SMPTE’S FUTURE OF CINEMA: CRITICAL NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND HOW THEY ARE CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF THE INDUSTRY
Q&A Series
SMPTE is a global society of engineers, media technologists and creative professionals. Members transform the industry through their hard work in various Standards Technology Committees, with 800 engineering standards and guidelines developed to enable and advance global interoperability of hardware and software. From the early days of entertainment technology to the latest digital media breakthroughs, the brightest minds in the industry have found their community in SMPTE, where peer collaboration inspires innovation.
Check out SMPTE’s Future of Cinema as part of the Core Education Collection: Create Series.
Core Education Collection (formerly NAB Show Conference)
What are the biggest trends impacting the community/industry right now?
The biggest changes in the industry right now are three-fold: Generative AI, Realtime Rendering, and Spatial Computing. Generative AI has the potential to become a huge disruptor and a constant companion throughout the production process. Combined with Realtime Rendering & Spatial Computing, these disruptors will have a huge impact on the industry – not just how we create content and tell stories, but how audiences experience and engage with them.
What challenges does the community need to overcome, because of these trends?
The biggest challenges that we need to focus on are providing technical capabilities while maintaining copyrights, privacy and ensuring other safeguards. The old mantra remains true: just because something can be done, doesn’t always mean that it should. Rushing out half-baked solutions and chasing headlines could have serious consequences. Standardization will, as always, provide the security that we are looking for. This will, additionally, help the community to overcome fears of this new tech. Adding professional development and education programs makes everything come full circle. Artificial intelligence is needed, but not all aspects of it that we read about will come to life; some of it will remain in the sci-fi sphere. To support M&E professionals and our members, SMPTE is working on designing a foundation virtual course in AI.
Read more here: Generative AI in Media: Who will win, who will lose? (smpte.org)
What’s one thing you wish more media pros knew about?
It would be great to have more media professionals continuously trained to better understand the potential of the new tools being created. Among a flood of new solutions, many of them may not have longevity. Focusing on the needs of our industry and attempting to avoid being swept up in the wave of trends is key to making sound business decisions. Creating a cool demo is much easier than turning it into a safe and sustainable product. Sadly, there are many media pros who get easily blinded by a spectacle, and we believe SMPTE should (and is trying to) help offer the necessary due process, knowledge, and perspective to provide guidance and education on a deeper level.
What are the top 3 things that attendees should go hunt down on the show floor to expand what they just learned in your sessions?
SMPTE’s mantra “What problem are you trying to solve” will always help you focus on your business needs and artistic goals. This question remains difficult to answer amid the lights of a big show.
What discussions should they be having with the exhibitors?
What problems they are attempting to solve within their companies or studios? What are they concerned about? While everyone’s needs are unique, this may open your eyes to see something that you haven’t noticed before. Also, you may want to know what solutions are scalable and to what extent, how they integrate with other technologies and solutions, do they lean heavily on advanced technologies such as ML, Game Engine and AI Image/Video generation, and data-driven efficiency efforts. Again, everyone’s needs are different so stay focused on your own and continue to connect with peers to stay well informed.