The changes in moving image production

New technologies and mass access to professional technology have changed the production process. Below is a table contrasting old and new requirements/strategies. Changes in the following areas have been addressed:

·         Costs

·         Aesthetics

·         Logistics

·         Access to Technology

Mainstream (Broadcast Media)	Alternative (Social Media)
Pre-Production Most costs are high, scripts have to be paid for, researchers have to be paid & research can be time consuming. Most management & crew are highly skilled & educated usually with tight schedules to adhere to. Financing can be difficult, especially for high budget films. All the latest technology is available, with state-of-the-art techniques utilized.	Pre-Production Scripts, if any, can be sourced at a lesser cost, amateur writers are keen to be noticed so command smaller fees/royalties. Management/research tasks are usually carried out by the producer, thus eliminating costs; amateur producers are mostly Jack’s-of-all trades. Financing is usually achieved from the producers own pocket.
Production Camera/sound equipment is usually up to date (HD), resulting in high hire charges. Lighting is predominantly hi spec and widely used. Actors can be, depending on ability very expensive and/or demanding. Mise-en-scene has a high priority; sets are built to a high standard, costumes are sourced to correctly depict the theme of the production and the acting performance has high priority.	Production Camera equipment can be easily sourced, thanks to the increase in prosumer technology the cost has decreased. Virtual sets can be created with inexpensive software, or public places can be used for location filming. Actors can be hired with social networking platforms. Costumes can be homemade or bought/hired relatively cheaply through fancy dress agencies.
Post-Production Editing is very time consuming and costly, the cost being relative to the release/broadcast date. Special FX are carried out by specialist teams, usually outsourced, involving a high cost, the same can be said for title/credit sequences. The main reason for outsourcing is that dedicated companies use the best technology available, to stay competitive. Post-production may be carried out in different locations, resulting in logistical costs/time.	Post-Production Production software is now inexpensive; there are free trial versions of professional editing/producing available or student versions. All this work can be carried out on an average home computer; some of which have software built in with the operating system. Titles can be created with free software. Soundtracks/sound FX can be sourced through royalty free websites.
Distribution To distribute the media, cost is very high, whether this is on film or Disk, both have to be produced by the laboratory then shipped to the distributer, then onto the retailer. At every stage a cut of the profits has to be taken, and the risk for leakage also increases at every stage. The choice at this stage is great, cinema, TV, disk, dongle, pay-per-view, stream, etc.	Distribution There is no need for a physical version of the created texts; they can be simply uploaded to websites such as Vimeo or YouTube. With some simple viral marketing strategies implemented, the film can go global within a matter of hours.