Are smartphones ruining the next generation of filmmakers? A recent suggests that even film students, the very people dedicating their lives to the medium, are struggling to watch classic movies without reaching for their phones.
In a on the topic in r/movies, redditors debate whether this is a crisis of discipline, a symptom of a “dopamine-fried” culture, or simply a case of students liking the idea of being a director more than the work itself.
The death of boredom
Many in the thread argue that this isn’t laziness; it’s a physiological shift in how people process information. With short-form video constantly available, redditors believe the ability to sit with a slow narrative is rapidly atrophying.
Chasing fame, not film
Are these students actually passionate about cinema or do they just want the social capital of being an artist? Several commenters suspect that the aesthetic of the “film student” lifestyle is drawing in people who have no interest in the actual history or mechanics of the art form.
How movies are helping attention spans
While some blame the students, others suggest that the environment is key. In an era of constant connectivity, the movie theater remains one of the few places where disconnecting is socially enforced, proving that even modern audiences can focus if the option to scroll is removed.
The conversation highlights a tension between the evolving nature of media consumption and the demands of cinema. Making movies is a long, involved process; watching them is the easiest and most fun part. What will movies be like in the future if the people making them can’t sit through one?