About the Conference

In the light of tremendous progress in technology and the spread of digital platforms, the world of art and entertainment, like other fields, has witnessed radical transformations. Cinematic and dramatic content has been greatly influenced by the emergence of digital broadcasting platforms. Hence, it is shaping the viewers’ experience and determining the trends of modern cinematic art. With the spread of Internet use and the increase in the number of adherents to these platforms, online cinematic content has formed an essential part of the art and entertainment culture.

Moreover, these platforms allow participants to watch their preferred movies, series, and similar contents whenever and wherever they want. Studies conducted in this field indicate that viewing methods and habits are changing. Movies and series are now watched on mobile phones and computers instead of traditional televisions. Additionally, people spend a lot of time watching seasonal series in two or three days. It has become possible to broadcast series produced by various cinema companies in many countries and reach millions of people. The most important digital platforms are Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and others. New forms imitating the nature of reception among the new audience, such as Reel Shorts Film have been recently emerged as well.

These developments led researchers to raise many questions based on theorists views such as Marshall McLuhan about the message and the means. The American theorist, Franseco Casetti pointed out in his script: “seven key words for the cinema of the future” (2015) that “every change in the technological structure will result in a change in the character of the medium, and will be true with those who preach the death of cinema, contrary to all evidence”. He asserts: “What defines a medium is primarily a means of seeing, feeling, thinking and interacting. It is no longer necessarily linked to a single ‘device’, even if it is the device to which it was traditionally linked. This is the case with the cinema: it was born as a technical invention and continues to attract us, regardless of the “device” through which it is viewed.

Cassetti was one of the researchers interested in the developments of cinematic art as well as the position and importance of the viewer in the future. In the first keyword, “relocation,” he referred to the transfer of watching movies from cinema halls to other devices (mobile phones, computers, etc.), that is, the changing media. All these developments in form and content affected the audience, which began to receive the content in a different way.

With these platforms offering wide access capabilities, viewers can watch the content anytime and anywhere. This creates a major shift in viewing habits; hence individuals can enjoy movies and series with complete flexibility. This is confirmed by data on viewing habits published by Netflix (2017), which indicates that when subscribers themselves decide what and when to watch, peak viewing on Netflix occurs at 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. Commenting on the research findings on changing TV viewing habits, Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content at Netflix, said: “In the last four years, as consumers spent their time without committing to planning their day according to traditional TV channel schedules, TV viewing habits have changed radically in the whole world. At Netflix, we’ve given consumers control over what they watch at what time of day, and observed how TV viewing habits change when you give them the freedom to move away from fixed streaming. This change is being noticed by millions of viewers around the world” (Netflix, 2017).

The shift of cinema to modern devices has led viewers to concurrently engage with numerous films at the same time. For this reason, and due to the absence of enclosed space they lose focus. Thus, the viewer becomes more active; and watching the movie turns into a “performance,” as already stated by Cassetti. Viewing habits also did not stop there. Displaying series on platforms such as “Shahid,” for example, provides a wide space for interaction with viewers. After the show of the series, a podcast is displayed to discuss the details of the episodes and the different roles of the series’ heroes. The conference aims to discuss the displaying of the cinematic and dramatic content on digital platforms and transformations in reception and viewing.

Topics of interest for paper submissions include, but are not limited, the following

• Introduction to digital platforms for cinematic and dramatic broadcasting and its impact on the production of movies and series.

– Analyzing the use of technology in the film industry and the impact of the viewers’ experience.

– Cinema and television in the digital age

• Cultural and social impact of watching online

– Surveying the transformation in viewing patterns due to the proliferation of online streaming platforms (a shift from viewing to the performance).

– Investigating the impact of live streaming and on-demand content provision on the viewing experience.

–         – Investigating the impact of digital content on cultures and societies, and its reflection on the progress of the technological communities.

Viewers’ Interaction:Haut du formulaire

-Analysing the interaction with cinematic and dramatic content on digital platforms.

– Analysing the effects of sharing and comments through social media on the production of movies and drama.

– Analysing post-viewing interaction through podcasts as an instance.

Challenges and Opportunities:

–           Analyzing the challenges confronting movies and drama industry in the era of digital platforms.

–           Exploring new opportunities emerging with digital technology in the field of movie production.

• The future of theorizing in the reception field the in Light of New Technological Developments.