Convergence and Synergy

Convergence refers to both the utilisation of several types of media within a company or project and to the combination of more than one type of technology within a single product. This phenomenon presents the proverbial double-edged sword for the film industry for a variety of reasons. The pros of convergence are that it allows the economic development of the world of film; for instance, creating a video game based on a well-received movie is sure to earn the company significantly more money. It also causes the film’s fanbase to widen, encompassing different generations of viewers with varied interests. Thus, for instance, the official website for “Edge of Tomorrow” includes three different types of games in an attempt to appeal to the target audience of the film; teenagers. On a more basic level, the fact that movies can now be streamed online means that they are easier to sell – thanks to outlets such as Netflix, consumers don’t even have to leave their house in order to enjoy a movie that has just been released on DVD. It also means that films can be sold internationally much easier; physical copies don’t have to be shipped or flown over in order to be sold, as they can simply be distributed via the internet. Conversely, convergence has greatly furthered the problem of film piracy and copyright. Piracy in particular is an increasingly huge problem, especially for independent titles which already have less money behind them to begin with. For such films, convergence and consequent illegal downloading essentially increases the possibility of any future financing being taken away.      

The effects of convergence on the film audience of the UK is much the same as on the rest of the world. Convergence is incredibly convenient for consumers, for the reasons mentioned above, but also presents a temptation in the form of illegal downloading or streaming. Additionally, despite giving an opportunity to reach a wider world audience, it leads to certain challenges in terms of financing models, as well as problems with increasing the quality of broadband across the UK in order to ensure the ever-growing needs of the internet age can be met. 

Synergy signifies the collaboration of more than one company when working on a particular media-related venture. This is good for film institutions mainly due to the fact that, if several companies pool their money into a particular movie, it is possible to create a better overall product and thus ensure a greater revenue. The increased competition roused by finer creative pieces being made can also become a catalyst for the overall improvement of the quality of films the industry releases. On the other hand, if a lot of money is invested in a certain picture and yet the movie fails to at least earn it back, any small companies involved in the venture are likely to crumble, and large companies will feel their reputation has been marred and possibly refuse to collaborate with those particular companies in the future. Finally, even if the film is well-received, the involvement of too many people means the percentage each party involved gets is cut down the more companies are involved, which, again, is cause for concern especially for smaller companies.  

DY