Through the LCD clearly

A new technology… allows audience members to view specific content from their homes… thereby threatening to destroy the entertainment industry as the world knows it.

I’m not referring to the internet (though the early knee-jerk reactions by the industry were similar) but television in the 1950′s and 60′s. In response to rapidly dwindling audiences the movie industry developed wide-screen formats (yay!), smell-o-vision, vibrating seats, 3D movies, and put more effort into the developing of more vivid color film stocks. Film as a spectacle become a solid if not infallible box office draw.

Though pumping in the smells of swamps for horror films did little but hasten the death of smell-o-vision, the other improvements to one degree or another have stayed with us.

I enjoy spectacles (historical epics foremost among them) as much as the next person but have found no amount of explosions, motorcycles ramming helicopters :groan:, or effects can polish a lackluster story. So it was with certain resignation I went to view Avatar. And though I was not disappointed in my expected disappointment with the writing (think Aliens meets Dances with Wolves) I did rather enjoy the use of 3D. It seems to have graduated from the gratuitous “oh let’s poke you in the eye with this object” to being used for additional depth in scenes.

For certain genres and if applied with sense this could lend to untick in box office. I’d be very keen to see Hubble 3D.  That being said, I’m not sure that the buzz about 3D TV’s at this year’s CES is justified. The big budget shows may be able to pull it off, but the shooting (and even viewing) styles of the television (and internet) mediums do not lend themselves to the spectacle. Quick turn around demands alone may dilute the experience enough to wear novelty thin. That being said certain shorter mediums such as the music video would be an interesting experience.

I do however have diobolical plans for smell-o-vision.

J. Ewan Van Dijkhorst

I’ve not posted in sometime, I’ll revisit the purpose and design of this when time allows. In the meanwhile I’m still slinging cameras for a living, freelancing on the side, and trying to start a business.

In partial penance I’m going to post some of the more interesting links gathered during my hiatus and maybe revisit them later for an more in depth analysis.

Adage has a piece on the highest online ad rates. The CPM model seems to be rapidly reaching its limits.  With broadcast and the ensuing large campaigns, paying  a set amount per thousand audience members still pay dividends and makes sense. For internet advertising  this may not be the most cost efficient way of reaching audiences. The article does mention that niche sites can still command larger CPM rates but it seems to be the case that smaller sites are having to rely on Pay Per Click advertising and referral marketing.

I visit sites such as notcot, slashfilm, and dvxuser on a regular basis. Though I may be aware that certain brands (such as VW)  support  the communities I visit, it’s not often that I bother to  click on advertisements. How do the sites I frequent pay their staff and continue providing me with content I value? I’d like to in the coming months get a bit more in depth into profit models for websites..