As technology evolves, from video iPods to high-definition digital cameras, it cultivates new advances and changes in the entertainment industry.
What exactly does the future hold for television and theater? Professor Robert Knopf tackled this question in his "The Future of Theatre and Film" lecture held on Saturday in the Center for the Arts screening room.
Knopf's lecture was the first in The Cutting Edge Lecture Series, presented by the CFA. As professor and chair of the department of theater and dance, Knopf discussed the historical relationship between theater and film, and how technological advances and economic competition have brought about change.
"Technology has the greatest influence," Knopf said. "With the addition of HDTV, NetFlix, and Pay-Per-View the work being created has already changed, and will continue to change. Video pods and computer cell phones have drastically influenced the theater and film industry, and we don't know where they're headed."
Knopf began the lecture by comparing and contrasting the assassination of JFK and the 9/11 tragedy in regards to how the two were portrayed in film. Audience member Anna Hezel, a senior at Park High School, was impressed by the initial comparison.
"It was something I had never thought about before," she said. "I'm going to be looking at TV and film in a different way."
As the lecture progressed, Knopf explained that ever since the development of the first film in 1895 there has been "a growing cultural desire to see the world in precise detail."
Knopf then showed the audience a small clip from the Lumeire brothers' "Arrival of the Train." The black and white clip consisted of a train pulling into Paris set to fact-paced music. It's hard to imagine that the first individuals to see this film were literally screaming from terror.
"They couldn't distinguish film from reality," Knopf said.
It may seem difficult for us to imagine a reaction quite like that because we have grown so accustomed to action sequences and violence onscreen.
Knopf also said that film serves as the visual medium of the entertainment industry, whereas theater has become the verbal medium.
"Theater is bound by causality; film is not," he said. "One thing to look for in the future is less lineage between theater and film. Theater disappears as soon as it is spoken, and film is kept alive. Film itself is a cinematic artifact and theater is preserved through script in addition to possible production photos."
A dominant quality of theater is that it is anchored in the real world. Knopf said that theater has greater life-likeness, a greater sensory appeal, and offers characters in a 3-D setting.
"Theater and film claim life likeness as their own special province," according to the professor. "Theater is also bound by less economic factors."
Knopf believes that productions like "Cirque du Soleil" will become the theater of the future. The music specifically written for such a performance also has the advantage of being reproduced and marketed as a soundtrack.
Audience member and photography professor Tyrone Georgiou was intrigued by Knopf's lecture.
"It's impossible to predict the future in technology. We may be looking at vapor one day," he said. "I've witnessed the change from chemical to digital in my lifetime. However, the basic product intentionally remains the same."
Michele Bewley is responsible for organizing this lecture series. Her intent was to draw in high school students to meet professionals in the field, and gain a sense of what kinds of jobs are out there.
The series is also intended for college students who may already know what career they want to pursue, and who may need a mentor figure to help explain how to get started and establish networking.
"These lectures are a great opportunity to see where the field is going and how it affects us," said Bewley.
The Cutting Edge Lecture Series is a free Saturday morning program that will feature lectures by distinguished UB professors and alumni. The next lecture will feature Jamie Ostrov, assistant professor of psychology in a lecture entitled, "Gender and Aggression: A Developmental View" on March 11 at 10 a.m.
