If you said you wanted to pursue a major in film 20 or so years ago, you get mocked, thinking that "it's an unstable line of work" or you must be a "big shot" in Hollywood to obtain it. Now, in 2023, if you say that you want to go into film for your line of work, it is much more viable, with tons of opportunities out there.
I'm fortunate for this change, but the question of what started this shift in embracing video production remains. Although there are many reasons, it mainly comes down to two factors: emerging technology and the Internet.
Emerging Technology
After the switch, videos were shot digitally rather than film stock or cassette tapes (sorry if you're too young to know what those things are). This switch made it much more accessible to shoot high-quality video; even with the quality early on not being great, technology helped advance it further and further, to the point where we can carry high-quality cameras easily within our back pockets. Technology improving to a high standard allows video to thrive through other avenues besides television, film, and commercials. One of which is still considered in its infancy: the Internet.
The Internet
With the Internet, everyone can access tools that can conquer a wide range of tasks. Access to countless archives of information and methods of socializing with anyone at any time, the power of social media, and all while creating an easy process to relay news and announcements to a vast, broad audience. Video has been a great asset in all these tasks. It has opened more opportunities for people like me heading straight into this line of work with opportunities that wouldn't have been possible two decades ago, like creating social media videos and advertisements on apps like Facebook and TikTok. But what made this jump possible? The major one that stood out to me is how advertising agencies incorporate videos into their campaigns.
Now, with video being more accessible and easier to produce, local businesses are willing to embrace a tactic that was only seen as something that only Hollywood could ever do (at least on a high production value.) Honestly, it doesn't even have to be a high budget; people love to watch others shoot videos and audio through their phones and still get thousands of dedicated social media followers. But it doesn't stop there; multiple advertising companies have been experimenting with other forms of technology similar to video, such as virtual reality, to gain consumer attention.
I wouldn't know what I would be doing today with my film major if video wasn't in its current position. I thought I would have to fully migrate to advertising to make a safe, livable wage, but there are more opportunities for me and many others who can fully embrace video as a career. I'd still have my advertising background with me, but I will always be grateful I can always have a use for video skills for years to come.
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