+
Related Flashcards
Cards In This Set
| Front | Back |
|
Kinetograph
|
1880s—Thomas Edison and his assistants
1891: Dickson, under Edison, invents Kinetograph “The first true motion picture camera” Motivation: to provide visuals for Edison’s phonograph |
|
Edison-Dickson
|
Edison- INDIVIDUAL exhibition
“The Black Maria” Films distributed in kinetoscope parlors |
|
Lumiere Brothers
|
First functional projector
1895 Cinematographe. First movie theatre. Paris. Public paid $ to watch movies |
|
Early Movies
|
1894- Edison-Dickson. “Fred Ott’s Sneeze”
Early movies-no camera movement or editing George Melies-magician who experimented with special effects. Trick movies. Edwin S. Porter-longer, more complex narrative films. “Great Train Robbery” (1903) |
|
Early Studios (3)
|
Biograph—Founded by WKL Dickson. Became Edison’s rival.
Vitagraph Edison Lots of feuds. Fierce competitors. Lawsuits over patents. |
|
MPPC
|
Motion Picture Patents Company (1908)
Patent pool Issued licenses & collected royalties Started its own distribution company-GFC United States v. MPPC 1913: MPPC illegal |
|
MPPC pros and cons
|
PROS
Stabilized industry Steady flow of films GFC stabilized distribution, zoning, pricing CONS Monopoly Created barriers to entry |
|
The Independents
|
Demand for film increases.
Assembly Line: steady flow of mass-produced narrative films at standard (short) length Independents filled gap that MPPC couldn’t Some bypass MPPC; import European films Indie movement strong by 1912 |
|
Features
|
Multiple reel narratives w/unusual content.
Big budgets. Required special advertising. New Distribution system. Territory by territory. New exhibition venues: Movie palaces. |
|
1920's big three
|
Vertical Integration
Famous Players-Lasky Corporation Loew’s, Inc. First National |
|
1920's Little five
|
Fox Film Corporation
Producers Distributing Corporation Film Booking Office Universal Pictures (Carl Laemmle) Warner Bros. Pictures |
|
1930's big five
|
MGM—Louis B. Mayer
Paramount Warner Bros. 20th Century Fox RKO |
|
1930's little three
|
Universal
Columbia United Artists |
|
Poverty Row
|
Republic
Chesterfield PRC Mongram Small studios, low budgets, no exhibition and distribution |
|
The studio system
|
Production: Each studio produced 40-60 films per year
Distribution: Kept indies subordinate, Block booking, Blind buying Exhibition: First-run theaters in metro areas, 70% of box office receipts |
