A hybrid understanding of cinema will emerge in the future

Stating that cinema is undergoing one of its greatest transformations with the digital age, Dr. Denizcan Kabaş said, “A story can now exist not only on the screen but also on social media, in virtual reality, and even in artificial intelligence supported experiences. Therefore, when cinema is viewed from a different perspective, it can also be described as transforming into a kind of ‘digital memory space’.”

Dr. Kabaş noted that digital platforms have significantly transformed cinema culture and emphasized that in the future a hybrid cinematic understanding in which artificial intelligence and human creativity intertwine may emerge, while films that construct emotion through humans rather than algorithms will always continue to exist in some form.

Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication, Department of Radio, Television and Cinema faculty member Dr. Denizcan Kabaş highlighted the major transformation cinema has undergone in the digital age in her assessment for November 14 World Cinema Day.

Cinema is undergoing one of its greatest transformations

Pointing out that cinema is experiencing one of its most profound transformations with the digital age, and that film is now being defined not only as a narrative art but also through data flow, algorithms, and content strategies, Dr. Denizcan Kabaş said: “In the past, cinema was a ritual where people physically gathered, shared common emotions, and engaged in social interactions afterward. Today, however, it is shifting toward individual screens, shortened attention spans, and a framework of rapid consumption. Yet this change does not mean cinema is ending. On the contrary, the digital age brings new forms of expression to cinema. A story can now exist not only on the screen but also on social media, in virtual reality environments, and even in artificial intelligence supported experiences. Thus, when viewed with a different lens, cinema can be seen as transforming into a kind of ‘digital memory space’. In this process, filmmakers can develop a new narrative language not only behind the camera but also within code and data. Ultimately, we have not yet fully witnessed what cinema will become when digitalization reaches its highest level and transforms the field entirely.”

The pandemic became a turning point for movie theaters

Dr. Denizcan Kabaş noted that the pandemic marked a turning point for movie theaters: “Movie theaters, which remained closed for long periods, suffered both economic and emotional losses. As people developed the habit of watching films at home, they began drifting away from the collective viewing experience provided by theaters. On the other hand, the rising cost of watching films in theaters, along with the relocation of cinemas into shopping malls that emphasize consumption beyond movie watching, strengthened this shift. However, in recent years we can see attempts to reverse this trend. Screening award winning local productions in theaters, certain directors creating works specifically suited to the cinematic screen, and theaters bringing cult films back to the big screen as part of a ‘nostalgia’ movement are examples of these efforts. In addition, post-screening talks, thematic screenings, and festival events also play an important role in re-establishing this bond.”

Digital platforms have significantly transformed cinema culture

Noting that digital platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Max have profoundly transformed cinema culture, Dr. Denizcan Kabaş said, “On one hand, they removed the boundaries of access and carried stories to a global scale without any limitation of time or place. On the other hand, they radically changed viewing habits. Today, audiences no longer experience a film as an event but as a ‘stream’ consumed quickly, much like social media content. This situation has two sides: The positive side is increased accessibility, diversity and visibility. The negative side is cinema’s surrender to a culture of rapid consumption and viewer-data-oriented production. While the platforms’ algorithms offer new content to viewers in a constantly personalized manner, depth, discussion and the cinematic experience gradually weaken. Of course, we also observe that some directors use these digital conditions creatively and develop new forms of storytelling. Therefore, how we define cinema as a narrative art today has become increasingly important.”

A hybrid understanding of cinema will emerge in the future

Emphasizing that artificial intelligence is now becoming part of cinema, Dr. Kabaş continued: “AI can be integrated into production processes at many stages: from scriptwriting to visual effects, from editing to sound design. Thanks to these technologies, it becomes possible to produce works that are faster, lower-budget and technically more advanced. However, these developments also pose the risk of threatening the human dimension of cinema. Artificial intelligence can imitate the structure of a story, analyze its emotional rhythm, and even produce scenes that make the audience cry or excite them at specific moments using certain formulas. Yet among the elements that give cinema its deeper meaning are human emotional intuition and creative imperfections. For this reason, AI is transforming cinema, but it cannot, at least in a way we can comprehend, fully replace the human imagination. In the future, a hybrid cinematic approach in which AI and human creativity intertwine may emerge, but films that build emotion through humans rather than algorithms will always exist in some way.”

Digital actors or AI-generated characters have opened new doors

Explaining that the use of deepfake or digital actors has created a serious debate in cinema both ethically and legally, Dr. Kabaş said, “Using an actor’s likeness through deepfake technology or using a face without consent forces us to reconsider concepts of representation and permission. This debate must continue not only from a technological standpoint but also as a matter of responsibility concerning human dignity, labor and artistic integrity. Digital actors or AI-generated characters may open new technical doors for cinema. However, when misused, this technology harms the ‘human condition’, which is the most fundamental element of art. Therefore, we must also question the intention behind the use of such technology. Protecting ethical boundaries in cinema also means protecting artistic trust.”

What keeps cinema alive is the magical expression of human experience reflected on the screen

Stating that the future of cinema lies not in creating a competitive industry based on technology but in forming new emotional and aesthetic spaces together with technology, Dr. Kabaş concluded: “No matter how advanced technology becomes, what makes a story meaningful is always the inner world of the person telling it, the way they relate to society, and how they interpret life. For this reason, even in the digital age, what keeps cinema alive is not what technology, platforms or the industry constructs, but the magical expression of human experience reflected on the big screen.”