The globalization process has become a fast-paced phenomenon, which has opened up new perspectives for international filmmakers. Nowadays, it is much easier for filmmakers to find and enter markets and distribute their films. This is because the amount of data transmitted across borders has increased significantly, and this has had a huge impact on the need for nations, individuals and businesses to connect more deeply. The market growth increases every year because fast Internet access is available in most countries. According to the World Bank (2006), the number of highly educated professionals leaving slow-developing countries for developed countries doubled in the decade 1990-2000. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay These professionals have acquired new skills and, yet, have maintained ties to their native countries, continuing to transfer their knowledge and ideas. As an IBM report predicted: "Between now and 2010, the increasing accessibility, saturation, transmission speed, and massive data storage capacity of emerging digital technologies will enable new formats and capabilities, multiplying and deepening user connectivity across the world" (IBM, 2004). Furthermore, Internet usage has grown at lightning speed: from just 3% of the world's population in 1995 to more than 15% of the world's population in 2005 – nearly a billion people. The largest number of Internet users – almost 330 million – was recorded in Asia in 2004, followed by 243 million users in Europe and 185 million in the United States. In 2000, only 25% of the world's Internet users came from developing countries. In 2005, however, this percentage rose to 40%. In 2004, 77% of the world's population accessed mobile networks (UNCTAD, 2005). Such changes in technology have created an increase in transnational movement in media products. Major media companies, such as Time Warner, Disney, News Corporation, Columbia Pictures, Paramount, which operate multiple networks and influence media content, have benefited from this process. According to Lewis (2012), these studios had a dominant position not only in the traditional commercial market, but also in the independent film sphere. However, independent filmmakers can directly take part in globalization by creating their own transnational connections. Digital platforms, such as Google Play, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, iTunes and other VOD companies allow filmmakers to find audiences and distribute their films. Nowadays digitalisation offers a way to upload films via Youtube or Vimeo, which can be stored safely for many years. So, a freelance director has all the opportunities to start a successful career on Youtube. According to Goss, video content uploads on YouTube have gone from just over 5 hours per minute worldwide in early 2007 (2010) to 60 hours per minute - or one hour of video per second in 2012. Furthermore, in terms of viewing there are 4 billion views per day (Warman, 2012). According to Ravid, self-distribution is especially successful in the documentary sector. Ravid quotes Dynamo's Rob Millis as saying, "there are hundreds of love stories but only one or a couple of documents or at most a few on any given specific topic." He therefore states that a successful “do-it-yourself” distribution strategy for a documentary can expect to earn $20,000. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Now if your documentary costs, 2012).
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