking process as CGI and AI technology are dominant forces in films.
Virtual production is revolutionising the industry and film directors are taking notice. Instead of a green screen, virtual production provides actors with a more realistic experience where they can be reactive rather than isolated. It also eliminates the need for expensive on-site shoots as virtual production studios can replicate those to the finest detail.
Technology has elevated the entertainment industry, simplified the process of creating content and opened up new ways to access it. The relationship between the two is ever-evolving, benefiting the creators, users and the whole industry which continues to grow, occupying great importance in our everyday lives.
“Virtual production is revolutionising the industry and film directors are taking notice. Instead of a green screen, virtual production provides actors with a more realistic experience where they can be reactive rather than isolated.”
