Technological Innovations and Realism in Cinema: The Case of Steadicam and André Bazin’s Theory of Realism

Abstract

The art of cinema is dependent on a dynamic interplay between theory and technology. Theories about cinema inspire technological innovations which in turn expand the potential for the creation and application of more theories. This intimate relationship between theory and technology has shaped the cinema-making industry over the years. There are numerous examples of the way that theory has impacted upon technology, and in return technology has influenced theory. But for the purpose of this essay I will focus on one particular instance, namely André Bazin’s influential theory of realism, and its relationship with one particular technological innovation, that is, Steadicam. Although, Steadicam technology was innovated sometime after Bazin’s death, it provides a valuable point from which to examine questions of technological change in cinema, and their relationship to thinking about realism.