It’s a new year, and a new set of rules for the film industry particularly because technology available to us in the next 12 months will change certain balances of power.

For filmmakers, the process of film production will evolve, HD costs will continue to fall, and editing innovation will go up. Studios may find themselves competing this year for originality as a new generation of 3D animators and graphic designers create exceptional imagery from the comfort of their own homes.

The idea of low budget and high production values exists, but until now distribution has lagged behind. Animation is really a booming business, and 3D will fuel the rise in it’s demand once the bumps have been ironed out and the standards increase. What will be important for filmmakers is to stay original and not to get sidetracked by silly green screen style movies with poor stories despite good visual aesthetics.

The power of short films in 2012 will also go up as we see sites like Vimeo giving a voice to independent filmmakers. It is really the era for film producers to get their creations seen and to bridge the gap between traditional distribution and online distribution. Will we see the rise of indie films at the cinema? It’s not impossible given that the tools available to the studios are now virtually accessible from the comfort of the home. Expect to see the power of films go up as digital distribution takes the format to new heights this year.