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Cinema. Creating a masterpiece. Where does film begin?. 1895 – Kinetoscope developed by Edison Free oneself from time and space Forms of Technology Telegraph Photography Telephone 1905 – Edison develops system to project on a larger space Development of the movie theatre.
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Cinema Creating a masterpiece
Where does film begin? • 1895 – Kinetoscope developed by Edison • Free oneself from time and space • Forms of Technology • Telegraph • Photography • Telephone • 1905 – Edison develops system to project on a larger space • Development of the movie theatre
Where does film begin? (cont.) • Social phenomenon • 1903 - Edward Porter introduces American film • Life of an American Fireman • The Great Train Robbery • Early films showed news clips
Birth of a Nation (1915) • D.W. Griffith film • Set during and after The Civil War • “The Birth of a Nation is as revered as it is reviled” • Pioneered many film techniques • Deep focus, jump-cut, close-up • White actors painted faces black • Film criticized for being racist • First successful feature length film
Studio System • Studios take over around 1925 • Major studios from 1925-1948 • Fox – classic, rural, social realism, controversy • Warner Bros. – controversy, realism (gangster) • Paramount – sophisticated, big movies • Loew’s MGM – mainstream, avoid controversy • RKO – weird, more shadowy, • Minor Studios • Columbia • Universal • United Artists
Studio System (cont.) • Studios in California / HQ in New York • Cheap labor – good location • Vertical Integration • Control of all aspects of the film • Production – 40-60 movies a year • Oligopoly – a few businesses running the industry • Distribution • Exhibition – 70% of box office take goes back to studio • Top five studios owned 1/6 of theatres • Block booking – take what you get • Blind bidding – take what you haven’t seen
Television • Television begins in 1948 • Film now has to contend with TV • Technology advances • Cinerama – 3 projectors to fill a screen • Cinemascope – different lens to squeeze picture • 3D – big again today • Technicolor – brilliant colors, vibrant, gawdy • NBC begins color TV in 1958 • Join television • Sale of film to television • Drive in films
Studios sell off • Fox – Marvin Davis – Newscorp • Paramount – Gulf & Western – Viacom • Warner – Kinney Corp – Time Warner • MGM – Kirk Kerkorkian – MGM/UA • RKO – R.I.P. • Columbia – Coca Cola – Sony • Universal – MCA – Universal MCA – NBC/GE • United Artists - Transamerica
Production Code of Ethics • Films needed to be regulated for audiences • Went into effect on July 1, 1934 • Directors have to work around code • Joseph Breen – serves as code overseer • Given power – his rulings could only be challenged by studio executives • Allowed producers to work around the code • Commission for Freedom of the Press • Believes that while some restrictions are necessary, the code prevents artistic freedom • 1960 ends the code with Hitchcock’s Psycho
Psycho (1960) Janet Leigh
A new rating system • 1968 – new rating system introduced • MPAA – Motion Picture Association of America • Original - G, M, R, X • Now – G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17 • PG-13 introduced in 1983 in response to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom • Rating system different from the code in that it puts the pressure on the audience • Rating system has never been clearly defined • Gory films can get an R rating while some of them should be NC-17
Discussion Questions • How do you believe film affects society today? • How have you seen films change since you were a child? • What kinds of films sell today? • Are there still controversial films today? What recent films have stirred up controversy?