How Film Studios Have Evolved in the Digital Age
From Soundstages to Screens — A Century of Innovation The golden era of practical sets In the mid-20th century, film studios were dominated by vast soundstages and practical effects. Walls were built by hand, lighting rigs were rigged manually, and what appeared on screen was often created entirely in camera. These early studios were feats of engineering, hosting elaborate set builds, detailed props, and extensive crews who made the magic tangible. Directors and cinematographers relied on in-camera tricks and tightly controlled environments. From Western saloons to alien landscapes, each backdrop required full-scale construction. This made production a slower, more labour-intensive process, but it also gave films a tactile quality that shaped audience expectations. Miniatures, models, and matte painting As genres expanded into fantasy and science fiction, filmmakers turned to techniques like miniature sets and matte painting. This allowed studios to depict large-scale environment...
