The Rise of 'Internet Cinema'
A new genre dubbed "Internet Cinema" is emerging from grassroots artist communities, fusing online video creation with in-person viewing experiences. The movement incorporates internet technologies and platform-native editing techniques directly into film creation, reflecting Gen Z's affinity for remix culture. It points to a shift toward participatory, community-driven curation and new visual languages.
- The practice of "remixing" media has historical roots in the mashup techniques developed by Black artists and DJs. Today, this has evolved into a participatory language on platforms like TikTok, where fan edits function as short, emotionally-driven montages. - Some brands are now designing content with the explicit intention of it being remixed by users, a principle known as "editability." Companies like Lionsgate and Doritos create material that anticipates being looped, re-edited, and recontextualized by fan communities. - The concept of participatory curation has been successfully implemented by film festivals to broaden their audience. For example, the Africa in Motion (AiM) festival adopted this model and saw its audience from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds increase to 36%, significantly higher than the 16% national average for arts events in Scotland. - This modern trend mirrors the earliest days of filmmaking, when short, single-shot "actuality" films captured random moments of everyday life, such as babies eating or cats fighting, much like today's viral internet videos. - The development of new visual languages is being accelerated by AI tools like DALL·E and Midjourney. These systems analyze vast quantities of visual data from different cultures and styles to generate novel images, providing new aesthetic starting points for creators. - To foster community engagement, some film education initiatives are demystifying the production process and embracing platform-native formats. For instance, creators are encouraged to shoot in a 9:16 vertical format specifically for platforms like Instagram, leading to wider reach and new forms of interaction.
