Sandbox

Cellophane has a black tag around its toe, and it’s not going anywhere. Digital media has exploded into the hands of consumers and pros alike, scratching film’s death sentence into its fragile surface. What many have not realized is that this empowering democratization of video technologies is changing the way actors act and directors direct, even in Hollywood.

When I was in LA a few weeks ago, I met with Duke alum Bob Yeoman, well-known for his cinematography in Wes Anderson’s feature films. He is very much old-school in his methods, swearing by film. But it’s not just the look that he loves; it’s the very way that films are made. When film is rolling, everyone respects the camera, as it can cost $20 for every second. They strive for perfection with each take. In our generation, he said, that dedication is lost. Reusable digital media costs nothing. Extra takes cost nothing. It’s no longer a question of why the camera should be on; it’s a question of why not.

Filmmaking is now not only an art form of trained and rigorous technicians—it is an art form of you and your iPhone. You could even make the next 3D HD box-office hit for under $1000, and people are trying. Most, however, are still failing.

But, unlike in the past, even those horrendous disasters can easily find an international audience. For free. Movies have always been about heightening the craft of storytelling, but now that everyone can tell his story, it is only the small minority who actually care about the quality.

Much like blog posts, Facebook and Twitter, people frequently consume the thoughtless media that come off the top of others’ heads. Our minds are losing that vibrant ability to discerningly capture a few exquisite frames. They are instead turning into the very drives upon which we record 60 minutes of awful home video. Recording is meaningless. Deletion is meaningless. The experience of consuming craft is a rarity, and now when we see it, does it still stick, or does it go out when we empty the trash?