The craft of filmmaking, or film production, is a multifaceted process that transforms an initial concept into a motion picture. This journey begins with the inception of an idea, or a commission, and progresses through several distinct phases. At the outset of the film development, a story is fleshed out. This could involve the acquisition of the rights to adapt existing works. Subsequently, a screenplay is crafted, financial backing is secured, and the project takes shape. During pre-production, careful planning is undertaken to ensure a smooth filming process. This includes the recruitment of actors and crew, site scouting, and the construction of sets. Filming, or production, follows where the raw footage of the film is captured. This phase does not follow the chronological sequence of the story and often involves multiple takes that will be arranged coherently later. Post-production is where the magic comes together. The raw footage is edited, and audio and visual effects are incorporated to create the final film. Once complete, the film enters the distribution phase, where it's marketed and then released in theaters or on various other platforms for audiences to enjoy. Although the term filmmaking originated during the era of physical film used for recording, it now predominantly pertains to digital production. The term encompasses the entire commercial process aimed at creating and delivering audio-visual narratives for distribution or broadcast across various formats and channels such as theatrical releases, television series, music videos, and even educational or promotional content. The whole endeavor takes place within diverse economic, social, and political milieus, and employs a vast array of technologies and creative filmmaking techniques.

In the latter half of the 20th century, a transformative era emerged, signaling a movement away from traditional industrial economy towards one dominated by information technology. This epoch, termed the Information Age, encompasses a range of names from the Third Industrial Revolution to the Digital Revolution, and is marked by the substantial influence of advancements such as the transistor and optical amplifier. These innovations, pivotal in the 1940s and 1950s, drastically altered the handling and dissemination of information. This period's genesis is often attributed to the progress in making computers smaller, which ultimatly led to sophisticated information systems and the internet, fueling societal progress, according to the United Nations Public Administration Network. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the precise timeframe of the Third Industrial Revolution's culmination and the Fourth Industrial Revolution's onset, with estimates varying from the year 2000 to 2020. Tracing its roots, the Information Age sprouted from technological breakthroughs of the Second Industrial Revolution—such as Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine and the telegraph—that set the stage for the digital era. The affordability of digital communication for the general population became a reality with the creation of the personal computer. Claude Shannon, a mathematician at Bell Labs, significantly contributed to this transformation through his seminal work defining the principles of digitization in 1948. The revolution's hallmark was the shift from analogue to digital technology, enabling the production of exact replicas of the original data. Moreover, digital technology ensured unblemished information transmission and facilitated the transfer and availability of data across different mediums.

Third Cinema arises as a response to the dominance of the Hollywood film industry and the capitalist framework within which it operates, as well as to European art films that prioritize individualistic expression from the director. Emerging from Latin America in the 1960s and 70s, this movement seeks to confront neocolonialism and the traditional means of filmmaking and exhibition, aiming to engage the audience not just passively but as participants in a revolutionary cause. The origins of Third Cinema can be traced back to a manifesto titled "Toward a Third Cinema," by Argentine filmmakers Fernando Solanas and Octavio Getino. They were part of a group called Grupo Cine Liberación. The manifesto criticizes Hollywood's profit-driven motives that lead to films that cater to bourgeois values and escapism. While it also distinguishes from European art cinema, which despite rejecting Hollywood's standards, still centers on an auteur director's personal vision. Third Cinema, as envisioned by Solanas and Getino, is a cinema of radical change that does not cater to commercialization, instead, it is a tool for political and social activism. The directors are considered part of a collective effort rather than individual artists, and their work is dedicated to portraying truths and inspiring collective revolutionary zeal. Furthermore, it calls for unconventional methods of film screening, one that evades censorship and commercial networks, thereby making the act of viewing such films a rebellious statement in itself. Despite the clear objectives of Third Cinema, there remains debate about the categorization of some global film industries like Bollywood. With its immense production scale and a unique blend of entertainment, Bollywood is seen by some as a counter to Hollywood, while others view it as another commercial powerhouse in its own right. In the genre of Third Cinema, there are a series of manifestos that guide its philosophy. The one by Glauber Rocha is among these foundational documents that pave the path for the movement.