Stating that cinema has undergone one of its biggest transformations with the digital age, Dr. Denizcan Kabaş said, “Now a story can exist not only on the screen but also on social media, in virtual reality, and even in AI-supported experiences. Therefore, when looking at cinema with a different eye, it can also be said that there is a transformation into a kind of ‘digital memory space’.”
Noting that digital platforms have significantly transformed cinema culture, Dr. Kabaş stated that a hybrid understanding of cinema, where artificial intelligence and human creativity intertwine, might emerge in the future, but films that build emotion with humans, not algorithms, will always exist in some form.
Dr. Denizcan Kabaş, faculty member at Üsküdar University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Radio, Television and Cinema, drew attention to the significant transformation cinema has undergone in the digital age in his assessment on the occasion of November 14 World Cinema Day.
Cinema is undergoing one of its biggest transformations
Stating that cinema has undergone one of its biggest transformations with the digital age, and that film is now beginning to be defined not just as a narrative art but also by data flow, algorithms, and content strategies, Dr. Denizcan Kabaş said, “In the past, cinema was a ritual where people gathered physically, shared common emotions, and subsequently engaged in various social activities; today, it is increasingly confined to individual screens, shorter attention spans, and a framework of rapid consumption. However, this change does not mean the end of cinema. On the contrary, the digital age also brings new forms of expression to cinema. Now a story can exist not only on the screen but also on social media, in virtual reality, and even in AI-supported experiences. Therefore, when looking at cinema with a different eye, it can also be said that there is a transformation into a kind of ‘digital memory space’. In this process, filmmakers can create a new narrative language not only behind the camera but also within code and data. Ultimately, we have not yet seen the full impact of digitalization reaching its highest level and completely transforming the field of cinema.”
The pandemic became a turning point for movie theaters
Pointing out that the pandemic was, in a sense, a turning point for movie theaters, Dr. Denizcan Kabaş said, “Theaters that remained closed for a long time experienced an economic and emotional loss. With the habit of watching movies at home, people began to move away from the collective viewing experience provided by theaters. Furthermore, the increasing economic cost of watching movies in cinemas, and the shift of theaters to shopping malls, bringing a consumption framework beyond just watching films, reinforced this situation. However, in the last few years, we can see efforts to change this situation. Examples of initiatives in this regard include the screening of award-winning domestic productions in theaters, certain directors creating works suitable for the big screen format, and movie theaters bringing cult productions back to the big screen as part of ‘nostalgia’ production. In addition, post-film discussions, thematic screenings, and festival organizations are also important for re-establishing this connection.”
Digital platforms have significantly transformed cinema culture…
Dr. Denizcan Kabaş also noted that digital platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Max have significantly transformed cinema culture, stating, “On the one hand, they removed access barriers, bringing stories to a global scale without time-space distinction, and on the other hand, they fundamentally changed viewing habits. Now, the viewer experiences a film not as an event, but as a quickly consumed ‘flow,’ much like a social media content. This situation has two aspects: The positive side is increased access, diversity, and visibility. The negative side is cinema succumbing to a culture of rapid consumption and audience data-driven production. While platform algorithms constantly offer new personalized content to the viewer, deepening, discussion about films, and the cinematic experience are gradually weakening. Of course, we can also carefully observe that some directors are creatively using these digital conditions to develop new forms of narration. Therefore, how we define cinema as a narrative art today will be important.”
A hybrid understanding of cinema will emerge in the future!
Expressing that artificial intelligence is now becoming a part of cinema, Dr. Denizcan Kabaş continued:
“It can be included in production processes at many stages, from scriptwriting to visual effects, from editing to sound design. These technologies make it possible to produce faster, lower-budget, and technically much more advanced works. However, these developments also carry the risk of threatening the human aspect of cinema. Artificial intelligence can imitate a story structurally, analyze its emotional rhythm, and even produce scenes that make the audience cry or excited at desired points using certain formulas. However, among the things that strengthen the meaning of cinema are human emotional intuition and creative errors. For this reason, artificial intelligence transforms cinema, but it cannot yet fully replace human imagination, at least in a way we can comprehend. Perhaps a hybrid understanding of cinema, where artificial intelligence and human creativity intertwine, will emerge in the future, but films that build emotion with humans, not algorithms, will always exist in some form.”
Digital actors or AI-generated characters have opened new doors
Dr. Denizcan Kabaş also explained that the use of deepfake or digital actors in cinema creates a very serious area of discussion from both ethical and legal perspectives, stating, “The animation of an actor or the unauthorized use of a face with deepfake technology requires us to rethink the concepts of representation and consent. This discussion needs to be conducted not only from a technological standpoint but also as a matter of responsibility regarding human dignity, labor, and artistic integrity. Digital actors or AI-generated characters can technically open new doors for cinema. However, when this technology is abused, the most fundamental element of art, the ‘human condition,’ is harmed. Therefore, we also need to discuss the intent of the technology user. Thus, preserving the ethical line in cinema also means preserving artistic trust.”
The magical narrative of humanity reflected on the big screen sustains cinema
Stating that the future of cinema lies not in creating a competitive industry through or towards technology, but in creating new emotional and aesthetic areas with technology, Dr. Denizcan Kabaş concluded, “No matter how advanced technology becomes, what always makes a story meaningful is the inner world of the person telling it, their relationship with society, and their way of interpreting life. Therefore, even in the digital age, what sustains cinema is not what technology, platforms, or industry build, but the magical narrative of humanity reflected on the big screen.”