1. Production - how has digital technology changed the way films are shot? How has it made the process more creative? Think about on set and post-production
2. Distribution - how do we access films now? How do the films get distributed to the cinemas? How is this changing?
3. Exhibition - how do we experience films? Is the cinema experience changing? Is it under threat with home cinema technology?

production
when filming using digital technology it makes the production of the media easier after the filming has finished. It changes the way the film is shot as film reel is not needed as a hard drive can be used. This means that less space is required and the film reel doesn't have to be scanned before editing. it just saves time and less people are required to edit the film. as the film is already digitally stored it can be transfered between computers and camera making it simpler to share between editors, and being in digital form it can be edited straight after filming. the parts that need to be edited, color and lighting etc. the digital media makes it easier to edit as it doesn't have to be scanned so no color is lost or any picture quality lost.
when filming on set the cameras used will make it easier to edit film when filming, like changing colors or adding filters will allow the film to be changed without having to change after filming.

distribution
the digital technology used to make films helps in distribution. as we move on in technology there are new ways in which we watch films, the internet has revloutionised the way we watch films, as we can watch films on the internet, if the films have been filmed in digital form they are able to be uploaded straight onto the internet for the audience to watch. although this could lead to copyright and illegal distribution.
when the films are taken to the cinema's the film reel has to be taken to each cinema, where as with digital it could be sent over the internet, this would mean films would be released quicker making the film companies make more money and the audience happier. but this is changing as the film companies are always finding quicker ways to distribute the films. if the internet was used then there could always be the chance that the film could be stolen over the internet and the released using p2p servers. causing the illegal market to get the real film rather than filmed ones.
Acording to http://www.howstuffworks.com/ they say that it cost $1500 to $2000 per film reel. this means that it cost upto 6 million dollers to distribute films to 3000 cinimas across america. if it was a global relese it would cost upto 100 million dollars to distribute worldwide.

Exhibition
currently most people go to the cinema to experience a new film but that is changing as the dvd market is growing and how we can see films is also changing. as the cinema become more expensive and the film hire market grows the need for home cinema seem more appealing to the average family. the use of big tv's also mean that the cinema looses money.
i believe that the cinema is under serious threat from home cinema systems, as we get bigger and bigger television's and the surround sounds sets you can experience the same excitement from going to the cinema without leaving your house at all. the films can be offered off the internet and then watched whenever u like. it also saves alot of money. eventually there will be no need for cinema so films will have to be released straight to dvd. this will cause the film makers to loose money. and as film markets are all about money now there will be a shortage.