This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer about the topic of digital filmmaking from the real IELTS test.

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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.

Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Real Past IELTS Tests January 18th 2020

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.

1. Your first sentence just paraphrases the topic. You can write it simply or try to show off a bit if you are confident.
2. 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.

1. The first sentence should be a topic sentence with your main idea – for me it is the quality of films.
2. Start your example immediately – don’t waste any time!
3. Be as specific and detailed as you can. The more specific, the better.
4. Continue developing the same main idea, don’t switch to a new main idea.
5. 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.

1. Just like the paragraph before – clear topic sentence!
2. Again, start your example quickly and then develop it for the rest of the paragraph.
3. Being specific will help you to use really strong vocabulary like I did in this sentence.
4. The more detail and specificity, the higher your score.
5. 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.

1. For your first sentence, summarise your opinion and main reason for it.
2. 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: