Eight Lessons for the Future of Film from "Rebels of Storytelling"​

"Filmmaking is going to happen in immersive worlds." John Gaeta

Rebels of Storytelling https://bit.ly/RebelsofStorytelling is the exclusive free series of interviews with industry leaders who are shaping the future of film. Whilst each episode holds a treasure trove of insights and practical strategies for storytellers and film professionals, I thought it would be helpful to share some of the key ideas that I took from the interviews:

1. Real-time Virtual Production is not just for big projects like The Mandalorian. Independent filmmakers are going to be able to take on previously only-imagined stories using this realtime game engine technology. Matt Workman, who is pioneering this space, compares the impending creative revolution to the introduction of 16mm hand held cameras which transformed film form via the French New Wave! (see also Kim Libreri)

2. On the other end of the scale, the LED stages and workflow used by The Mandalorian can completely disrupt how films are made. Not only is the VFX process brought from the end to the start, there is a truly new collaborative process that takes place on set (Epic Games CTO Kim Libreri refers to this as ‘multi-user collaboration sessions’). (see also Matt Workman, Kiri Hart)

3. The fusion of games and film is going to result in something altogether new. With the same technology (game engines like Unreal Engine) being used to create film and games, it is only a matter of time that these media start to converge in new and transformative ways. This will be accelerated when the graphics / resolution of the games equal that of the film. When the world of Star Wars is captured in game engine, we can all become George Lucas, telling our own stories in this immersive universe. (see John Gaeta. Diana Williams. Kim Libreri)

4. The Future of Film is Diverse! Kiri Hart and Diana Williams articulate why this needs to be the case - and crucially - how we can collectively achieve this.

5. We need to broaden our ideas about interactive films. Most interactive films to date have adopted a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ (e.g. Bandersnatch) but there are many different ways audiences can interact with story. Sam Barlow’s work is already pushing these boundaries.

6. Being a filmmaker or storyteller doesn’t mean just one thing anymore. Short form and other formats not only can hone your craft and build your career - they are valid and impactful forms in their own right. (Shabnam Mogharabi, Jess Engel)

7. The term ‘franchise’ shouldn't just be reserved for Studios. Thinking about their stories as worlds that stretch across different formats is an increasingly important way for independent storytellers to take more control over their IP, work and career. (Diana Williams, Jess Engel)

8. None of this is a given! Despite the huge opportunities for creativity, new stories and original perspectives that the future promises, there is also another future where these chances are not seized. Technology alone isn’t going to save us - we need to fight for the future of film that we want to be part of. (John Gaeta, Kiri Hart, Diana Williams, Shabnam Mogharabi)

You can watch all episodes of Rebels of Storytelling here