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American Film History > midterm > Flashcards

midterm Flashcards

1
Q

Zoetrope

A
  • the illusion of motion
    -1st piece of technology that showed off persistance of vision
    1867 Zoetrope US patent
    1868 The Flip Book
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2
Q

Eadward Muybridge

A
  • 1830-­1904
  • photographs of galloping horse
  • settle bet with Lila Stanford-do horses ever life al legs up at once? photographed with dozens of cameras in a line-12 frames per second (then went up to 24 frames per second, which set precedent for film in classic era)-trip wires-made with multiple cameras so not like cinema yet
  • zoopraxiscope=way he projected these images-1st projecting of moving images
  • uses existing tech to take pics, didn’t have to invent anything new
  • continued to take pictures of animal and people in motion-discussed locomotion of animals
  • put his images in zoetropes
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3
Q

Lumiere Bros.-Cinematographe

A

hand cranked, lightweight, portable (can shoot on location) -also a projector, could show to multiple people at a time
-1st slapstick comedy-and mostly documentary, home videos-1 shot, 1 minute films

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4
Q

Georges Melies

A

-­transformation starts in France with Georges Melies (1861­1938): narrative storytelling,
-sci fi and fantasy films; 1895 ­ attends first Lumiere show, creates Star Films: starts making trick films
(magicians) but quickly moves on to more elaborate productions (multi­shot narrative film),
1902 Trip to the Moon; myth: created special effects by accident
-beginnings of editing (only within a scene), special effects, fiction on film-influenced Edison to create Jack and the Beanstalk, who influences everyone else to do fantasy/fiction
-camera placed like it’s a stage-so acting theatrical, dramatic gestures
-legitimized art form-more than a novelty-not just low class

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5
Q

Thomas Edison

A
  • Muybridge visits, and Edison also talks to Etienne Jules Marey-Edison wants to bring film into the commercial market
  • invented motion picture after success of record player-thought, what if we could have a moving image to accompany music-files preliminary patents (he hadn’t invented anything yet), then researched it-then puts Dickson in charge, he does most of the work
  • Eastman visits and gives Edison samples of his plastic roll film (35mm-sets precedent)
  • kinetograph (to film) and kinetoscope (to see film)-WKL Dickson really made them-perforated sides to pull through machine and sprockets-precedent, still see today
  • so pretty much from the beginning Dickson’s invention is made to use plastic roll film
  • 1st copyrighted film-Fred Ott’s Sneeze-1st public projection–but not quite public because only 1 person can watch at a time-1st commercial film
  • sold films and kinetoscopes-but expensive-people who bought them owners of penny arcades-some started Kinetoscope parlors
  • little movies less than a minute in length
  • Black Maria to make films
  • viewed films as a commodity, not art
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6
Q

Mutoscope

A
  • Dickson-leaves Edison and creates Biograph Co.-reinvented camera to avoid patent infringement-called mutoscope so Edison wouldn’t sue-uses flipbook technique- 70mm films (better quality)
  • Dickson discovers Florence Lawrence, Mary Pickford, many filmmakers
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7
Q

Kinetoscope

A

-(one­person, peep­show cabinet) offered for sale > commercial use only:
bought by ppl owning penny arcades; store­front Kinetoscope parlors; films last less than a
minute, single shot, single perspective > films could be ordered through mail

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8
Q

William Hodkinson

A

-­ 1914 W.W. Hodkinson (had worked for the Trust & General Film Company before)
-owns Paramount
-first with distribution system; distributes Zukor’s and Lasky’s films
­ 1916 Zukor & Famous Players merge production and distribution-Zukor wants to merge with Hodkinson (who didn’t want to because of his experience with Edison,
feared that the quality of the films would go down); Zukor goes behind Hodkinson’s back and buys up his debts; takes over Paramount > begin of vertical integration
(distribution and production together)
­ 1917 distributes over 100 features (2 features per week > overwhelming; 50 features a
year = standard of most studios in CH)
­ block booking: maximize profits; theater had to book all the films produced by the
studio; guaranteed that every movie was exhibited

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9
Q

W.K.L. Dickson

A

-Edison’s right hand man
-bringing film into thecommercial market
1889 June ­ Dickson begins work on camera
-1895 April ­ Dickson leaves Edison (never got credit for his work/contribution)
-1895 December ­ Dickson creates American Biograph Co-competes w Edison-Edison sues

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10
Q

Edwin S. Porter

A

-Filmmaker at Edison-Edison wants him to create an
American Trip to the Moon > Jack and the Beanstalk (1902)
-The Great Train Robbery-takes a lot of his experiments and ideas and creates a more polished hit
-Life of an American firefighter
-he was a projectionist-hand reeling it-during silent films, people would talk-Porter heard this-knew what audiences liked and didn’t-so he makes films ripped from the headlines-more realistic
-first parallel editing in Life of an American Firefighter-same scene from inside and outside-now we cross cut this, but this was the start

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11
Q

Black Maria

A
  • (one room shack: black on the outside, glass windows to direct sunlight, no roof, building could be rotated on pivot to catch the sunlight)
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12
Q

Vaudeville

A

-nation­wide mass entertainment; low admission price; weekly program change: interstate
vaudeville circuit, 5-­10 min vignettes; family friendly atmosphere; something for everybody-for middle class
-5-30 cents
-film good fit for vaudeville cuz 1 reel 10 min, fit in as an act
-interstate dist. w/ central booking office in NYC-vaudeville used, film later follows
-vaudeville good for performers cuz 1 act can do everywhere, cuz all diff places, haven’t seen it before
-a lot of talent go into film

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13
Q

Biograph and Vitagraph

A
  • 1895 Dickson creates Biograph-invents as diff as possible to avoid being sued-the mutoscope
  • 1896-J Stuart Blackton appears in Edison films
  • 1897-founds Vitagraph next
  • Vitagraph war films
  • Edison sues both-never a clear cut decision
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14
Q

Nickelodeon exhibition

A
  • diff fro vaudeville cuz just film (1 reelers), 5 cents
  • converted store/theater, seats 75-300
  • accessible to everyone, frequent change of program, kept same idea as vaudeville
  • fiction film
  • film has its own place now, not just in arcades
  • so their audience was huge-movies were not brand new-but now get to see even more of them-vaudeville had introduced millions of people to movies-and now these people moved to nickelodeons-vaudevilles would continue to show movies occasionally, and nickelodeons would sometimes have live acts, so not clear cut line between vaudeville and nickelodeons
  • the only people that don’t come to nickelodeons are the top 1%-still going to operas, etc.-but everyone else went to nickelodeons-movies becoming the dominant form of mass entertainment in America-replacing vaudeville
  • US business didn’t want to touch nickelodeons-not enough revenue-so came from people who couldn’t get loans, shunned sometimes, maybe not allowed in higher class establishments-sometimes from the audience-so run by immigrants, eastern european jews-early owners of nickelodeons-would move up with business as it grew into an industry and moved to Hollywood
  • films rented from distribution exchanges-distribution is created as middleman-rents films to theaters rather than selling them
  • very first distribution exchanges were created by owners of multiple nickelodeons-once done with their films, rent out to other nickelodeons
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15
Q

D.W. Griffith

A

-huge films-Birth of a Nation and Intolerance-continuity editing-discovers Lilian Gish and Mary Pickford-1st to be famous for film creating, not inventing technology-subtle acting for film-brings in people from stage and films shows-then realizes need to use younger stars, audience likes this better
-beginning of shot being smallest unit of flm-many shots in 1 scene-brings in more subtle acting, character emotions, details, complexity-need system to organize it-beginning of continuity editing-called invisible style in Old Hollywood-don’t get confused, get involved in story and don’t notice technical aspects
-cornerstones of of continuity editing: 180 degree rule and shot/reverse shot
-first really famous (pure, almost auteur) filmmaker-took movies really seriously–Social Commentary & big themes
-always wanted to be a playwright-no success-turned to movies just for money really-plays bit parts mostly
-1907-Rescued From an Eagle’s Nest (Edison)-lead
-1908-1912 American Biograph-head of production-made 2 one reelers a week-make one himself, supervise another crew making a second film-he polishes many techniques of filmmaking while here, that will later be adopted worldwide-didn’t invent these things (close up, moving camera, etc.) but Griffith is the person who brings them together, practices and polishes them and integrates them all taught into a narrative film style
-Griffith one of the first to begin to come out to west coast to shoot films-as early as 1910-taking advantage of scenery and good weather
-1913-Independent Production: Reliance-Majestic, Epoch
-1919 United Artists
Griffith at Biography
-long shot, medium shot, close up
-moving camera
-Editing for meaning-understood power and logic of film editing
-creative, dramatic lighting and camera: Billy Bitzer
-chafes under the rules of Biograph and the trust and nickelodeons-has greater ambitions than 10 min movies
-starts making 2 reels movies-but when gives to Biograph they chop them in 2, show them in consecutive weeks
-in 1912, ends up shooting a 3 reel film-most expensive film Biograph has shot at that time-Biograph doesn’t know what to do with it, can’t release it-Biograph and Griffith decide to part company because he wants to experiment, gets producer to back him so he can make his own projects-Biograph just wants him to do the same thing every week
-popularity dies out after Intolerance failing and a few other bad films

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16
Q

“The Trust” (MPPC)

vs Independents

A
  • “The Trust”-1908
  • 9 companies-Biograph, Vitagraph, Essanay, Kalem, Selig, Lubin, Pathe Bros, Melies, Kliene (international distributor)
  • 16 patents pulled together, moopoly over industry, Kodak only sell to them, charged $2 just for theatres to be a part of it and be able to access trust films, couldn’t show non-trust films
  • Edison still believes his patents give him control over all films-wants to be the only company making films-has been suing-but hasn’t been winning clear cut decisions in court
  • hard to get loans to make films-because Edison could win and then company would have to close shop
  • by 1908, seems business is getting so big that even Edison concedes that there are so many film companies that won’t be able to stop them all, he can’t create enough films for the entire american film market-comes up with new way of controlling movie business but allowing other companies to make films, as long as he gets a cut
  • creates the Motion Picture Patents Company-gets royalties on cameras, money films make, etc.-every aspect of filmmaking-brings into it other big companies of the day, and some smaller, and some big European companies-other companies get royalties but Edison gets larger
  • this is theory will end patent laws
  • this idea of a monopoly or cartel was not new/Edison’s idea-following a well worn path that other capitalists had established in the post civil war america-with oil companies, railroads
  • there were a lot of people who thought these monopolies and cartels were a bad idea, bad for capitalism-like the progressive republicans-Roosevelt in particular very anti-trust
  • at first won’t let Biograph in-other companies said if we’re trying to monopolize things, need to include Biograph
  • but still demand for movies is overwhelming-couldn’t meet it
  • new companies to fill demand-the trust called these companies pirates-but they called themselves independent-indepedent from the trust-Independent Moving Picture Co. 1909 (IMP-eventually becomes universal)-created by Laemmle
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17
Q

Carl Laemmle

A
  • -nobody knew him-needed to differentiate his product so nickelodeons would book him
  • first person to really introduce the star system-marketing your film based on the stars-Florence Lawrence-“the biograph girl”-getting the most fanmail-said she was identified, publicized her name, brought over to make films with him-her name starts to appear in letters next to the film, bigger and bigger-she also does a PR tour
  • publicity and advertising becomes more important
  • nickelodeons will book films based on stars, people will decide what film to see based on star
  • this formula is hugely successful, takes a huge step up when get to feature films
  • started advertising based on stars, not technology
  • 1st publicity stunt-someone said Florence Lawrence was dead, Laemmle said no, to prove it come see her in this next film
  • later makes Mary Pickford a big star
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18
Q

IMP/Universal

A
  • started by Laemmle-w/ other countries later becomes Universal
  • independent from trust, filling need for more films that trust offering, challenges trust
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19
Q

Florence Lawrence

A
  • the biograph girl

- first star

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20
Q

William Fox

A
  • General NY Film company (rental)-first nationwide dist.-try to buy up everything and vertically integrate-Fox refuses
  • Fox gets into production backwards (can’t get trust films so makes his own)-creates movietone, own sound-against Trust
  • trust tries to take control of distribution of films-saw didn’t have total control with independent companies, needed more control, decided only way to do it was own all distribution outlets
  • 1910-MPPC forms the General Film Co, first nationwide distributor-created by buying up all the distributors around America that had been dealing with-69 diff independent distributors all around America-bought 58 of those companies-10 allowed to go to of business because overlapped with other companies
  • but that last one was the biggest distributor of America-based in NY-William Fox’s Greater New York Film Rental Co-would not sell to Edison, would not go out of business-the business was just starting, didn’t want to sell yet-finally Edison gives up trying to persuade him-eventually cuts off his movie supply-Fox realizes that ultimately fora distributor to have a guaranteed supply of movies, have to make them yourself-so starts making films (ancestor of 20th century Fox)
  • Fox sues Edison and trust-unlikely that he could defeat Edison and his vast forces-but it’s 1910, we’re in the mist of many progressive republican administrations-the department of justice is also very anti-trust-they decide they want to support Fox-so sends its lawyers to NYC, file a bunch of federal lawsuits on the trust, say violating anti-trust laws-in the courts for many years-reach Supreme Court on many occasions
  • final appeals heard in 1917
  • 1917 Final US Supreme Court ruling against the Trust-in favor of department of justice-trust is in violation of Sherman anti-trust act-has to be broken up immediately
  • we can see who won here-no more Edison or Biograph today-but do have Universal and Fox
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21
Q

One-reeler

A

-10 min film

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22
Q

Birth of Hollywood

A
  • -move of american motion picture business from NY and NJ to CA-later consolidate around LA, in suburbs around it and in it
  • it’s amazing how quickly this all takes place-by 1913 companies flooding out to SoCal-by 1914 almost every major company thinking about building a facility in LA-by 1915 they have-by 1919 Hollywood is world famous as center for film
  • why did it happen/happen so fast?
  • better weather-“350 Sunny Days a Year”
  • need to be shooting year round to make 50 films a year-SoCal was really the only place weather was good enough to do this
  • also needed natural sunlight to light films then
  • variety of location
  • compared to NYC, more empty lots, less crowded-property was much cheaper-particularly in suburbs
  • Open shop town compared to NYC-hostile to unions, unlike NYC, which had many unions-didn’t have to pay as much to carpenters, electricians, painters, etc.-in early days
  • Distance from New York-get away from Edison trust, which was centered in NY and NJ-although they do end up building some facilities in LA
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23
Q

Movie Palaces/deluxe theaters

A
  • to finance bigger budget films-$1-2-up to 6,000 people-live music-ushers-Balaban and Katz in Chicano innovate AC which increases popularity of film
  • ex: Chinese theater, Egyptian theater
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24
Q

Sam “Roxy” Rothafel

A
  • S.L. Rothafel (nickname: Roxy)
  • Rothafel-from Minnesota-spokesman for key picture palaces, manages them, promotes them-presents them as temples to the movies-preached customer service-built the Roxy theatre
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25
Q

Mary Pickford

A
  • Broadway, IMP, Biograph, Paramount
  • first great Hollywood star of feature films
  • enters films in her mid teens, discovered by Griffith, then become Famous Players’ best asset, famous worldwide by 20s
  • “the little girl with the curls”-always plays the young girl/teen-innocent-played storybook heroes
  • did 3-5 films a year
  • becomes a big distribution executive later-a founder of United Artists
  • many imitation Mary Pickfords at other studios
  • an astute business woman
  • helped form United Artists
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26
Q

Famous Players/Paramount

A

-started by Zukor
-merges with Paramount, starting to vertically integrate
film great American plays, issue a Famous Players film every week by Fall 1913
-starts feature craze
-Mary Pickford

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27
Q

Thomas Ince

A
  • studio system: factory/mass production system-the studio system was started-almost assembly line for mass producing feature films
  • Thomas Ince helped evolve a lot of ideas about the studio system
  • division of labor-to organize this massive system of mass production-assembly line
  • so the job titles we know today are created and defined in this 1910s period: the producer, director, actor, screenwriter-they’re paid the most, the creative ones-otherwise, those in charge of technical aspects, not paid much
  • Thomas Ince helped develop the importance of pre-planning a film-specially the screenplay-finished and approved in advance-blueprint for the film-before you shoot-so know if feasible, good, under budget, etc-the screenplay was a way of controlling cost, controlling production
  • top down system where the producer controls it
  • so not quite like Ford cars-mass producing but each one must be different, not all the same-so more creative-delicate process for the studio heads and producers-want standardized, regular product, but also need space for risk taking and creativity
  • producer in charge, oversees everything, not director doing everything
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28
Q

Slapstick comedy

A

-physical comedy-esp. seen in silent film

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29
Q

Block-booking

A

-sell films in packages-to sell b films, sell with A film

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30
Q

First National

A
  • a lot of people were treated by the merge of Famous Players and Paramount-vertical integration-2 parts of the business that they were dominant in, joined
  • most threatened by this were theatre owners-worried that if 1 company became dominant in Hollywood, the first thing they’d do would be raise prices selling their movies to theaters
  • Zukor tries to buy them-refuse-can’t let one company become dominant (just like before with Edison)
  • in 1917 a group of the key theatre chain owners in the US got together and decided they were going to challenge Famous Players and Paramount-needed an alternate source of movies so can have a bargaining position
  • created First National Exhibitor Circuit
  • put up money, offered it to independent producers in Hollywood to make films for them-go around the Famous Players/Paramount system
  • a lot of people in Hollywood liked this, need competition-so a lot of the biggest independent producers made films for First National-like Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin
  • needed steady stream of films-so sets up facility in Hollywood-First National Studios-to produce films-soundstages and back lot-turning out the 50 films a year that theaters need
  • then decide might as well start distribution system to get their films out-so set up distribution houses
  • so First National is the first to fully vertically integrate
  • to be successful in this time, needed to control distribution, production, and exhibition-usually through through the same investing process
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31
Q

Vertical integration

A
  • joining production, distribution, exhibition
  • started by merge of Famous Players and Paramount
  • theatre owners worried-create First National-becomes 1st fully vertically integrated film company
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32
Q

United Artists

A
  • formed by the biggest stars-Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, DW Griffith
  • formed because worried salaries would be cut
  • also concerned by the Famous Players/Paramount merge
  • stars realized that if anyone ever really gained dominance in Hollywood, the first thing they would do would be to cut stars’ salaries-competition was what kept stars’ salaries high
  • happy with First National because created competition
  • but they knew Zukor was strong competitor-would buy up competitors-but doesn’t accomplish this monopoly-though did make offers-to First National-rumors swept Hollywood that he would pull it off-led to series of meetings among the big stars in Hollywood to figure out what to do to stop Zukor-decided to create their own distribution company to get around Paramount and First National-and thus was created United Artists-a distribution only company designed to distribute on nan individual basis independent producers’ films
  • no block booking-every film sold on its own
  • completely diff philosophy from all other Hollywood companies
  • remains this different company in Hollywood for most of the 20th century-ideal for independent producers
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33
Q

Loew’s Inc.—MGM

A

-Loew’s theatres the most successful movie centers in America in 1910s and 20s
-originally stage and vaudeville houses
-hugely profitable, great locations, classy
-successful, but had to beg for movies still
-stock market book in 20s-new technologies-movies and radio-the darlings of that stock market boom
-creates his own Hollywood company-has to be vertically integrated to be successful
-buys a bunch of companies to create MGM
-Marcus Loew-founder of Loew’s, Inc.
-Nicholas Schenck-President of Loew’s, Inc
-Louis B. Mayer– studio boss
-Irving Thalberg-head of production
-almost immediately hit the ground as one of the biggest companies in Hollywood, since Loew’s theaters already so big-right away have 2 hits
-

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34
Q

Cecile B. DeMille

A
  • what is the role of a director in the studio system?
  • Paramount and Famous Players’ leading director in 20s and 30s-break then comes back-lasts a long time
  • famous for elaborate productions-big blockbuster epids
  • tireless self-promoter
  • works with publicity departments
  • lots of sex and thrills in his films-but all turns out alright in the end
  • does big biblical epics, historical subjects
  • 1914 THE SQUAW MAN
  • 1915 THE CHEAT
  • 1920 WHY CHANGE YOUR WIFE
  • 1923 THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
  • 1927 KING OF KINGS
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35
Q

Hal Roach

A
  • independent but distributed through Pathe then MGM
  • started at Keystone with Sennett
  • makes mini comedy series
  • most famous for creating Laurel and Hardy and Our Gang
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36
Q

Star System

A
  • star making apparatus; long term option contract (way of binding their talents to the studio; type casting; off­casting; no creative control; no percentage of the revenue); publicity department: puts out PR material; Hollywood was 3rd largest news source (after D.C. & NY); best still photographers
  • Long Term Option Contract
  • Publicity Dept
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37
Q

Adolph Zukor

A
  • creates company called Famous Players in 1912 to bring Queen Elizabeth to US film
  • starts by filming stage plays-feature films-starts feature craze
  • needs younger stars-Mary Pickford-sweeps away all the older players and features her in a bunch of filmed plays-she’ll become the first superstar of feature films, and Famous Players’ best asset
  • exclusive deal with Paramount-national distribution chain-dsitribute Famous Players films-decide to merge, but Hodgkinson, of Paramount, doesn’t want to, so buys him out, forms new Paramount
  • Zukor, to compete with vertically integrated companies, in 1919 goes to Wall Street and gets investment bankers to raise money for him using stocks and bonds for Paramount-gives him a lot of cash-he uses that through the 1920s to buy and built a gigantic theatre chain for Paramount-by the end of the 20s they have more than 1000 theaters in the US, biggest theatre chain
  • starts vertical integration
  • starts block booking (have to buy a bunch of lower films to buy Mary Pickford film)-went to court0went down to 5
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38
Q

Fatty Arbuckle

A

-star involved in scandal

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39
Q

Clara Bow

A

–suffrage movement going strong by 1910s-in 1920 women can vote
-complete rejection of the Victorian image of womanhood
-the “It girl”-becomes famous in film adaption of a novel called “It”-the sexy new age woman who has something special
-bobs her hair-flapper
her sexuality is in the foreground in her films
-the biggest moneymaker at Paramount in the mid 1920s
-imitations of her-starts a trend, by end of 1920s almost all female stars have bobbed their hair

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40
Q

Rudolph Valentino

A
  • completely different idea of the masculine hero of this period
  • Latin lover-thin and wiry
  • intensely romantic
  • becomes a superstar by 1921-most beloved male in american cinema for about 5 years
  • imitations of him at other studios too
  • died early, became a legend-the woman in black put lowers on grave-his death caused hysteria
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41
Q

Mack Sennett

A
  • founds Keystone Studios in 1912-first laugh factory-slapstick comedy
  • Arbuckle, Keaton, Chaplin
  • he had come out of vaudeville
  • comedy-so important to Hollywood, esp. in this era-travelled well worldwide because physical comedy, didn’t need sound-most important genre after western
  • Sennett worked at biograph before
  • by 1913 had set up a studio in Hollywood
  • begins turning out these comedies-distinctive-lead comedian, strange looking, ill fitting clothes, in trouble
  • comedies stayed short while other films moved towards features
  • the comedy is usually built around a chase in his films-often running away from the police-came to be known as the Keystone Cops-regulars in Keystone films
  • films often concluded with big pie fights or food fights
  • many comedians get their start at Keystone-like Charlie Chaplin
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42
Q

Charlie Chaplin

A
  • first great male star of the cinema
  • makes first longer comedies
  • did vaudeville around Europe
  • 1913 December- Chaplin joins Mack Sennett &Keystone-gets a 1 year contract at Keystone-later at other companies then goes off on own
  • “The Tramp” character at keystone that he plays in many of his films
  • also director, composer, writer-owns his films
  • 1917 builds his own studio-La Brea studio-builds it to look like an english tudor village from the front
  • constantly pushing the envelope, pushing things forward
  • moves his comedies to feature length
  • in 1921 makes “the Kid”-the first feature length comedy to come out of Hollywood with an original screenplay starring a comedian-original version 70 something minutes
  • after WW2 had all sorts of problems, films flop, eventually leaves Hollywood
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43
Q

Buster Keaton

A
  • physical comedy
  • american born, very american in his style
  • started in vaudeville, brought out to Hollywood by Fatty Arbuckle
  • eventually joins MGM in late 20s-because of uncertainty of transition to sound-destroyed in his time at MGM-successful, but less and less him-no more physical comedy-creatively crushing to him-in 1932 he basically drinks himself out of the movie business
  • not as business savvy as Chaplin, didn’t own his films, so went destittude
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44
Q

Erich von Stroheim

A
  • shows what’s not going to work in Hollywood
  • worked as Griffith’s assistant
  • acted-played German villains in anti-german WW2 propaganda film
  • by early 1920s directing-his first films are very elaborate and adult-always pushing the envelope running over budget, over time-won’t compromise with studios, doesn’t try to cater to all, just the elite-this ends up being his downfall-films don’t make a lot of/enough money
  • 1922 FOOLISH WIVES-first major success and controversy
  • 1924 GREED
  • 1928 THE WEDDING MARCH
  • 1929 QUEEN KELLY
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45
Q

King Vidor

A
  • makes a few big budget films-then would get chance to make a little film on his own that he wants to make-knew how to function in the system-like filmmakers today
  • 1925 THE BIG PARADE
  • 1928 THE CROWD
  • 1929 HALLELUJAH
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46
Q

William S. Hart

A
  • -westerns are hugely popular up until 1970s
  • William S Hart-comes from broadway stage-but comes out west working mainly for Paramount-began making his feature westerns as early as 1914-and fell in love with the west-they’re strict morality plays-not glamorous or fancy-he’s very intense-middle aged-hero, rights wrongs
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47
Q

Audion Tube

A

-1907 invention, the Audion tube-could amplify a sound signal using electrical current-used on everything with volume controls for most of 20th century

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48
Q

AT&T

A
  • -founded by Alexander Graham Bell
  • also called “Bell Labs”
  • by 1890s was a giant company that was managing the telephone systems throughout America-purchased Western-Electric-became their manufacturing and research subsidiary
  • by early 1900s AT&T is probably the second biggest company in America-they made a lot of money off telephones
  • in 1914, AT&T purchases the patent rights from Lee De Forest for the Audion tube-too much resistance in telephone wires to call from 1 city to another, only can do close by calls-so placed these audio tubes along telephone lines to boost sound signals-for the first time could make long distance calls-became huge profit center for AT&T
  • constantly working on new innovations for telephones and audion tubes
  • 1916: came up with loudspeaker
  • 1917: came up with 1917
  • 1925: electrical recording (as opposed to mechanical recording)
  • working on synchronized sound film
  • conservative approach in 20s-worked with existing technology-sound on disk-records that could synchronize with projectors-didn’t work for Edison, why would work now? problem with old system was mechanical synchronization-but now with electrical signal, much more reliable, worked pretty well
  • in early to mid 1920s, demoed to Hollywood majors, and again turned down-no one willing to take the risk and spend the money to take sound to Hollywood when their current system was doing well so there was no demand for sound
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49
Q

Warner Brothers

A
  • -Harry, Jack, Sam, & Al Warner
  • they entered movie business owning nickelodeons
  • set up one of the very first feature distribution systems
  • in 1917 moved into production
  • the first star at WB was a dog (German Shepard) named Rin-Tin-Tin
  • brought big stage star out to Hollywood and made him into basically their version of Douglas Fairbanks
  • by mid 1920s, WB is a mid to small level company run by these brothers
  • stock market is booming
  • Investment bank Goldman Sachs-leading banker was Waddill Catchings-he had millions he was willing to invest in companies in exchange for stocks-invested in Paramount, but also wanted to find the next Paramount-a little company that was about to explode where he could have a lot of say-sometime in 1925, invested in WB
  • WB expands exactly as would expect-in production, distribution, and exhibition-trying to move into the big leagues
  • they also decide to spent a little of money to refurbish a radio station
  • radio had just come on the scene in the 20s-WB felt that having a radio station in LA would allow them to put out promotional material for their films in the LA area
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50
Q

Western Electric

A

-purchased by AT&T-became their manufacturing and research subsidiary

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51
Q

RCA and RKO

A
  • Sarnoff
  • Radio Corporation of America
  • 1926-RCA creates NBC Radio Network
  • RKO-new vertically integrated major-uses RCA photophone
  • 1st conglomerate
  • RCA Photophone-very viable sound system-Optical sound on film-used in radio?-no one in Hollywood would buy so started own vertically integrated studio-soon became clear optical sound was better for movies-everyone, by 1930, converted over to optical sound system-easy to do because RKO and AT&T had sound patent cross-licensing system, so could share optical sound to competitors
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52
Q

Sound systems

A
  • Phonofilm (De Forest)
  • Vitaphone (Warner)
  • Movietone (Fox)
  • Photophone (RKO)
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53
Q

Sound systems: Phonofilm (De Forest)

A
  • -Optical sound on film-pretty good idea-took sound signal, put into microphone, which made it into an electrical signal-used to drive a lamp and photograph that light signal on the edge of a piece of film-light strikes photo-electrical cell, use that electrical energy to get sound back-stayed in sync well because really 1 system not 2 separate systems-wired 25 theaters in US to play the phonofilm-short subjects-his shorts played along with Hollywood silent features
    • tries to interest Hollywood majors in this system, sell to them, but no one really interested in taking the chance and making sound films
    • silent films doing great the way they were
    • several other optical sound on film that were pretty good
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54
Q

Sound systems: Vitaphone (Warner)

A
  • -Sam Warner brings in team of Western Electric technicians to help refurbish the radio station-hears about the synchronized sound system, sees demonstration-tells brothers to invest in it, they’re unsure, but Sam pushes it-about to hire thousands of musicians to play in all their new theaters, that’ll cost a lot-what if instead record music for films and play-Harry says okay, get approval-they enter into a joint exclusive agreement with Western Electric to bring synchronized sound film to the public
  • brought to NYC first-happy enough with the system that they decided to bring it to the public
  • called system Vitaphone
  • decide they’d Vitaphone their next big program for next season-which was fall
  • Fall 1926, they were gonna lead off with a John Barrymore film-Don Juan-they had an original musical score written, recorded-synchronized with picture-while they were doing this, Western Electric starting to wire theaters to use their system-had about 15 by the time Don Juan came out-but in most places was a silent film
  • realized as they were recording sound that they could also add sound effects, not just music-did this-Don Juan has several synchronized sound effects
  • made 8 synchronized shorts to accompany Don Juan
  • Don Juan-accepted, but not smash hit
  • WB encouraged to experiment with more Vitaphone films
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55
Q

Sound systems: Movietone (Fox)

A
  • -the 1 company that doesn’t go along with everyone else and use Vitaphone-wanted own sound patents
  • acquires optical sound systems from Germany, England, US (Theodore Case)
  • Fox Case optical sound on film by early 1927-pretty good-wants to roll it out to the public-gives it a new name-Movietone
  • wants something wholly original-WB didn’t have any sound newsreels-so Fox makes first sound newsreel-1927 April 30 Movietone News premieres
  • 1927 May 20-Lindbergh flight-the Fox Movietone cameramen hear that Lindbergh is going to attempt to fly solo to Europe-run out and record his takeoff-Lindbergh becomes hero of America, so this is a big deal for Fox
  • Fox made several more movietone shorts of Lindbergh, and several other celebrities and public features
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56
Q

Sound systems: Photophone (RKO)

A
  • -new vertically integrated major
  • RCA Photophone-very viable sound system-Optical sound on film-used in radio?-no one in Hollywood would buy so started own vertically integrated studio-soon became clear optical sound was better for movies-everyone, by 1930, converted over to optical sound system-easy to do because RKO? and AT&T? had sound patent cross-licensing system, so could share optical sound to competitors
  • FBO-Kennedy’s Film Booking Office
  • Pathe American
  • Keith-Albee-Orpheum Theaters
  • Radio Pictures
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57
Q

Big 5 Agreement

A
  • -1927 February
  • the 5 largest studios in Hollywood-MGM, Universal, First national-Paramount, and Producers Distributing Corporation-proceeded cautiously regarding the incorporation of sound systems
  • if studios acted individually, they might choose incompatible equipment
  • since each firm’s movie houses showed others’ films, lack of a common standard would hurt business
  • As a result, they singed the Big 5 Agreement-agreed to all adopt a sound on film system
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58
Q

David Sarnoff

A
  • 1929
  • RCA RKO NBC RCA-Victor-David Sarnoff
  • consolidate entertainment business in US into 3 combines running all the big radio, records, movie companies-didn’t completely work out
  • beginnings of conglomerates-companies merging
  • Paramount Vitaphone CBS-Adolph Zukor-consolidation through acquiring these
  • Loew’s Inc President Nicholas Schenck
  • Fox Loews MGM First National
  • Zukor backs off when warned he’ll get in trouble for monopolizing, decides not to take over WB, sells stocks in CBS
  • Fox must back off too
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59
Q

Impact of sound

A
  • -”quiet on the set”
  • had to rebuild their stages
  • sound-proof sound stages
  • motorize the cameras-noisier, had to lock up in sound proof booths-immobile
  • no more hand cranked films-all mechanic
  • convert the lights-arc lights in silent days, but they buzz-had to convert to incandescent lights
  • used microphones-hide on set-eventually developed boom microphone
  • mix sounds-sounds from multiple microphones onto a single sound track
  • theaters had to be wired for sound: 1926-1931
  • some stars don’t transition
  • broadway actors come in
  • dubbing-diff langs
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60
Q

Al Jolson

A

-Russian-born U.S. singer, songwriter and blackface comedian who performed in vaudeville and minstrel shows and starred in The Jazz Singer.

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61
Q

NIRA/NRA

A

-FDR-New Deal-passes lots of legislation-National Industrial Recovery Act was one of them-created National Recovery Administration-one of the biggest bureaucracies in the federal gov.-went to every industry sector in America and tried to save them-set up Boards of Fair Practices-when they reached the movie business, set up a Board of Fair Practices, Code of Fair Practices for them

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62
Q

Code of Fair Practices

A
  • created by NRA, for every industry, as part of new deal-but in film, immediately taken over by the Big 5-that declared their actions okay and got rid of things that didn’t like in Hollywood, deemed cutthroat competition-but couldn’t get rid of double bill
  • NRA declared unconstitutional and dismantled later but some of rules stuck around
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63
Q

“B” movies/Double Bill

A

–double feature-2 movies for for the price of 1-Hollywood didn’t like this-worried them-figured out way to finesse double bill-so couldn’t be 2 big budget Hollywood films-second film would be a B movie-big studios had a more difficult time making B movies because big overhead-studios w/o big stars that were already designed for cheaper films did better with B films

64
Q

Guilds

A
  • -Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences-had been created in 1927 as a kind of fraternal organization in Hollywood-elected to-designed to bring together all people of Hollywood-managers and owners, along with top creative people-in theory would all share this organization from wherever they came, form relationships-if there were disputes, they could be fixed within membership of academy-so people stunned by salary cuts when to the Academy-so the Academy set up committees to discuss things-but very quickly became obvious hat the Academy wouldn’t do anything for them, a creature of the Big 5 really, wouldn’t do stuff for creative people-threats to boycott Academy awards due to this
  • creative people realized if were gonna have leverage with studios, needed to unionize and collectively bargain with management
  • SAG
  • Director’s Guild
  • management almost immediately recognized and worked with these
  • Writers Guild-had a much more difficult road to recognition-also had some of the most radical demands-wanted creative control of films-wouldn’t be until 1940 that would finally recognize writers guild and change contracts
  • some of the bad feelings there would come back to haunt folks in the 40s and 50s with blacklisting
65
Q

Hollywood Scandals

A
  • -convinced everyone Hollywood was up to no good
    • William Desmond Taylor 1872-1922-director, murdered, never solved-3 suspects were 2 girlfriends and abandoned wife
    • Wallace Reid 1891-1923-All american boy goes to Hollywood, injured and given a lot of morphine to be able to keep shooting-became a morphine and heroin addict-went to a place to dry out and died there
    • Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle 1887-1933-in 1921 Arbuckle and some friends went to party in San Francisco-illegal alcohol-takes young actress into a room, she ends up dying of internal bleeding and injury-newspapers spread around that he had killed her-he was indicted for manslaughter, acquitted, but hated in Hollywood, lost contracts
66
Q

Central Casting

A
  • neutral centralized switchboard-to get a bit part or be an extra, can find specific jobs-stop sexual abuse within industry to get roles
  • created by Hays
67
Q

Legion of Decency

A
  • created as reaction to Mae West-boycott films
  • Catholic-worked with Hays to create code
  • in early 30s, Hollywood tried negotiating a little with the Legion-eventually gives in-came up with strategy for handling this-would formalize production code, give own office-The Production Code Administration (PCA)
68
Q

Mae West

A
  • -in 1932, Paramount, the biggest company in Hollywood and also facing the most profit drops and lawsuits-so brings in biggest sex star from stage-Mae West-She Done Him Wrong-first starring film-huge success-then I’m No Angel-also huge success-Mae West quickly becomes #1 female star in US
  • Mae West began in vaudeville-famous for a sexy shimmy dance she popularized-moved to Broadway stage-she wrote all of her own plays and starred in them-her plays all had a very frank presentation of human sexuality
  • 3 times Mae West was arrested on stage for obscenity-did some jail time
  • Early Censorship-some people don’t like all the sex and sinning in early Hollywood films-as Hollywood grows as a community, they also get their own reputation as a sin city-people get the idea that in Hollywood they’re into drugs and alcohol, divorce, all sorts of sin-gave Hollywood a bad reputation
  • biggest star before Hays code
69
Q

PCA

A

came up with strategy for handling this Legion and censorship–would formalize production code, give own office-The Production Code Administration (PCA)-would enforce it on every film, or the film would not be released-in July of 1934, production code crackdown
-scripts had to be greenlit before being made

70
Q

MPPDA

A

-master trade organization-Motion Picture Producers and Disturbers of America–Hollywood had a PR problem-wanted to get mass audience, so huge crisis of public confidence–went outside of Hollywood to find a trusted person-Postmaster general-Will Hays

71
Q

William Hays

A
  • super well connected politically-Washington insider-Midwest Protestant from Indiana-didn’t drink alcohol-he was perfect-told to clean up Hollywood and sell clean Hollywood back to American public-postmaster general
  • Hays sets up Central Casting
  • also set up his “don’t”s and “be careful”s-warnings to producers about what topics to avoid or be careful with to prevent boycotts
  • in 1930s, Will Hays took these “don’t”s and “be careful”s, got together with Catholic group -and made the Hays Production code, made more specific and extensive-no real enforcement provisions though-so most desperate low-earning studios ignored production codes-saw a lot of films in early 30s that tested and challenged the code
  • also created Central Casting
  • PR guy for hollywood-keeps Legion of Decency from boycotting
72
Q

Joseph Breen

A

-creates and runs PCA, becomes Hollywood’s head censor for the next few decades, until 1967 when modern rating system created

73
Q

nickelodeon era

A
  • begins with the Great Train Robbery-1903-until feature era a decade later
  • craze for 1 reel shorts
  • transformed film
  • movies could begin to stand alone as a form of entertainment-unlike the 1 min movies
  • we see the beginnings of the 1st generation of movie theaters-we call these nickelodeons (nickel-5 cents, odeon-small theaters)
74
Q

the impact of 1 reel edited films

A

-the cause the growth of theaters/nickelodeons and the creation of a whole new branch of the film business-distribution

75
Q

The Birth of a Nation

A

Feb 1915

  • made by Griffith-definitely an American filmmaker, wanted to make art but also money
  • first feature film to have a worldwide impact
  • 2.5 hours
  • needed subject matter that would be popular-chose the American civil war and its aftermath-at that point the biggest event in Am. history, since before WW1 and 2
  • it was the 50th anniversary of the Am. Civil War
  • but came from Confederate perspective because of his father-he picked as his source material the books by a guy named Reverent Thomas Dickson-The Clamsman-celebrations of Aryan supremacy
  • spent a lot of money shooting the film
  • the first half of the film is before and during the civil war, second half is after-Reconstruction-from the perspective of the south-the north=the villains
  • 2 families-1 in the north, 1 in the south-meet, romance-then war comes along, literally have to kill each other on the battlefield
  • worldwide sensation
  • charges $2 admission when it first comes out-establishes the top admission price for the silent film era
  • met with criticism by NAACP, north
  • the way controversy works is the more people argued about this film, the more everybody had to see it
  • independent production-so no record of how much money it made-but could be most successful film of all time-Griffith made a fortune off it
  • would play for many decades thereafter
  • now Griffith is world famous, has set an example
76
Q

Intolerance

A

1916

  • Griffith was a progressive for that era-had a lot of progressive views-pro women’s and prison and native american rights-felt bad when people called him a racist-his film glorified the KKK-lead black characters played by white people in blackface-Griffith is a realist in his cinematic style-and yet blackface is not at all realistic-he has a real racist blind spot here-claimed freedom of speech
  • Griffith had this challenge-what do you do for an encore?
  • also wanted to answer his critics, say not really a racist
  • takes his money from The Birth of a Nation, puts it into an even more elaborate film, called Intolerance-4 films-rolled together-4 simultaneous stories of prejudice throughout history and how bad it was-an answer to his critics-takes on prejudice and racism and shows how bad it is
  • chase and rescue climaxes in all these stories-Griffith is famous for these
  • it’s a flop-fails
  • Griffith loses all his money from A Birth of a Nation-never going to have that financial independence again
  • The Birth of a Nation was well timed-while Intolerance was a mistimed effort-America getting ready to get into WW1-the Pacifist message of Intolerance was the wrong message of that time
77
Q

Ben Hur case

A

copyright case 1907-11

- theatrical producers of play upset at this 10 min short version of the film-said owned theatrical rights
- movie creators said no such thing as movie rights, so can do whatever want
- in 1911, establish he copyright of movie stories-movies not mentioned in copyright because not invented yet, but clearly meant that anything based on a play or book, need to get the rights
78
Q

-Theda Bara

A
  • vamp
  • the anti Mary Pickford-reaction to Mary Pickford
    • dark haired seductress
    • marketed as dark, sexual
  • original ”screen vamp”-vampire meant a woman who seduces a man with her sexual energy and drains him of his life force
  • actress at Fox
  • her name is an anagram for Arab Death
  • she played all the great seductresses of history-like Cleopatra
  • she made 30-some movies in her teens and early 20s-we only have 2 or 3 of them today
  • her most famous role was in A Fool There Was-”Kiss me, my fool”-famous quote
79
Q

Production Code

A
  • general principles: films shouldn’t lower the moral standards of the audience; law shouldn’t be ridiculed ­
  • no sympathy for criminals; brutal crimes/alcoholism/methods of crime/smuggling/drug trafficking shouldn’t be depicted in detail; no adultery (low forms of sexual encounter); use of firearms should be restricted to essentials (machine guns); adultery should be portrayed negatively; restriction for length of kissing and scenes of passion; seduction/rape can never be used as topics for comedy (but also shouldn’t be depicted in detail); no white slavery/miscegenation/ sex hygiene/ venereal diseases/childbirth/ perversion; no toilet and bathroom humor; obscenity in word/gesture/song/suggestion and profanity are forbidden; nudity is not permitted, no un­dressing scenes, dances with suggestive movements are forbidden; religion shouldn’t be ridiculed; treatment of bedrooms should be treated with delicacy (separate beds); use of flags should be respectful (the same goes for nations and political leaders); brutality/police brutality/prostitution/surgical operations shouldn’t be shown ­
  • exceptions: “Damn” in Gone With the Wind → small room for negotiation ­
  • Code is imposed until 1966
80
Q

Radio’s Effect on Film

A
  • 1926: NPC radio network goes on the air
  • 1927: CBS radio on air
  • great growth in radio-spreading nationwide-turning into a moneymaking enterprise
  • radio is the opposite of movies in some ways-it’s all sound-radio comes right into your living room, free besides electric bill
  • Feb. 1927-Federal gov. passes its first modern law governing radio
  • radio is exploding in late 1926 and early 1927
  • Hollywood always the brand new wave of entertainment-now not anymore, it was the radio-took away some of their audience-so everyone in Hollywood is starting to get sound conscious-most obvious way to catch up to radio
  • in 1927, a bunch of studios get together to discuss sound-form some committees for a year-don’t want to get into patent wars-all use same resources so all movie theaters can have same system
  • this is what AT&T and Western Electric was waiting for-couldn’t wait to get rid of WB-wouldn’t deal with them exclusively or on a special basis-set up a separate company, ERPI, to sell to all studios, including WB
  • WB furious-invested so much money, took all these chances-and now that it’s becoming popular, just getting tossed away? sued and won, but didn’t make much difference
  • WB realized pressure on-pretty soon everyone will have a Don Juan-we need to stay a step ahead of the rest of Hollywood-needed more than music and effects
  • synchronized singing sequences would be put into next film-thought the broadway play The Jazz Singer would work-adapted that-built sound stages
  • 1 scene with talking but the rest of the talking had title cards
  • singing scenes had synchronized sound
  • premiered in 1927
  • by this time, more theaters wired to play synchronized sound-a lot more people had access to this film that with Don Juan
  • it was a sensation-everyone came out of the theatre talking about it, how it had talking-that was their favorite part, not even music or effects
  • everyone caught on-immediately WB put into production a 10 min talking film with just dialogue, available by November-then did a 20 min one available by December, a 30 min one in January-wanted to get sound film out there
  • 1928-The Lights of New York-the first truly full length talking film
  • 1928-The Singing Fool-charged $3 first run-becomes the biggest hit yet
  • 1928-220 Silent, 74 Sound
  • 1929-38 Silent, 252 Sound
  • by 1929, pretty much all studios only putting out sound films-quick transition, only really took a year
  • synchronized sound starts to spread around the world
81
Q

Diagesis

A

everything that happens in the world of film

82
Q

Diegetic

A

sound that’s in the world of film that can be heard by the characters-dialogue, some music (does it have an echo? are characters dancing/responding to it?), some sound effects
-onscreen vs. offscreen

83
Q

Non-diegetic

A

-stuff that the audience hears that the characters don’t-the score, narration, in cartoons when a character gets an idea-ding! (for sound effects-not many)

84
Q

internal diagetic

A

-internal monologue, fantasy/daydream with sound, diagetic to character but not others

85
Q

narrative cuing

A

-sound does this-tells you what to feel in that moment while watching

86
Q

3 main categories of sound

A
  • human voice
  • music
  • sound effects
87
Q

180 degree rule

A

line called axis of action, can’t cross axis from first shot-will confuse left and right-one of the easiest ways to switch to other side is show camera move to other side-now some films break it slightly (there’s always a reason-to cause discomfort-The Shining twist) but classic Hollywood won’t

88
Q

shot/reverse shot

A

usually when you have dialogue-editing together shots as characters talk back and forth-over 1 shoulder-why is this so effective? makes you a spectator-a way for you to be in the film without being a character-being a voyeur-suturing-you’re in the film as a voyeur-engrosses you more in story, makes you sympathetic to character

89
Q

Keaton vs. Chaplin

A
  • Chaplin-very poor-so a lot of his humor is based on this character, The Tramp, who is poor but gets by on his street smarts-he has a sentimentality to his films, but also really funny-absurd
  • Keaton is very diff-much more on middle class problems like courtship-also more physical
90
Q

editing

A

the physical joining together of shots-also relates to how film is put together, rules that govern how the shots interrelate to each other in the finished product

91
Q

parallel editing

A

-we instinctually know it’s simultaneous-so films can trick you and reveal it’s not-effective because builds suspense-the storylines will converge at some point to make story linear-used a lot in films today

92
Q

Etienne Jules Marey

A
  • interested in same topic as Muybridge, locomotion of animals-specifically flight of birds-corresponded with Muybridge, but birds not like horses, couldn’t use trip wire/control birds-came up with a camera gun-photographic camera- in 1882-took it already existed for eclipses, but modified it-he would also often print his photos on 1 sheet of photographic paper-also mosaic camera
  • camera gun much more mobile, could do by hand
93
Q

Genre

A
  • various types of films that audiences and filmmakers recognize by their familiar narrative conventions and thematic concerns
  • a kind of contract between film creators and audience-expectation audience has for film
  • we have actors, settings, etc. we associate with genres, affects what we expect
  • genres allow filmmakers to be original and repetitive at the same time-can follow a template, but change around some things
  • every genre goes through a life cycle
94
Q

genre life cycle

A
  1. experimental stage
  2. classic stage
  3. refinement stage
  4. Baroque Stage
    (some argue) 5. Genre Crossing
95
Q

genre life cycle-1. experimental stage

A

elements of another genre-but not quite, has certain unique characteristics hat audiences start to recognize
-for horror, Frankenstein-not advertised as horror

96
Q

genre life cycle-2. classic stage

A
  • elements of genre become concrete
  • for horror, universal heads this in 30s with monster films, advertised as horror, recognized as genre
  • conventions set up-semantic (props, characters, settinG) and syntactic elements (deeper meaning of the semantic things)
  • repressed desire (monster) vs. fighting oppressor (hero)
97
Q

genre life cycle-3. Refinement Stage

A
  • conventions well worn, so can lay with them and make them more fluid-and can become culturally specific
  • horror-slasher films-protagonist shifts to virginal smart young girl who outwits killer-relates to 2nd wave feminism, sexual revolution
  • very bloody, production code has ended, and seeing bloody footage on TV from Vietnam
  • body horror in 80s when AIDS epidemic going on
98
Q

genre life cycle-4. Baroque Stage

A

-it becomes self-conscious-point out know the rules, either gonna break them or follow them-but not parody because still following them, still scary for horror film-not making fun

99
Q

genre life cycle-(some argue) 5. Genre Crossing

A
  • genre mixes with another very diff one

- ex: horror musical

100
Q

Romantic Comedy

A
  • slapstick in silent fils-romance is only there as an element to get to the joke
  • then sound transition-pre-code
  • conventions being set up here-like the meet-cute: when the 2 characters meet up in a cute way
  • romcom hits its classic stage post code-1 man, 1 woman, battle of the sexes-class issues (because of the Depression)-relationship of couple is source of dynamic
  • after code-refinement-all remakes of old romcoms, set in modern day
  • we’re now in baroque stage-ex: Friends with Benefits
  • has gone into genre crossing-ex: Warm Bodies
101
Q

Transition to Sound

A
  • folklore that voices were wrong-also other factors-training, time to transition, accent, acting style, type of roles
  • when we transition to film, film instnatly becomes more specific-regional-so performances also must be that specific
  • do silent film acting while speaking-say something disconnected from emotion
  • John Gilbert-masculine character w/ high pitched voice-played Romeo-not usual type of role-disconnect
102
Q

Mise-en-scene

A
  • literally means “to put upon the stage”, it is all of the elements placed in front of the camera to be photographed
  • analyzing a film scene like a painting
  • look at what tell you-setting, time period-give context clues-cars, pictures, fashion
103
Q

aspect ratio

A

the relationship of the frame’s width to its height-the current standard Academy ratio is 1.85: 1

104
Q

auteur

A

the “author” of the film; directors known for their particular styles are often referred to as “auteurs” (ex: Hitchcock)

105
Q

establishing shot

A

-a shot that shows the spatial relations among the important figures, objects, and setting in a scene (frequently the first shot in a series comprising a scene)

106
Q

ellipsis

A

the shortening of plot duration achieved by omitting some story duration

107
Q

dolly

A

a camera support with wheels, used to maek tracking shots

108
Q

dissolve

A

-a transition between two shots during which the first image gradually disappears while the second image gradually appears-usually for flashbacks, to show scene, or to show passage of time

109
Q

depth of field

A

-area onscreen that appears in focus to the viewer. A depth of field from 5 to 16 feet, for example, would mean everything closer than 5 feet and farther than 16 feet would be out of focus.

110
Q

deep focus

A

-a use of the camera lens and lighting that keeps objects in both close and distant planes in sharp focus

111
Q

cut-in

A

a shift from a distant framing to a closer view of some portion of the same space

112
Q

cut

A

an instantaneous change from one framing to another-used the most in modern film

113
Q

cross-cutting

A

editing that alternates shots of two or more lines of action occurring in diff places, usually simultaneously

114
Q

crane shot

A

-a shot with a change in framing accomplished by the placing of the camera above the subject and moving through the air in any direction

115
Q

cinematography

A

the art and craft of photographing moving objects on continuous film

116
Q

canted angle

A

a view in which the frame is not level, causing the objects in the scene to appear slanted

117
Q

camera angle

A

-also called the angle of framing; the position of frame in relation to the subject if it shows

118
Q

high angle

A

above the subject, looking down

119
Q

straight-on angle

A

horizontal, on the same level

120
Q

low angle

A

below the subject, looking up

121
Q

backlighting

A

-illumination cast onto the figures in the scene from the side opposite the camera (i.e. from behind the characters) creating a thin outline of highlighting on those figures

122
Q

eyeline match

A

-a cut obeying the axis of action principle in which the first shot shows a person looking of in 1 direction and the second shows a nearby space containing what he or she sees (if the person looks left, the following shot should imply that the looker is off-screen right)

123
Q

fade

A
  • a transitional device in which an image slowly darkens to black (fade-out) or slowly brightens as the shot appears (fade-in)
  • usually to start/end film
124
Q

focal length

A

-the distance fro the center of the lens to the point at which the lights rays meet in sharp focus, usually measured in millimeters

125
Q

focus

A

the sharpness or degree of resolution of an image-this may range from blurring (soft focus) to extreme sharpness (sharp focus)

126
Q

following shot

A

-a shot with framing that shifts to keep a moving figure onscreen

127
Q

frame

A

a single image on the strip of film

128
Q

framing

A

the use of the edges of the film frame to select and to compose what will be visible onscreen

129
Q

handheld camera

A

the technique in which a camera is actually held by the operator during a take

130
Q

jump cut

A

elliptical cut that appears to be an interruption of a single shot

131
Q

montage

A

1) a synonym for editing
2) an approach to editing developed by Soviet filmmakers of the 1920s; it emphasizes dynamic, often discontinuous, relationships between shots

132
Q

narrative

A

the structured series of events, linked by cause and effect, that provides the film’s plot

133
Q

normal lens

A

-a lens that shows objects without severely exaggerating or reducing the depth of the scene’s planes

134
Q

pan

A

a camera movement in which the camera is turned to the left or right, scanning the space horizontally

135
Q

plot

A

in narrative film, all the events tat are directly presented to us, including their causal relations, chronological order, duration, frequency, and spatial locations

136
Q

POV shot

A

-a shot taking with the camera placed approximately where the character’s eyes would be, showing what the character would see

137
Q

production

A

-the process of creating a film

138
Q

racking focus

A

-the method of shifting focus during a single shot; moving the viewer’s attention from 1 part of the screen to another

139
Q

reaction shot

A

-a shot of a character’s reaction to something that is happening offscreen

140
Q

scene

A

a segment in a narrative film that takes place in one time and space (also referred to as a sequence)

141
Q

shot

A

1) in shooting, 1 uninterrupted run of the camera to expose a series of frames
2) in the finished film, 1 uninterrupted image

142
Q

shot distance

A

the distance at which an object or person is located on screen

143
Q

extreme close-up

A

-the scale of the object shown is very large-most commonly a part of the body

144
Q

close-up

A

-the scale of the object shown is relatively large; most commonly a person’s head from the neck up

145
Q

medium close-up

A

the scale of the object shown is fairly large; most commonly a person from the chest up

146
Q

medium shot

A

the scale of the object shown is of moderate size; most commonly a person from the waist up

147
Q

medium long shot

A

-between a medium shot and a long shot; an object of 4 or 5 feet would fill the screen

148
Q

long shot

A

the scale of the object shown is relatively small; a standing human figure would be the height of the screen

149
Q

story

A

all the events that we see and hear plus all those that we infer or assume to have occurred

150
Q

tilt

A

a camera movement with the camera body swiveling upward or downward on a stationary support

151
Q

tracking shot

A

-a mobile framing that travels through space forward, backward, or laterally

152
Q

wide-angle lens

A

a lens that affects a scene’s perspective by distorting straight lines near the edges of the frame and by exaggeration the distance between foreground and background planes

153
Q

Lloyd

A
  • comedy star
  • college nerd
  • disabled-lost part of hand cuz of grenade
154
Q

sound film

A
  • biggest problems: amplification and synchronization
  • tried before-Edison-didn’t work well-no need cuz silent film doing well
  • WB takes on sound with AT&T and western electric-exclusive contract with WB-Vitaphone shorts-Don Juan (synchronized sound effects)-Will Hays sound intro to films-The Jazz Singer (first synchronized sound talking scenes)
  • eventually other companies follow-Fox with movietone-sound newsreels
  • Western Electric wants to make more money and fill demand in market-so to get around exclusive contract creates ERPI to get around WB and sell sound to other studios-later all studios agree to use ERPI
155
Q

what had to exist before film?

A
  • idea behind film-that a series of still pictures presented to the eye one after another creates illusion of movement-existed in early 19th century
  • by mid 19th century, had the Zoetrope-by 1968, had the flipbook-commonly known by late 19th century
  • photography: 19th century chemist created
  • 1826: Niepce’s Photograph
  • 1839-Daguerreotype-could only have 1 pic, no copes-higher res
  • 1840-Talbot’s Negatives-could make many positives/copies using the negative
  • 1871-Dry Plate Photography-prior to this photography was messy, toxic, wet chemicals-now could dry first-more widespread, cheaper
  • 1888-Plastic Roll Film-Eastman Kodak-first selling to photographers, then worked on amateur photography to make more money-came up with idea of roll film, so masses could take pics
  • by late 1880s, have all tools to come up with film

American Film History (2 decks)

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