With the development of 16mm film and the use of television, 1948 filmmaker Alexandre Astruc believed that these developments would lead to film to become more than just entertainment, but as more of a tool for ‘human communication’. In 1968, Astruc could predict that “the day is not far off when everyone will possess a projector”. He believed that there would be films made based on nearly every avenue of life, but that during his time, the potential for film medium as a language was unfulfilled. His the main visions were: 1. that new technology would provide new means of expression and that they film medium would become less exclusive and more accessible; 2. because of this, there will be a more democratic use of the medium; and 3. there will be new possibilities for contemporary and different forms and usages.

After the introduction of sound film in 1927, people could only access recording equipment like a smaller 35mm camera if they had a lot of money to pay for it. The equipment was exclusive to those who could afford it, unlike the present time, when pretty much everyone in the population carries a camera in their pocket. I found it funny to read that up till 2007, we were still using technology in cinemas based around Edison’s kinetiscope from 1892, when technology has come so far from that point. My sister works at village cinemas, and she told me that it was only a couple years prior to when she commenced her job that the cinema had fully switched to digital playback – no more photographic film and hence the role of switching the films over was redundant at the cinemas. All you needed was one guy to hit play and the movie would start.

We eventually developed from recording things on the earlier video cameras to Portapak’s, to video cassettes then VCR formats and the list goes on. Whilst me and my family had access to the earlier versions of video recording software, things we recorded were only supposed to be for private use: birthday parties, weddings, special events, music recitals. When I was much younger, there was not many actual communities or domains in which these recordings could be posted. Websites like YouTube were completely foreign to my parents. Even now, whilst they may not know exactly how to work the website or upload videos, the name ‘YouTube’ is thrown around so frequently, they know of it and its potential. The concept of sharing media and amateur filming is not so foreign in the present day, for the shift from analogue to digital completely changed the face of film making. Suddenly, we could edit the films we made using technology such as Movie Maker or iMovie and redistribute them with the help of the World Wide Web. Films were no longer restricted to the cinema, but could be viewed online with access to a computer and internet.

With these and several other developments within the filming culture, the expansive gap between professional and amateur filming costs dramatically closed. The equipment used for filming and editing is no longer large, obtrusive and difficult to transport. And something which was once exclusive, has now boomed into a massive public sphere with endless possibilities.