Kinetograph
early film camera developed by william dickson in the 1890s.
Kinetoscope
early film projection in which viewers looked through a hole and saw images moving on a tiny plate.
Cinematograph
combined camera, film developer and projection system. Developed by louis lumiere and auguste lumiere in france.
Vitascope
large screen movie projection system by thomas edison which enabled filmstrips of longer lengths to be projected without interruption.
Which two countries were at the forefront of developing film technology?
United states and france
What are nickelodeons? Why were they easy to set up?
Nickelodeon’s makeshift theatres in the 1900 in front of a store.
who formed the Motion Pictures Patent Company?
Thomas edison
How did the Hollywood Film Industry emerge in 1912?
Independent producers resisted motion pictures patent company anti-competitive practices and moved to cali to set up the film industry.
Why was Southern California suitable for the film industry?
Cheaper labor, geographical diversity for outdoor shoots, and mild climate year round.
Studio System
5 powerful movie studios control the film industry, turning it into an oligarchy.
How did the Big 5 studios become powerful?
Vertical integration
Why are the 1920s to 1940s referred to as the “Golden Age of Hollywood”?
Moviegoing culture became entwined with daily life.
What is meant by the star system? Why was it considered exploitative?
exploiting actors through exclusive contracts, limited their opportunities.
What is block booking? What was its consequence?
pressure to theater operators to agree to rent B movies in order to get A movies. Outlawed for limiting competition.
Consequences: Theatre owners couldn’t be independent or display non studio movies.
What are first-run theaters? What was its purpose?
premiered films for the first time. Generated 85% of the movies revenue.
What are movie palaces? What was the cultural consequence of movie palaces?
elegant single screen movie theatres that were “ high culture”
Consequences: excluded low culture media
What was the outcome of the “Paramount decision” of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948?
ended the vertical integration of the big 5, forcing them to give up their theatres.
What factors led to the end of the studio system era of Hollywood? (Paramount decision, Post-World War II economoy, Competition from TV)
- Paramount decision
- Post wwii- less disposable income
- Competition from televison
How did Hollywood change in the post-studio system era?
- Studios shifted from production to distribution
- Directors became the chief person in charge
- Rise of global cinema gave competition to Hollywood films
- Documentary and indies offered alternatives to Hollywood-style
Which countries offered alternatives to Hollywood-style movies?
Europe, australia, india, china, japan, korea, canada
What is cinema verite?
Documentary style filmmaking capturing reality on camera.
What are indies?
Made by independent film houses tackling unconventional narratives and screened at film festivals.
