Echoing the democratization of audio recording tools in the 1990s, film and video production has become dramatically cheaper in recent years.  This is great for independent filmmakers, and for all creative people wanting to break in to film.  Now, instead of having to be the offspring of a famous director, or the cousin of a union member, pretty much anyone can afford to buy a camera and an editing system.

Like this rig for “filming” with an iPad:  iPad kit review.  It seems so silly, yet it almost might work for some things.  

But this democratization has a hefty price tag – it tends to cheapen the perceived value of skilled professionals.  When even a 16 mm camera cost tens of thousands, and film lab costs ticked by at a frightening pace, only the experts could make fine images.  Now that a few thousand dollars buys a great semi-pro camera, many more people try to become “professionals.”  So the trend is to ratchet down salaries (or fees for freelancers), and this is making it harder and harder for cinematographers and the like to make a living.

Where will it and?