The film industry is always changing and growing, embracing new techniques, discarding outdated fads, and reviewing trends to revive earlier ones. So, what are the most recent film trends? Here, you will discover which filming trends are making a comeback, which new trends have emerged in recent years, and which trends we can expect to continue into the next few years across the film industry, including high- and low-budget films and TV shows, by looking at these top 5 emerging trends in the film industry.
The Top 5 Emerging Film Industry Trends
1. Practical Effects Rather Than CGI
You – and many others in the film business – may have believed that CGI will eventually supplant real effects in the special effects field until the last two years or so. Nobody could have predicted that practical effects would make a huge reappearance, especially in today's large blockbuster films. Practical effects have been used in recent films such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Mad Max: Fury Road, and, perhaps shockingly, much of the 2010 picture Inception.
Learn more about how the film business is being altered by the employment of practical effects in place of and alongside CGI technology in this article on the comeback of practical effects.
2. Smaller-Budget Films Are Being Debuted Online
If you use streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, or YouTube, you may have noticed that the number of films made specifically – or initially – for these platforms has increased dramatically. There have been feature films included on the websites as well as “Netflix Original” and “Amazon Original” TV programs. Recently, low-budget films such as What Happened Miss Simone and the documentary 13th, as well as prominent TV dramas such as Orange, is the New Black, and House of Cards, have gotten a lot of attention.
3. Increased Social Commentary in Film
Several media, including satirical comedy shows, traditional news outlets, social media, and more, have grown their presence in the social-political arena, and the film business is no exception. Social commentary has recently made a breakthrough in the traditional film industry, resulting in blockbuster hits and well-known, award-winning films that address relevant social issues such as acceptance and celebration of diversity, spotlighting political unrest, and encouraging unity among populations.
Some of the most well-known documentary movies include:
- 13th, a Netflix Original documentary on the "intersection of racism, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States," is one of the most well-known films with social commentary.
- Loving, which was named one of the “best films of 2016” and was nominated for several honors, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and others? The film tells the story of an interracial married couple who are arrested and then engage in a court battle that culminates in a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
4. Celebrating and Incorporating Diversity
We are seeing an increase in cinematic diversity, probably as a result of the increase of social criticism in the industry. The film industry is becoming more diverse all the time, allowing for greater flexibility and creativity in how films are made. From casting female leads in traditionally male roles to incorporating more racial diversity into films that may have previously featured a primarily white cast, the film industry is becoming more diverse all the time.
5. Handheld Shots
Found footage, also known as handheld footage, has been popular in indie films and horror films that attempt to give their spectators a somewhat off-kilter experience, evoking the unsettling sentiments associated with thrillers. Films like Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield, and the Sci-Fi thriller Chronicle include classic handheld camerawork. The film industry, on the other hand, has embraced handheld camerawork into other genres, providing directors and cinematographers new methods to approach classic filmmaking in novel ways.
The film industry, on the other hand, has embraced handheld camerawork into other genres, providing directors and cinematographers new methods to approach classic filmmaking in novel ways. Handheld shots were used to underline the themes in the 2012 comedy Project X, and TV shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation have developed a new way of watching television by simply using handheld shots to add a tone of authenticity to their tales and characters.
The film industry is one where we have come to expect new things; and at the moment, these are 5 of the most obvious trends that can be observed in the film industry at the moment.
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