This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer about the topic of digital filmmaking from the real IELTS test.
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Dave
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: Digital Filmmaking (Real IELTS Test)
Nowadays because of digital technology it is possible for not only studios but also individuals to produce their own films.
Real Past IELTS Tests January 18th 2020
Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
The democratisation of film has led to greater opportunity as well as fears as to the future of filmmaking. In my opinion, this is a largely positive development as it opens up the medium for a more diverse range of socieconomic voices.
The main reason that film purists resist the digital revolution is it brings down the quality of films. A good example of this is when digital film first burst onto the scene and started to replace film around the turn of the century. The initial complaints from viewers were that film looks better and digitally shot movies have a cheap aesthetic akin to a soap opera. As digital film has proliferated beyond studios looking to cut costs, it has exponentially increased the number of films made by amateurs. This naturally leads to movies with bad acting, clumsily written dialogue and poor overall production values.
Despite the admitted cons listed above, digital film has given a voice to less wealthy filmmakers who tend to be of a different class and ethnicity. There are countless examples of students who film digitally, post their video on YouTube and become internet sensations. Many of these new perspectives are outside of the predominantly white, male, heterosexual homogenity of Hollywood. It is increasingly possible for LGBT themes to surface in these shorts and for ethnic minorities around the world to break through. The most striking evidence is simply comparing the major movies made 50 years ago with the diverse range of cinema on offer today.
In conclusion, although there are drawbacks in terms of quality those are mitigated by novel themes from underrepresented demographics. Studios should pay heed and relax their control over an ever-promising industry.
Analysis
1. The democratisation of film has led to greater opportunity as well as fears as to the future of filmmaking. 2. In my opinion, this is a largely positive development as it opens up the medium for a more diverse range of socieconomic voices.
- Your first sentence just paraphrases the topic. You can write it simply or try to show off a bit if you are confident.
- Give your opinion – never sit in the middle!
1. The main reason that film purists resist the digital revolution is it brings down the quality of films. 2. A good example of this is when digital film first burst onto the scene and started to replace film around the turn of the century. 3. The initial complaints from viewers were that film looks better and digitally shot movies have a cheap aesthetic akin to a soap opera. 4. As digital film has proliferated beyond studios looking to cut costs, it has exponentially increased the number of films made by amateurs. 5. This naturally leads to movies with bad acting, clumsily written dialogue and poor overall production values.
- The first sentence should be a topic sentence with your main idea – for me it is the quality of films.
- Start your example immediately – don’t waste any time!
- Be as specific and detailed as you can. The more specific, the better.
- Continue developing the same main idea, don’t switch to a new main idea.
- Summarise with the result.
1. Despite the admitted cons listed above, digital film has given a voice to less wealthy filmmakers who tend to be of a different class and ethnicity. 2. There are countless examples of students who film digitally, post their video on YouTube and become internet sensations. 3. Many of these new perspectives are outside of the predominantly white, male, heterosexual homogenity of Hollywood. 4. It is increasingly possible for LGBT themes to surface in these shorts and for ethnic minorities around the world to break through. 5. The most striking evidence is simply comparing the major movies made 50 years ago with the diverse range of cinema on offer today.
- Just like the paragraph before – clear topic sentence!
- Again, start your example quickly and then develop it for the rest of the paragraph.
- Being specific will help you to use really strong vocabulary like I did in this sentence.
- The more detail and specificity, the higher your score.
- The last sentence can add some further development. Don’t add in a new main idea here!
1. In conclusion, although there are drawbacks in terms of quality those are mitigated by novel themes from underrepresented demographics. 2. Studios should pay heed and relax their control over an ever-promising industry.
- For your first sentence, summarise your opinion and main reason for it.
- Add in an extra detail/final thought at the end.
Vocabulary
Try to figure out what the vocabulary in bold below means:
The democratisation of film has led to greater opportunity as well as fears as to the future of filmmaking. In my opinion, this is a largely positive development as it opens up the medium for a more diverse range of socieconomic voices.
The main reason that film purists resist the digital revolution is it brings down the quality of films. A good example of this is when digital film first burst onto the scene and started to replace film around the turn of the century. The initial complaints from viewers were that film looks better and digitally shot movies have a cheap aesthetic akin to a soap opera. As digital film has proliferated beyond studios looking to cut costs, it has exponentially increased the number of films made by amateurs. This naturally leads to movies with bad acting, clumsily written dialogue and poor overall production values.
Despite the admitted cons listed above, digital film has given a voice to less wealthy filmmakers who tend to be of a different class and ethnicity. There are countless examples of students who film digitally, post their video on YouTube and become internet sensations. Many of these new perspectives are outside of the predominantly white, male, heterosexual homogenity of Hollywood. It is increasingly possible for LGBT themes to surface in these shorts and for ethnic minorities around the world to break through. The most striking evidence is simply comparing the major movies made 50 years ago with the diverse range of cinema on offer today.
In conclusion, although there are drawbacks in terms of quality those are mitigated by novel themes from underrepresented demographics. Studios should pay heed and relax their control over an ever-promising industry.
Answers
democratisation available to all
greater opportunity more chance to
largely positive development mostly good
opens up allows for
medium film
socieconomic voices opinions from different groups of people
film purists resist movie buffs don’t like
digital revolution ascent of digital filmmaking
brings down hurts
digital film movies shot with new cameras
burst onto the scene started
turn of the century around 2000
initial complaints first doubts
digitially shot movies movies shot on digital cameras
cheap aesthetic looks bad
akin to a the same as
soap opera melodramatic TV shows
proliferated beyond studios spread outside big companies
cut costs save money
exponentially increased gone up a lot
amateurs not professional
naturally of course
bad acting not good at acting
clumsily written dialogue poorly written script
poor overall production values cheaply made
admitted cons definite drawbacks
given a voice allowed to speak up
ethnicity race/ethnic group
countless examples many instances of
post put up
internet sensations popular on the web
new perspectives fresh voices
predominantly white, male, hetersexual homogenity of Hollywood film industry dominated by white straight men
increasingly possible more and more likely to happen
LGBT themes lesbian/gay/bi/trans undercurrents
surface come up
shorts short films
ethnic minorities small groups
break through become mainstream
most striking evidence obvious support
comparing contrasting
major movies studio films
diverse range lots of different types
on offer today available now
mitigated lessened
novel themes new ideas
underrepresented demographics not enough from these groups
pay heed pay attention to
relax their control allow others to do what they want
ever-promising industry always profitable
Pronunciation
ˌdɛməˈkrætɪkəzeɪʃən
ˈgreɪtər ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪti
ˈlɑːʤli ˈpɒzətɪv dɪˈvɛləpmənt
ˈəʊpənz ʌp
ˈmiːdiəm
ˈsəʊʃiəʊiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈvɔɪsɪz
fɪlm ˈpjʊərɪsts rɪˈzɪst
ˈdɪʤɪtl ˌrɛvəˈluːʃən
brɪŋz daʊn
ˈdɪʤɪtl fɪlm
bɜːst ˈɒntʊ ðə siːn
tɜːn ɒv ðə ˈsɛnʧʊri
ɪˈnɪʃəl kəmˈpleɪnts
ˈdɪʤɪtli ʃɒt ˈmuːviz
ʧiːp iːsˈθɛtɪk
əˈkɪn tuː eɪ
səʊp ˈɒpərə
prəʊˈlɪfəreɪtɪd bɪˈjɒnd ˈstjuːdɪəʊz
kʌt kɒsts
ˌɛkspəˈnɛnʃ(ə)li ɪnˈkriːst
ˈæmətə(ː)z
ˈnæʧrəli
bæd ˈæktɪŋ
ˈklʌmzɪli ˈrɪtn ˈdaɪəlɒg
pʊər ˈəʊvərɔːl prəˈdʌkʃən ˈvæljuːz
ədˈmɪtɪd kɒnz
ˈgɪvn ə vɔɪs
ɛθˈnɪsɪti
ˈkaʊntlɪs ɪgˈzɑːmplz
pəʊst
ˈɪntəˌnɛt sɛnˈseɪʃənz
njuː pəˈspɛktɪvz
prɪˈdɒmɪnəntli waɪt, meɪl, ˌhɛt(ə)rə(ʊ)ˈsɛksjʊ(ə)l ɒv ˈhɒlɪwʊd
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈpɒsəbl
ɛl-ʤiː-biː-tiː θiːmz
ˈsɜːfɪs
ʃɔːts
ˈɛθnɪk maɪˈnɒrɪtiz
breɪk θruː
məʊst ˈstraɪkɪŋ ˈɛvɪdəns
kəmˈpeərɪŋ
ˈmeɪʤə ˈmuːviz
daɪˈvɜːs reɪnʤ
ɒn ˈɒfə təˈdeɪ
ˈmɪtɪgeɪtɪd
ˈnɒvəl θiːmz
ˈʌndərɛprɪˈzɛntɪd ˌdiːməˈgræfɪks
peɪ hiːd
rɪˈlæks ðeə kənˈtrəʊl
ˈɛvə-ˈprɒmɪsɪŋ ˈɪndəstri
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and try to fill in the vocabulary:
The ________________ of film has led to ________________ as well as fears as to the future of filmmaking. In my opinion, this is a ________________ as it ________________ the ________________ for a more diverse range of ________________.
The main reason that ________________ the ________________ is it ________________ the quality of films. A good example of this is when ________________ first ________________ and started to replace film around the ________________. The ________________ from viewers were that film looks better and ________________ have a ________________ ________________ ________________. As digital film has ________________ looking to ________________, it has ________________ the number of films made by ________________. This ________________ leads to movies with ________________ , ________________ and ________________.
Despite the ________________ listed above, digital film has ________________ to less wealthy filmmakers who tend to be of a different class and ________________. There are ________________ of students who film digitally, ________________ their video on YouTube and become ________________. Many of these ________________ are outside of the ________________, ________________. It is ________________ for ________________ to ________________ in these ________________ and for ________________ around the world to ________________. The ________________ is simply ________________ the ________________ made 50 years ago with the ________________ of cinema ________________.
In conclusion, although there are drawbacks in terms of quality those are ________________ by ________________ from ________________. Studios should ________________ and ________________ over an ________________.
Listening Practice
Listen and review the vocabulary and grammar from the sample answer:
This is one of the most difficult essay questions that have found yet. Dave you truly are a gem and have articulated the thoughts well. Thank you.
Thank you!!!