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49 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Thomas Ince
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-The founder of Inceville who also oversaw all aspects of production for Inceville films.
-He also implemented the assembly line model for production |
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Inceville
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-The film industry's first mega-production studio.
-Located in California where the weather is sunny and warm year round and there is also geographical diversity. |
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Adolf Zukor
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-Formed Famous Players in Famous Plays
-Eventually merged with Jesse Lasky to form Famous Players Lasky |
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Famous Players in Famous Plays
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-Was at first a distribution company
-Later began producing films in 1913 -Became Famous Players Lasky after the Jesse Lasky/Paramount merger -Now known as Paramount and was the first national distributor |
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What are the three classes of film? Describe each.
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1. A Films: art reflected stage plays
2. B Films: more cinematic, shifts in visual language, do not rely heavily on art 3. C Films: Low budget films for the working class...humorous...for the "simple minded" |
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Which of the three film classes was the most profitable?
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B Films
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First National
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distribtion company formed in 1916 by 26 exhibitors who controlled 600 screens.
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Why did First National form?
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Because Famous Players Lasky was dominating the film industry by block booking and hogging all of the big stars.
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Who did First National sign to distribute deals?
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Chailie Chaplin and Mary Pickford
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William Fox
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-Formed Fox Films Corporation in 1915
-Built his own theatre chains. -He was at the forefront of movie picture palace transition |
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Carl Laemmle
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-Formed Universal Pictures in 1915
-Opened Universal City -Emphasized on production over exhibition -Had financial difficulties |
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Warner Bros.
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-Formed by four brother...Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack.
-They opened nickleodeons in 1903 in Pittsburg. -Entered production in 1914 -Moved to Hollywood in 1918 -Bought out First National in 1926 -Known for making inexpensive films |
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Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM)
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-Marcus Loew bought Metro Pictures and Goldwyn Pictures and formed MGM in 1917
-Most powerful exhibit since the Trust days -Largest studio during the studio era |
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United Artists
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-Formed by Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and D.W. Griffith
-Was a distributor-only company |
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Le De Forest
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Inventor of phonofilm
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Western Electric
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-Created the sound on disk system in 1925
-Approached Hollywood through electronic research products (ERPI) |
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Who was the only studio interested in Western Electric and why?
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Warner Bros. because they were looking to expand their exhibition network.
-They borrowed heavily from wall street |
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Describe the first vitascope film.
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-It was called "Don Juan"
-Had no synchronized dialogue -preceded by vitascope shorts with synchronized voice |
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By early 1930 _______________ system was adopted.
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Western Electric
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Western Electric developed the _______________ system in 1930.
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Sound-on-Film
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What were some problems with the conversion to sound?
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-legal issues...rights to TriErgon patent unclear
-Big 5 agreement -More than sound technology was needed -Wiring theatres takes years. -New film style required -lack of dialogue -lack of camera movement -impact on actors careers |
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When was the studio era?
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1927 (ish)- 1950 (ish)
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By the 1920's what is the primary means of marketing a film?
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Using a "star"
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What is star personace?
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Characteristics that define the performer
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What was Charlie Chaplin's persona?
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The Tramp: sentimental physical comedy
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What scandals occured during the studio era?
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-Sex, drugs, murder
-Arbuckle: Allegedly killed Viginia Rappe during sex...this ended his on-camera career. However, Buster Keaton helped him get directing gigs under the name of William Goodrich. -William Taylor was a filmmaker with morals who helped people in Hollywood lead moral lives...well he was shot and killed. -Wallace Reid died of a heroin addiction -Thomas Ince died at sea of a heart attack -Barbara Lamar deemed "too beautiful to live"...died of a drug overdose |
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Only _______________ was successful in bothe the silent era and post-silent era
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Charlie Chaplin
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Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPA)
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-Formed in 1922
-PR campaign to improve Hollywood's image (over come the scandals) -Showed hollywood's top stars were involved in the community -developed a relationship with the federal governement...through out the life of the MPPA their presidents came from the federal government. |
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William Hays
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First president of the MPPA
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Big 5
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*Vertically Integrated
Fox MGM Paramount RKO Warner Bros. |
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Little 3
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*Not vertically integrated
Columbia (production-distribution) -Universal (production-distribution) -United Artists (distribution-exhibition) *Each studio becomes known for its distinct style |
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Vertical integration?
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-The reason for and the support system for the studio system
-Own production and distribution at theatres |
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How long did the studio system work?
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For about 25 years
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Without _______________studio system could not work.
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Vertical Integration
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Describe hollywood during the depression.
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-Novelty of sound kept depression at bay.
-weekly attendance down by 30 million admissions -In 1929 Warner bros. made 17 mm...in 1931 they lost 8 mm - All of the Big 5 with the exception of MGM lost money during the depression. Only MGM was able to remain in the black. -In 1933 Paramount declared bankruptcy. -All of the Big 5 (except MGM) and the Little 3 had to make drastic changes in order to stay afloat. Includung cutting staff and salaries and borrowing money. -Universal was hit the hardest of the little 3. |
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Exhibition during the depression
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-Many theatres had to close.
-Rural theatres had to shorten their programs. Rather than hold onto one movie for a week they would shorten it to 2 or 3 days then send it back for new ones. -Admission prices were cut -They began showing double features...although initially opposed by studios. |
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Don't and be carefuls
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-Film content guidelines issued by the MPPDA in 1925.
-suggestions not requirements -Not followed closely by studios -Led to the introduction of actual code in 1930 |
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Martin Quigley and Daniel Lord
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Developed the actual code for the studios.
-studios abided by the code initially but the depression encouraged studios to return to controversial subjects. |
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_____________ was one studio that never developed a house style.
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RKO
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Orson Wells
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-Born in 1915 to a working class father and a feminist mother.
-Considered the first "genius" of cinema -Had a difficult family life -after his father's death he traveled to europe -at 19 he was hired to take part in the federal theatre project -wrote citizen kane -became a drunk later in life and dies as one |
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Citizen Kane
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-written by orson wells
- there was much debate about this movie -the artistic boldness of this film was not truly appreciated |
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Explain the run, zone, clearance system.
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The major distributors divided the country into 30 territories, with each territory subdivided into up to a dozen zones.
Within each zone, evey theatre was deisgnated in the order to which it would receive access to a movie. The movie would first play in downtown theatres, which were most likely to be owned by the major companies themselves. These first run theatres charged premium prices. After the movie has playes at the first run houses, there would be a period of "clearance" in the zone before it would open in second run theatres. |
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Second run theatres
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Likely to be neighborhood business districts and charged low ticket prices
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first run theatres
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Downtown and were likely owned by the major distribution companies themselves. Charged premium prices
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Later run theatres
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located fiurther out from the population center of the zone.
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A veritically integrated company is ____________
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involved in all three branches of its business: manufacturing, wholesalin, and retailing
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block booking
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an exhibitor who wanted a particular star's films had to buy a year's worth of company's other productions
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Vitaphone
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Created by Western electric to synchronize sound and film.
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Movietone
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studio sound technology presented by william fox.
more mobile than the tech. that suupported vitaphone |