Niche vs. Mainstream
While a major trend like the superhero boom defines an entire era of blockbuster filmmaking, a microtrend is a smaller, more specific pattern that might only be noticeable to dedicated cinephiles or active members of online film communities. Microtrends are often born on the internet, accelerated by social media algorithms, and can disappear as quickly as they emerge. They represent the fast-paced evolution of niche tastes and aesthetics.
Examples of Film Microtrends
Microtrends can manifest in various ways, from visual styles to specific narrative tropes:
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Aesthetic Microtrends: These are often visual and can be very specific. For a time, there was a noticeable microtrend of using a particular color palette—often pink, purple, and blue neon lighting referred to as ‘bisexual lighting’—in independent cinema to signify LGBTQ+ themes. Another example is the rise and fall in popularity of certain types of lens flare or specific color grading looks.
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Subgenre Microtrends: For a few years, there was a surge in ‘screenlife’ films, where the entire story unfolds on a computer screen (e.g., Searching, Unfriended). This was a distinct microtrend within the thriller genre that burned brightly for a short period before becoming less novel.
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Discourse Microtrends: Sometimes the trend isn’t in the films themselves but in how they are discussed. A particular video essay format might become popular on YouTube, or a specific critical theory (like analyzing every film as a ‘trauma plot’) might dominate online film criticism for a season.
The Role of the Internet
The internet is the natural incubator for microtrends. Platforms like TikTok, Letterboxd, and X (formerly Twitter) allow niche ideas and aesthetics to be shared and amplified with incredible speed. This creates a fertile ground for these short-lived, highly specific trends to flourish, influencing everything from movie poster design to the editing style of mainstream films, before the cultural conversation inevitably moves on.