1. Why did film makers and producers move to Hollywood?

Typically film makers, producers and people interested in the business moved to Hollywood as it presented the most opportunities, and it also became known as the “capital of the film industry”. This city was chosen specifically for its consistent climate which allowed for more lenient filming and to avoid the costs of Edison’s patents.

2. Name some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the Silent Era of Hollywood? (at least TWO of each)

Firstly, the most famous and iconic star of this era was Charlie Chaplin, an English actor and director most known for his character of The Tramp. Another famous actress was Clara Bow who rose to fame in the 1920s and was known as the “It Girl”. For directors, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau and David Wark Griffith were highly regarded and known.

3.In what ways were the early Hollywood studio system like a factory or production line or even the Premier League (football)?

This is because they worked in similar ways: the studio system operated like a factory with stars, directors, writers, and crew all working under long-term contracts.

4.When and what was the first “talking picture”?

The first ever “talking picture” or “talkie” was The Jazz Singer which premiered on the 6th of October 1927. It was made with the Vitaphone which was at the time the leading brand of sound-on-disc technology.

5.Why did the end of the silent era cause problems for some performers working in the film industry?

The end of the silent era was catastrophic for many performers in the film industry at the time because when “talkies” began becoming popular many actors and actresses either didn’t understand the technology involved to productively work or directors/producers thought their voice didn’t fit the film.

6.What was happening in America(and around the world) at this time?

The first World War and the Wallstreet Crash, which was an economic disaster for Americans in the 1920’s and eventually also led to the Great Depression.

The Hollywood Studio System

Classical Hollywood Style

The invisible style of storytelling refers to the classical Hollywood filmmaking technique that aims to conceal artistic choices and present a natural story to the audience.

The birth of Hollywood 1900-1930

1. Why did film makers and producers move to Hollywood?

A lot of film makers moved to Hollywood as there was a lot of real estate being sold, perfect for movie sets and studios to be built.

2. Name some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the ‘Silent Era’.

directors: Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980), Michael Curtiz (1886-1962)

stars: Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) John Wayne (1907-1979)

pictures: City Lights (1931), Battleship Potekim (1925)

3. In what ways were the early Hollywood studio system like a factory or production line or even the ‘Premier League’?

In the early 1900s, actors and actresses did not have much liberty at all. This meant that if they got into any trouble or public drama, directors and film producers would often fire them but also make sure that they will not be working in the film industry again meaning that their career was ruined. Actors would often also be sold and signed with different producers all the time depending on what genre and type of films were being created at the time.

4. When was the first “talking picture”?

The first “talking picture” (film where an actor/actress spoke audibly for the audience to hear) was ‘The Jazz Singer’. This film was originally presented as a “talkie” (although it only had limited sound sequences) and it premiered on October 6th 1927.

5. Why did the end of the Silent Era cause problems for some producers working in the film industry?

Some actors or actresses were just not good enough for the job anymore. For example, their voice would not sound good as it would be too high or even too low therefore not matching their face and their acting. In some cases, the actors would not understand the new technology evolving around them such as different cameras or microphones, further causing problems during filming.

6. What was happening in America (and around the world) as this time?

The film movements of ‘Classical Hollywood’ as well as French impressionism, German expressionism as well as the German montage began during this period. America then came to its economic demise as ‘The Great Depression’ hit, leading millions of people to lose their jobs and livelihoods, ultimately leading to them also losing their money due to the economic ‘Wall Street Crash’. This was a major stock market crash in the United States which began in 1929 with a sharp decline in prices on the ‘New York Stock Exchange’.

Censorship

The Hays code is a set of rules and guidelines self-imposed by Hollywood studios. These guidelines regulate the moral content of films produced and filmed from 1934 and 1968. The Hayes code prohibited obscenity, profanity and racial slurs from making any appearances in films. This included strict instructions outlining how certain topics should be shown on screen. This code also restricted homosexuality, criminality, miscegenation and even substance use.

The Hollywood Studio System

1. What were the big 5 studios and what kind of movies are they each known for?

MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) – this studio was founded in 1924 and it was popular for its over the top musicals with big budgets such as ‘Wizard of Oz’ (1939)

Warner Bros. – this studio got famous in the 1930s due to their films being some of the first ones with synchronised sound, they produced low budget mellow-dramas and they also branded themselves as “the studio of the working class”

Paramount – Paramount Pictures is the last major film studio to still be situated in Hollywood and it was well known for producing mostly European movies such as ‘Morocco’

20th Century Fox – this studio was founded in 1915 and it became famous because of John Ford who was a very well known and loved director for creating dramas such as ‘How green was my valley’

RKO – this studio was home to the very popular Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals, they also produced what is known as “one of the most influential films”, ‘Citizen Kane’

2. Explain what virtual integration and block-booking was.

Virtual integration and block-booking were two strategies used by major film studios to maintain the film industry. Virtual integration refers to how studios would produce, distribute and exhibit films through a combination of ownership and control. This allowed studios to control the production process and have complete creative freedom without needing to rely on external suppliers. Block-booking was a practice where theatres were forced to buy a bundle or a “block” of films from one specific studio instead of being able to select films from different studios. This left theatres with little to no choice as this way, the theatres would also display the films which were less popular or with a smaller budget.

3. Why and when did the original studio system collapse?

The biggest turn of events in the studio system history was when the US government’s Supreme Court ruled in the ‘Paramount Decision’ which forced film studios which also owned theatres to sell them to individually owned theatres and this violated the ‘anti-trust’ laws as they owned and profited from a lot of revenue, denying other people’s success. This court rule weakened studios’ distribution and exhibition control, therefore taking away some of the studio’s power.

4. What was happening in America and around the world at this time?

The ‘Wall Street Crash’ caused what we now know as the ‘Great Depression’ during this time as many lost their jobs and money and savings worth a lifetime.

5. What genres were popular and why did people go to cinemas in this period?

Film genres such as Musicals, Gangster films, Westerns and Romantic comedies were thriving. It was way cheaper and more accessible to go to the cinema during this time compared to going to the theatres for example. Therefore, many wanted to forget about everything going on in their lives and they would go to cinemas as a distraction. The film industry was doing better during this time than any other, producing around 800 films per year compared to today’s rate of 500.

Classical Hollywood style

In Casablanca, it was curtail that editing was seamless as it gave a sense of continuity by having no sharp or noticeable cuts. This was achieved by having the shots arranged in a certain way in order to make the storyline develop for the entertainment of the spectators. Films usually followed the ‘beginning, middle and end’ structure in order to create a strong and interesting narrative. Film makers had the task of creating the entire world of the film, often building sets instead of filming on location however this still gave the illusion that what was happening on screen was actually also happening in real life.

1.Why did film makers and producers move to Hollywood?

The mountains and low land prices made Hollywood a good place to establish film studios.

2.Name some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the Silent Era of Hollywood? (at least TWO of each)

Big Stars-

Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford.

Directors-

D. W. Griffith and Charlie Chaplin.

Pictures-

The Kid and The Gold Rush (Both by Chaplin)

3.In what ways were the early Hollywood studio system like a factory or production line or even the Premier League (football)?

The reason for this was because if they do something wrong or the directors (of both football and actors) don’t like the actors or footballers they can be kicked out and they’re reputation would be ruined.

4.When and what was the first “talking picture”?

The first “talking picture” was The Jazz Singer, which premiered on October 6th, 1927.

5.Why did the end of the silent era cause problems for some performers working in the film industry?

The film movements of Classical Hollywood as well as French Impressionism, German Expressionism, and Soviet Montage began in this period. Silent filmmakers pioneered the art form to the extent that virtually every style and genre of film-making of the 20th and 21st centuries has its artistic roots in the silent era. The silent film actors also had a problem with the sound barrier and the dangerous stunts.

6.What was happening in America(and around the world) at this time?

The film movements of Classical Hollywood as well as French Impressionism, German Expressionism, and Soviet Montage began in this period. The Great Depression was an economic fall in America where many would lose money and their livelihood and the Wall Street Crash was a major stock market crash in the United States which began in late October 1929 with a sharp decline in prices on the New York Stock Exchange.

Classical Hollywood Style

What is meant by the invisible style of story telling?

The invisible style is when there is a smooth transition from scene to scene that the audience doesn’t see it. It is illusionistic as they don’t want the audience to know that it was taken in a backlot they want to think like with Casablanca they want to think it was film in Morocco

What is continuity?

Continuity is the notion that a sequence of shots all need to feel as unified and fluid as if they were a single shot. If a director chooses to cut from one shot to another, audiences should feel like nothing has changed in terms of time and space.

The Hays Code

The MPPDA had set up its rules of “Don’ts” and “Be Careful’s” in 1927, a set of guidelines that, among other things, said movies could not include “Pointed profanity,” “Miscegenation” (that’s relations between races), “Ridicule of the clergy,” and “Wilful offense to any nation, race or creed.”

1900-1930

1. Why did film makers and producers move to Hollywood?​
2. Name some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the Silent Era of Hollywood? (at least TWO of each)​ FIND PICTURES AND FILM EXAMPLES.
3. In what ways were the early Hollywood studio system like a factory or production line or even the Premier League (football)?​
4. When and what was the first “talking picture”?​
5. Why did the end of the silent era cause problems for some performers working in the film industry?​
6. What was happening in America (and around the world) at this time?
7. What was the Hays Code and why did it effect film production?