Side by Side was directed in 2013 by Chris Keneally and follows the development of digital technology. It is in reflexive mode as it acknowledges that it is a documentary, often showing the film crew and the producers’ (Keane Reeves) thoughts.
The film follows Reeves as he interviews some well known filmmakers, such as Martin Scorsese, and other people involved in the industry, such as cinematographers. It gathers these people’s opinions on the rising dominance of digital film over traditional film, and uses their insight and experience to ask questions such as “is film dying” and why digital is growing so much, what it could mean for the industry and young filmmakers, and the advantages and disadvantages of this form of filmmaking. It discusses the past, present and future of film and digital film, and how they have influenced the industry, and henceforth, the future of cinema as a whole.
I personally enjoyed the film. I felt it covered a wide range of opinions and topics and did a good job of displaying the growth and increasing dominance of digital film, and the advantages and disadvantages of that. The interviewees provided useful insight and theories and the film was interesting enough to stay entertaining. I rate Side By Side (Chris Keneally, 2013) 4 Stars!
Finley Cairns A-Level Film Studies Blog 
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