Theatre: Horizon

As my research has shown, theatre is still popular in culture and media. It has also shown that although it is not as popular as it used to be, it is trying to change and adapt to keep up with modern advancements and taste.

My research has discovered that most popular theatres, especially in London, were built in the Victorian era and were very small. (Binkie Blog 2011)

Scarborough Theatre, A very common Theatre format - this is set to improve over the next year. (thisisscarborough.org 2011)

Theatre owners are now starting to improve the places that people go to watch performances in the hope that it will attract more people and keep the medium alive. One such improvement is quite minor, but quite significant – Installing comfier seats. The Ambassador Theatre Group in the West End are installing new and comfier seats, possible because of modern technology. (Probax 2011)

As an example;

“(they) use dual density foams to encourage an anatomically correct posture in the seat occupant… and dramatically increases the comfort experience for the seat user.” ProBax 2011

Innovations in seat design to improve the Theatre experience. (Silver Sea Media 2010)

In my own opinion, I have gathered that theatre is taking a backseat in popular culture already in the present day, so technology may make it even less popular in the future. I think that computers, televisions, smartphones, tablets and cinemas give audiences a more convenient way to watch productions and entertainment, and this is something worth looking into for the future forecast section of my research, as they may eventually replace theatre. 

An advert for BBC iPlayer on Android Smartphones - People can now watch media on the go, and this is proving very popular. This could be expanded to theatre and films in the future. (Roland Hutchinson 2010)

"The layout of the app is brilliant, making it easy to browse Auntie’s vast repository of TV and radio content. A big, friendly ‘Featured’ page directs you to shows that are popular right now, while it’s also possible to jump straight to a channel or station, or browse by content categories. All of these functions are handled within a polished and intuitive menu system, and everything loads up quickly." (BBC iPlayer Review - Damien McFerran Feb 2011)

In terms of the cinema industry, the digitalisation of film is making it very convenient for people to have access to it. Most cinemas are now digital, and most in England are now capable of showing 3D films. (Movie Insider 2011)

3D Beauty and the Beast - Even though it is an old film , it is getting re-released in 2012 so people can see it in 3D (Disney 2011)

A new film for 2012, using new 3D technology (Universal Pictures 2011)

 In the next 6 to 12 months there will be a number of families with access to 3D films and television in their own homes – which was quite unheard of a couple of years ago. It has also been announced that improvements will be made to 3D television in 2012 to make it better for people. (3D Radar 2011) Sky television, owned by BSkyB already has a Sky 3D channel, and a 3D films channel – so, many more service providers will begin to follow in its wake in the next year. 

Sky Box Office - This is proving very popular because viewers can watch films at home, nearly just as soon as they have been released at the cinema (Niffy Branco 2011)

For the average public who cannot afford 3D, there are still new LED televisions, and HD channels, which show media in the same quality as seen in the cinemas. 

This is an advert for a Samsung 3D Television. This was released in 2010, but like with all new technologies it has taken a while to become popular with people. Now, in 2011 it has gained popularity and more of these televisions are being sold.

From the Panasonic Website: An advert for an upcoming TV to enhance the viewing experience of the viewer - could this become more popular than cinema? (Panasonic 2011)

There may be trouble on the horizon for the cinema industry. People may stop going to watch films there, and they may need more innovation in this area in order to attract people back. People now have 3D, feature length films available on their television even when they are still on in the cinema, HDTV, cinema quality surround sound and much more available to them in their own homes.

This idea is shown to be popular with people, and if it is compared to the popularity Theatre has shown in the past and present day, it is definitely changing. The subject has stayed popular because traditional theatres are changing and incorporating new technology and innovations. An American cinema company – SM Cinemas is set to do this in the next year by installing ‘ergonomic chairs and recliners’. The intention is that the cinema will feel more like the viewer is inside their own home, rather than at the cinema. (Comfy Seats at SM Cinema – The Philippine Star, 2nd August 2011) 

Advert for SM Cinema's Ergonomic Seating, perhaps bringing the popularity back to cinemas (SM Cinemas 2011)

Another upcoming innovation that could make cinemas more up to date and viable is ‘3D sound’ from a company called ISONO:

“IOSONO® technology supports speaker configurations from 5 to 500 loudspeakers.
Sounds can be made to appear anywhere within or outside of the venue to create stunningly realistic, three-dimensional soundscapes that put the audience at the heart of the action”. (ISONO 2011)

ISONO Audio Lab, for use with the 3D Speakers to give audiences a better experience (ISONO 2011)

After 120 years of being used in the film industry, 35mm film is officially ‘on the way out’ in January 2012. This is a big factor influencing the horizon of cinema, because it means that in the next 6 to 12 months the entire industry will be digitalised. The head of film research at HIS states, "However, after 10 years of market priming, movie theatres now are undergoing a rapid transition … spurred initially by the rising popularity of 3D films." (David Hancock 2011) Statistics warn that there will be no usage of 35mm film by 2014. This is popular on the horizon because people do actually like film, and they do not want everything to be digitalised. I think that there will be several public debates about this controversial topic on the horizon. (Guardian 2011)
 

Tacita Dean's artwork at the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall, paying homage to the 35mm film (Guardian 2011)

Conclusion

After doing this research it is becoming clear that the main event on the Horizon for theatre is the advancements in digital technology. Over the years cinema has taken popularity away from the theatre, because films are technically like theatre productions that people can see at any time and any place – the only difference is that they are not live. Digital advancements mean that in the cinema we can see things that we had never dreamed of seeing before (with the help of CGI), and Dolby Digital surround sound makes the experience all the better. On the horizon now are cinemas in our own homes, because technology is making this possible. In the future people may not even need to go to the cinema because they can get the same experience in the comfort of their own homes – with much more besides. In conclusion, cinema has become the new theatre, but the medium of cinema must stay innovative in order to maintain its popularity with people in the future.

Jewels: Horizon

My research into the Past and Present of Jewels has now led me onto the Horizon of Jewels. The horizon for jewels is very similar to the horizon of theatre, because technology plays a large part in how the subject develops in the future. In terms of ‘the bigger picture’ technology is very important, because it has affected the subject in many ways, for example; it has improved the manufacture of jewels, mining techniques, how they are sold, how they are worn, and the advancements in media also mean that they get more exposure to the public.

Unlike theatre, jewels have not really changed too much over the years. My research shows that the popularity has waxed and waned, but the popularity for the same products is always still there. Jewellery looks to be still popular, with fashion houses releasing collections of jewellery for 2012. (Prada 2011), (Lizzie Fortunato 2011). The fashion catwalks of 2011 have already shown what is going to be on sale on the horizon, and there is definitely popularity in this in the media.

A necklace from the upcoming Lizzie Fortunato Jewels Spring 2012 Collection (Fashionologie 2011)

A Diamond necklace from the Prada Resort 2012 Jewellery Collection (Lisa Niven 2011)

These images above show a selection of jewellery that will be going on sale in the spring of 2012. The amount of catwalks and fashion shows for jewellery demonstrates that there is a continuing popularity for them, and there is even a jewellery show in Birmingham every year (the next one being February 2012) to showcase the latest innovations and designs for jewellery. 

Header from 'The Jewellery Show' Website (The Jewellery Show 2011)

A quote from the website reads:

“All exhibitors in this sector are invited to submit product for one of the catwalk shows, which have been styled by market-leading international trend forecasting service, WGSN. This will ensure that buyers’ fingers are kept firmly on the fashion pulse as they seek out the hottest new products for the seasons ahead”. (Charlotte Cowel 2010)

This quote shows that like me, the jewellery business is also researching what is going to be popular on the horizon in order to keep people buying jewellery.

Another important point for the future is the subject of ‘ethics’. There seems to be a massive popularity in ethical products and practices, mainly due to advancements in news coverage; this lets people in the first world see what life is like for people living in lesser economically developed countries. (George Monbiot, The Guardian, ‘It goes against our nature; but the left has to start asserting its own values’ October 2010) 

Ethical Jewellery - Gold charms on alpaca wool chains. This style of jewellery is set to be more popular on the horizon (Martin Pope 2008)

Much of the jewellery we wear today is produced in 3rd world countries because of the cheap labour – this is also one of the reasons why jewellery is so widely available today. Jewellery designers are now beginning to help these people who make the jewellery to have better lives and this is setting a new standard for future jewellery manufacturing (‘Coco Rocha's jewellery aid’, Aurelia Donaldson, The Independent, November 2011).

This is a video about Coco Rocha and her 'jewellery aid' which helps the victims of human trafficking in Cambodia. Humanitarian and ethical acts like this are becoming more popular.

I think from my research, ethical jewellery is getting more and more exposure in popular media, and it is looking like it is set to become more popular on the horizon. With world news coverage people are becoming more aware of what happens in the world around them, and people with money to spare increasingly feel the need to help them out. The appeal of ethical jewellery is that these people can help out less advantaged people, whilst still buying a product for themselves.

Another subject that is gaining popularity is diamonds. Technological innovations have played, and are to a play a big part in how diamonds are mined and manufactured. This means that they are more available to people, at a cheaper cost; making it more popular with the common public, rather than just the upper classes as it was in the past.

A blue 'Life Gem' (Life Gem 2011)

The price list for red Life Gems, the price justifies the growing popularity. (Life Gem 2011)

An interesting subject of diamonds is the idea of creating a diamond from a loved one’s ashes. However gruesome it may sound, it does have a certain appeal because you will have a lasting memorial of a loved one. This concept is relatively recent, however not on the horizon. I think this is a valid point though because it is a new innovation, with the company ‘Lifegem’ being the very first of it’s kind. There may be popularity about this in the future, even if it already exists, because I think it is the type of thing that people have to get used to and the idea will catch on and grow in popularity.

Diamonds appear to be the most prominent in terms of popularity on the horizon, and I think that they will end up being the main focus of my research for the horizon. 

Diamonds embedded into an Angle Grinder (Hustvedt 2009)

Some of the main appeals of diamonds are that they are a very hard material, and they also have a very high melting point. They are also a very good electrical insulator and incredibly abrasive – which makes them useful for the advancement of technology. (Amethyst Galleries Inc 2011) Diamonds are widely used in an industrial sense because their hardness makes them a very effect abrasive material. Diamond particles are embedded into cutting machinery, which makes them more efficient and precise. (Paul W May, 2011)

A scalpel with diamond which make it sharper (NIMSoffice 2009)

This may not apply too much to the horizon – but diamonds have changed the way we manufacture things, and they can also be used as medical tools (see the scalpel picture). This means that in the bigger picture they have been quite significant, and therefore quite popular.

De Beers - Advert glamorising diamonds, and keeping them popular on the horizon (James Allan News Centre 2009)

I also think that diamonds will continue to be popular on the horizon, because of the advertising campaigns that DeBeers and Tiffany and Co. ran several years ago. This sparked the obsession with diamond engagement rings. It was strategically very clever, and it engraved the idea of ‘needing’ diamonds for an engagement into popular culture. Therefore, people will continue to buy diamond rings, and diamond jewellery for engagements and weddings – continuing the popularity of diamonds. 

Tiffany and Co. Advert for diamond engagement rings 'timeless perfection, forever after' (Dream Irish Wedding 2011)

DeBeers advert - Reinforcing the idea that diamonds are for engagements (DiamondVues 2011)

“In brilliant marketing campaigns, both De Beers and Tiffany and Co . are responsible for establishing the association of diamonds with a wedding engagement and glamour. Now, over a century later, those who can afford it, seek the highest quality diamonds associated with De Beers and Tiffany and Co”. (Abasias 2011)

The Mayan Calendar - Predicting that the world will end on 21st Decemeber 2012 (Mayan Predictions 2011)

The subject of ‘ice’ ties in very easily with climate change, and there is no end to the popularity of this in the media currently, so therefore it should still be in popular media on the horizon. The Kyoto Protocol is going to expire in 2012, and this is “the most important single issue within the field of national climate change politics” (BBC 2011). This was a settlement to reduce greenhouse gases between some of the biggest countries in the world. There has been much interest in this topic in the current media, and so in 2012 there will most likely be a huge popularity in this subject. The Mayan predication that the world will end in 2012 is also gaining popularity in the news and media, and we may see a surge of the popularity of this topic on the horizon. (MayanPredictions 2011)

This is a news article about the Kyoto Protocol, showing that there is an interest in this topic in popular media.

Conclusion 

Once again, like with the theatre topic, technological advancements are playing a big part in the horizon of jewels. It is also apparent that Jewellery is a much more popular subject than just ‘jewels’, it still has a big presence in popular media, and designers are still releasing collections (see images of spring jewellery 2012 collections) for the future, and they most likely will continue to do so in the horizon. Ethical issues are gaining popularity on the horizon, maybe because people have more money to spare, or just maybe because people are more aware of the suffering and exploitation in the world and they want to do something about it. Many jewellery designers are looking to design ethical products, and the popularity is definitely growing. Diamonds will also always be popular, as I have proved by my research. I think that the idea of ‘a diamond ring is forever’ – for an engagement, has become ingrained into our culture now and so the popularity will stay high. Climate change will also play an important part in the horizon. People are becoming more aware of the dangers of our current lifestyle, and so there may be some big changes coming in the next 6 to 12 months.