'Netflix & Park Chan-wook with Future Filmmakers' event
Park Chan-wook "Make a movie with a smartphone, but..."
Ted Sarandos "It's just more options... a great opportunity to become a cinephile"
Park Chan-wook "Make a movie with a smartphone, but..."
Ted Sarandos "It's just more options... a great opportunity to become a cinephile"
Although director Park Chan-wook has partnered with Netflix, watching movies on a mobile phone is not recommended.
At 1:30 pm on the 21st, the 'Netflix & Park Chan-wook with Future Filmmaker' event was broadcast live online. Director Park Chan-wook, co-CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos, and students dreaming of future filmmakers participated in the event, hosted by film critic Lee Dong-jin.
On this day, director Park Chan-wook and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos talked about the rapidly changing future of cinema and theater. The presenter, film critic Lee Dong-jin, asked about technological innovation in the rapidly changing film industry. The development of film technology tends to coexist with fear and excitement. Since the birth of motion pictures in 1895, motion pictures have continuously changed from silent to sound, from black and white to color. In particular, with the advent of CG, the expressive power of movies has changed dramatically.
In addition, as theaters around the world experienced a downturn due to the pandemic, people began to enjoy OTT movies at home. In the midst of the endemic era, people still watch movies on TV or mobile phones through OTT. The notion that movies should be seen in theaters has disappeared, and viewing media have also diversified.
When asked how he views the future of cinema, director Park Chan-wook said, “I don’t have the ability to predict the future. In a big way, I think the future of cinema is increased diversity. Even from the point of view of making a movie, a few decades ago it was possible to make it only with a great camera and professional technicians. Now, it is also made with a single smartphone. I showed you that," he said, referring to his film 'Iljangchunmong' (2022), which was filmed on an iPhone. However, Park Chan-wook said, "I hope you don't just watch (the movie) on your phone. It's a bit difficult," he said.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos expressed a positive stance, acknowledging the various ways and changes in watching movies. “I think the future of the film industry is bright. It seems that it has changed while going through corona. Director Guillermo del Toro, who I collaborated with, said that the conditions for making a film are 'food, water, and a story'. People talk a lot about how they consume content now. It's nice to see it on a big screen with strangers in a movie theater, but it's just that there are more options. Maybe it's a good opportunity not only for those who make stories, but also for becoming cinephiles."
Filmmakers have a very different perspective on the way they watch movies. Film directors still prefer and recommend watching movies in theaters. While acknowledging the trend of the times, the position is that watching a movie on a mobile phone is at the psychological limit.
Director Ryoo Seung-wan also showed the same position as director Park Chan-wook at the press conference for the movie 'Smuggling' held on the 20th. Regarding the reason why 'Smuggling' must be seen in the theater, he said, “I work on the premise that there is a big screen and setting in the theater. I never imagined watching my movies on a cell phone,” he said.
At the same time, the era has changed and the way the audience treats the film has changed, so it may not be possible to blindly adhere to it, but from the viewpoint of the producer, he emphasized that there is still a belief that the intention of the creator can be conveyed 100% only if you watch it in the theater. In addition, he recommended watching the theater, adding, "Sharing the same flow of tension and emotion in a space with the lights off is a cinematic experience that cannot be felt when watching at home."
It is an undeniable fact that there is a huge wave of change in the way we watch movies worldwide. There are many different positions and there is no right answer. However, I hope that the value of the existence of movies and theaters will not be shaken amidst such changes.
Reporter Lee Ha-neul, Ten Asia greenworld@tenasia.co.kr