moive assignment

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Production, Distribution, Exhibition WHY L.A.? 1) climate and sunshine 2) the supposed “spy ring” of the MPPC based in New York were too far away 3)wider selection of landscapes for the films—more diverse terrain(Introduction of the extreme long shot)

-Other geographical locations tried out were Florida, Cuba and Texas

By 1911 Los Angeles is the film producer’s choice -Biograph moved their entire business of production to LA by 1911 -It is important to note that the Executive Offices remained in New York, production went west.

The Progressivist Movement and the MPPC

-When the MPPC was formed its charter positioned the industry organizations as that which would clean up morally vacuous motion pictures -Exhibitors were often being attacked by both journalists and the pulpit for their lurid motion pictures.

-1909 Cultural changes under the MPPC with the help of public reformers/progressivists

(Seven: know at least three) 1) Placing theaters in respectable areas 2) Privileging of Religious material for the movies 3) Lighted theaters: Light should be sufficient to read a newspaper 4) Getting rid of the dank smell of theaters by spraying perfumed deodorizers 5) more filmed legitimate theater (especially for children). 6) Elimination of “vulgar” vaudeville acts 7) Insist that the European films, otherwise of such high quality, eliminate questionable material (marital infidelities).

The trade journal, Moving Picture World, recommended that the following subjects be barred:

interiors of prisons convicts sensational crime

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anything offensive to religion murder and executions horrors degradation of people or personal defects.

-On Christmas Eve, 1908, Mayor McClellan closed all the nickelodeons in NYC. -The reason gave was safety conditions -The MPPC set up its own self-censorship board to prevent government intervention -It was called the National Board of Censorship - later to become the National Board of Review in 1915.

The US looks to Europe for creative ideas with moral uplift

-Enter Film d’ Art from Pathe (est. 1908) -Introduced France’s cultural uplift program through morally sound renditions of theater and literature –Attract the “better classes.” -Sarah Bernhardt was one of its major stars—critically and financially successful. -1912 Film d’Art produced Queen Elizabeth with Bernhardt. -Independent Adolph Zukor in the US bought the exhibition rights. -Its success gave him the impetus to begin his company Famous Players in Famous Plays.

-The American film industry realized they could make 3-4 reel films and they would be commercially successful.

Hence, the Feature Film -Vitagraph followed suit with Julius Caesar, Richard III, and Romeo and Juliet. 1907-1908 standardized narrative format begins to take shape:

1) Clarity: introduced classic narratives that everyone knew 2) Morality : Films began to carry a moral lesson. 3) Standardization: length of films would be roughly the same and repeat tried and true genre conventions (ex.: westerns and slapstick comedy

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4) Directors from the theater became more involved in film production: i.e. Griffith, Thomas Ince

Luring a New Audience—The Picture Palace -The Picture Palace did not eliminate nickelodeons. -The combination of the feature film and the Picture Palace inevitably did in the nickelodeon.

Middle Class Family Entertainment The Progressives sought to find theaters that were “family” respectable Picture Palaces began being constructed around 1908 and continued into the 1920s.

-The average storefront Nickelodeon in 1911 seated approximately 300 people. In 1916— 502 seats

-Picture Palaces seated between 2-3,000 people, tier priced seating. -They were built on or near major public transportation routed in the city -Catered to the middle class’s domain of shopping and entertainment. -Major Picture Palace designers: Thomas Lamb (designed for Balaban and Katz; owned largest Picture Palaces in Chicago). -John Eberson (created “imitations of exotic environments”) -(In the twenties, other exotic designs were used to decorate the theaters: Grauman’s Egyptian(1922) and Chinese (1927)) -Most designed with orchestra pits and stage. -Or their trademark of the “Wurlitzer Unit Orchestra” (known as the “mighty Wurlitzer”) -Labor intensive: janitors, ushers, full orchestras, projectionists, etc. -“Crying Room” for babies -Introduction of the sloped floor -Food and Drink were not allowed - a profit-making phenomena that would not take place until the 1930s

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-Many introduced air conditioning units to draw crowds in the summer

-The most ostentatious and fabulous manager of the Picture Palace was S.L. Rothapfel, better known as Roxy

-Managed the Strand. The Roxy spectacle -When the film The Holy Land screened there, Roxy sprayed perfume of lillies throughout the theater, rang church-bell chimes, had choir boys singing, diffused pale blue light toward the screen and the audience, roses were strewn on the stage. -Later Roxy would produce shows for the new Radio City Hall in 1931. His Roxyettes. -Late 1920s the most famous palace—the “cathedral to the movies—the Roxy, opened -The theater seated 6,214

Feature Films

-According to historian Eileen Bowser, the feature film was a film that “cost more to make, more to buy, more to rent...and sometimes cost more to see.” (Griffith’s Birth of a Nation cost $2). -It meant, however, more control and more money for the producer. -More expense for the exhibitor: theaters needed to think about the use of two projectors (multi-reels). -Feature Films like The Fall of Troy (1911) and the Italian production, Cabiria (1914) were seen as grand, important, historical epics. -Lavish costumes, sets, huge crowds on screen served to impress a different class of audience. -By 1912, the feature was no longer seen as a curiosity, it was accepted as regular fare.

-In 1912, Series films (weekly) were still popular. Edison co-produced with Ladies World a series called What Happened to Mary?

-The Heeza Liar cartoons (1913) and Gertie the Dinosaur (1914) were the first filmed animation drawn by Winsor McCay http://www.dinosaur.org/Gertie.htm

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-In 1914, Jesse Lasky (a vaudeville producer) joined with Zukor to form Famous Players, Lasky

-Their films were to be distributed by the newly formed Paramount Pictures Corporation President: W.W. Hodkinson. -Paramount received 35% of proceeds from Famous Players. Paramount then provided cash advances for new productions.

American Kinemacolor carried prestige films—most successful of the pre- Technicolor systems.

-Founded 1910 in Los Angeles—constant technical problems -The color was an additive—wasn’t ready yet for the market. -1913 the studio was closed.

1914— American exports gain ground

-Aesthetic Changes and Standardization for Narrative Exposition Thomas Ince—rigorous standardized film industry product

-His production methods still reflect today’s film production -First worked for Laemmle at IMP—directs Mary Pickford. -He became known for his highly efficient and detailed shooting scripts—mainly Westerns -He had high standards for production. -1913—opens a new studio in a converted grocery -Has a fully developed continuity-script procedure in place, -1916— studio generating $500,000 profit -Studio—known as Inceville was situated on 43 acres of land

Prototype for Future Studios 1,000 employees -Eight stages -Administration building

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-Distinct departments for scenarios, property, carpenter, plumbing, and costume rooms 300 dressing rooms -Restaurant and commissary -Sauna -Natatorium.

-Ince is credited with developing the producer system in Hollywood manufacturing. -19 November 1924 while aboard William Randolph Hearst’s yacht, Ince was killed. One of the Major Hollywood Scandals -The coroner said heart failure -It was rumored, however, that Hearst shot Ince because Ince was supposedly having an affair with Hearst’s new protegee Marion Davies. The truth has never been revealed.