Evolution of Cinema_Tom PerlmutterIn a quick, yet thought-provoking video for the Future of Storytelling Summit, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada Tom Perlmutter shares his thoughts on the future of storytelling. He explains the basic human need behind the act of telling a story, how that act has evolved over time, and where its evolution is heading: transmedia. To find out more on what Perlmutter says about interactive filmmaking, check out the video after the jump.


We've known for quite some time that films are going to begin to get more interactive and become transmediatic experiences -- Spielberg and Lucas mentioned this when they spoke at the USC panel in June. We've seen examples of this, like in non-theatricals (educational films and others,) but there have been some for narratives as well, especially web-series, which use social media, websites, and live events to create a world inside the world of their film.

So, why is film evolving? Tom Perlmutter sums it up perfectly when he says, "Innovation, to me, is something that emerges out of a deep necessity of finding a way of saying something that existing means don't allow you to." What I take from this is that the language of film is growing. Filmmakers are widening their vocabulary, and the newest area that has begun to be embraced and used is interactivity. Perlmutter says:

 A movie is a finite work. It begins. It ends. It's complete in and of itself. It's recreated every time  an audience sits and watches it. That's when that magic happens. But, in and of itself, it's finished. An interactive work may never be finished.

Check out the video below:

Though I do love to watch a film in the traditional manner -- a 1 1/2 - 3 hour 2D experience, I'm interested to see how filmmakers will continue to innovate our medium by writing new words into our exclusive cinematic vernacular.

What do you think about Tom Perlmutter's thoughts on transmedia? Do you like to watch films the traditional way, a single beginning, middle, and end viewing, or would you enjoy an interactive experience?

[via Filmmaker IQ]