According to Cousins, why did the hub of film production in the USA move from the East Coast of America to Hollywood? – Thomas Edison had placed patents for several aspects of filmmaking, so production moved to Hollywood to avoid having to pay him royalties.

Which nation’s film industry does Cousins describe as “the best in the world” in the 1910s and why? – Scandinavia, specifically Denmark. Natural lighting there gave films specific innovative looks that could not be given elsewhere. Lack of censorship there gave European filmmakers the ability to have creative freedom.

Give an example of two films and two directors from this place and time cited by Cousins as remarkable. – Benjamin Christensen, director of Häxan, and Victor Sjöströ, director of The Phantom Carriage.

Who directed Birth of a Nation (1915) and why did the film continue to divide opinions among film critics, practitioners and theorists? – D.W Griffith, the film is controversial due to it’s racist depictions and portrayals of African Americans, and portraying the Ku Klux Klan as a heroic force.

1. Originally, the movie industry was driven to the West Coast by the strict limitations placed on filmmakers by Thomas Edison’s monopoly known as “the Trust.” The physical distance between California and the East Coast-based Trust allowed filmmakers freedom they wouldn’t have had otherwise.

2. Denmark’s film industry in 1910 was considered one of the best, most innovative in their definition of the art of light. In Scandinavia there is an abundance of literature and creativity, meanings films were full of new technique and idea. The lack of censorship meant the film makers had the freedom to take more risks in their films.

3. Benjamin Christensen directed films that reinvented the idea of film as society knew it at the time, some of his films include:

• The Mysterious X (1914)
• Blind Justice (1916)
• Häxan (1922) aka Witchcraft Through the Ages

4. D.W.Griffith’s controversial epic 1915 film about the Civil War and Reconstruction depicted the Ku Klux Klan as valiant saviors of a post-war South ravaged by Northern carpetbaggers and freed Black people. History is usually written by the winners. This film portrayed African Americans as menacing and cruel, while it depicted KKK members as honorable, heroic figures. 

By 1915, many major motion-picture companies had relocated to Hollywood from the East Coast. Hollywood was an ideal place to produce movies since filmmakers couldn’t be sued there for infringing on motion picture film patents held by Thomas Edison and his Motion Picture Patents Company.

which nations film industry does cousins describe as ‘the best in the world’ and why? Scandinavia, specifically Sweden and Denmark, because they used unique lighting giving the films a certain look you couldn’t get anywhere else and it was very intellectually driven and themes and ideas where innovative. the lack of censorship meant they had more creative risks and explore more topics than America.

Benjamin Christensen – Haxan (1922), Sealed orders (1912)

D.W. Griffith – birth of a nation (1915), Intolerance (1916)

birth of a nation was directed by- D.W Griffith. The Birth of a Nation, originally called The Clansman, is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.’s 1905 novel and play The Clansman.

Comedian, actor, producer, writer, and director Charlie Chaplin is widely regarded as the greatest comic artist of the screen and one of the most important figures in motion-picture history

One of Keaton’s strengths was his sense of character development. He didn’t need a laugh in every scene. He wanted the audience to believe in his characters, which only made the comedy that much more impactful. Keaton’s deadpan expression, underreacting to incredible gags and stunts, sold every scene.

In 1928, Variety proclaimed him the highest paid film star. Harold was an innovator in the movie business. He pioneered new camera techniques and was one of the first filmmaker to preview his comedies to a test audience, and then re-shoot, re-cut and preview them again.

Originally, the movie industry was driven to the West Coast by the strict limitations placed on filmmakers by Thomas Edison’s monopoly known as “the Trust.” The physical distance between California and the East Coast-based Trust allowed filmmakers freedom they wouldn’t have had otherwise. The East Coast became suffocating for non-Edison-affiliated film makers. Every turn they made in the industry was met with a lawsuit, stifling creativity and stalling innovation. The environment that Edison concocted led to independent film makers wanting to get far away from him and his monopoly.

Denmark was the best in the industry at the time, so was Sweden. they used a lot of modern type films, and the natural light that they used that was unique. they used a lot of sexual nature that was not really allowed to be used at the time, but they used it anyway and they blew up really fast as a controversial film industry.

the birth of a nation was directed by Griffiths.

bound in morocco was directed by Allan Dwan.

as it is in life was directed by Griffith as well.

according to cousins, the hub of film production in the USA moved from the east coast to Hollywood as it was harder for patents to be enforced, provided better weather conditions, and made it easier to film.

cousin describes Denmarks film industry as the best in the 1910’s this was because of the natural lights that could not be achieved anywhere else, this was also due to the intellectually driven writing of the films, and a lack of censorship in Scandinavia compared to the USA meaning film makers could take risks, explore topics and be more free in general

two directors from this time are Benjamin Christensen, who directed Haxan, a second director is victor sjostrom, who directed the phantom carriage.

film production switched location to Hollywood due to Edison claiming the rights to the film making process meaning a payment was needed in order to use it. Therefore to avoid payment they moved far west into Hollywood to avoid legal trouble. Furthermore Hollywood had consistent weather and natural lighting with was perfect for filmmaking.

Cousins described the Danish film industry as one of the best in the world for its unique lighting, more intellectual stories and more relaxed laws on censorship allowing for more creative freedom unlike the US which was more restrictive on what and wasn’t allowed to be shown in film.

some directors for there include Benjamin Christiansen who created Haxan witch craft through the ages and and Victor Sjostrom who created the phantom carriage.

The film The birth of the nation was directed by D.W Griffith and was one the first full feature film created. However this film has had some controversy due to racist themes in the film with the KKK presented as heroes showing black people as untidy with anti social behaviour promoting the hatred and fear of black people at this time as they started gaining their own rights and starting businesses.

What was the name of the first film made by the Lumiere Brothers and when was this?

La Sortie des ouvriers de l’usine Lumière (1895; “Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory”)

What was the ‘Phantom Ride’?

The ‘Phantom Ride was an early genre of film popular in Britain and the US at the end of the 19th century. The films simply show the progress of a vehicle moving forwards, usually shot by strapping a cameraman to the front.

What was ground-breaking about the silent films ‘The Sick Kitten’ and ‘Life of an American Fireman’?

The Sick Kitten (1903) directed by George Albert Smith, showed the innovation to use a close up. ‘Life of an American Fireman’ (1903) directed by Edwin S. Porter and George S. Fleming, created the idea of continuity editing, getting the audience to follow the story without needing to repeat the action twice.

What was the name of the first ‘film star’ in Hollywood?

Florence Lawrence, a Canadian-American actress who began her career in the silent film era and was known for her beauty and charm, is considered by many to be the first movie star in Hollywood. She appeared in over 270 movies over the course of her career.

1895-1918 –

What was the name of the first film made by the Lumiere Brothers and when was this?

“Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory” – March 1895.

What is the “Phantom ride?”

Being the first example of the technique, a tracking shot, Cameramen achieved this by strapping themselves and their cameras to the buffer of the train, creating a phantom like shot of a floating camera. This is how it therefore got the name “Phantom ride”.

What was ground-breaking about the silent films “The Sick Kitten” and “life of an American fireman”?

“The Sick Kitten”, directed by George Albert Smith, was the first film to ever include the technique of a close-up shot, this was done to capture the kitten having its medicine. Usually in prior films, shots were wide to capture the entire environment of the shot.

“Life of an American fireman” directed by Edwin S. Porter, was significant as it was the first use of continuity editing. This is seen where an exterior shot of the street with the fireman cuts to an exterior shot of the house on fire and the victims of it.

What was the name of the first “Film Star” in Hollywood?

Florence Lawrence. Being the first actor to be named publicly, she gained a recognisable appearance on screen.

1. Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory, Dir. Lumiere Brothers. 1895

2. A Phantom ride is when a camera is places on the front of a moving vehicle, e.g train, to mimic its path and travel. ‘Phantom ride’ gets the name from it looking like a ghost floating above the train tracks.

3. The film ‘The sick kitten’ Dir George Albert Smith 1901, was ground breaking as it utilises close ups in a way that was never seen before. Redefining close ups as a way for audience to get a better or more dramatic understanding of what’s happening.

The film ‘Life of an American Fireman’ Dir.  Edwin S. Porter, George S. Fleming 1903, was also considered inventive as it used cuts to show what happens next.

.4. The first movie star in Hollywood was Florence Lawrence, she was the first film player whose name was used to promote her films