+ Introduction to Communications Media Ch 9 Motion Pictures.
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Transcript of + Introduction to Communications Media Ch 9 Motion Pictures.
+
Introduction to Communications MediaCh 9 Motion Pictures
+Blog Page -- Movies
http://dansimonicmblog.wordpress.com/movies/
+Early American Cinema
1878 Edward Muybridge attempts to settle a bet “When a horse gallops do all four feet ever leave the
ground? Set up 24 still cameras around a track to photograph
a running horse When view rapidly, gave appearance of movement
+
Thomas Edison and William Dickson developed the first motion picture camera (“Kinetescope”)
Edison thought he would make money by showing small movies to one person at a time for a penny a movie
Edison wanted to make money by selling a lot of small Kinescope machines
Early American Cinema
+
European inventors were developing a large screen movie format at the same time
In 1896 Edison unveils a large screen projector (the “Vitascope”)
Early movies were novelties (action of acrobats tumbling, horses running, jugglers juggling)
Early American Cinema
+Motion Studies
+Nickelodeons
Movie makers began using motion pictures to tell stories
1902 a French filmmaker releases “A Trip to the Moon”
+Development of the Motion Picture
1903 Edwin S. Porter makes “The Great Train Robbery”
First time a movie is edited and uses multiple camera angles
+Nickelodeons
The Great Train Robbery and other narrative movies become vary popular
50-90 seat movie houses spring up in cities all over
Admission is 5 cents, leading to the name “Nickelodeons”
+Nickelodeons
Depended on audience turnover
Would change films quickly (even daily)
Led to a demand for lots of movies
NY and NJ were early sites for “Film Factories” which turned out many films
+Movies get Longer
Most American films of this era were short
European filmmakers were making longer films and American filmmakers started following that model
Edward Zucker imported a European feature length film and charged audiences $1 to see it.
+Birth of a Nation
D.W. Griffith makes a 3-hour movie in 1915
Birth of a Nation is set 50 years after the Civil War and presents a very different picture of the South than commonly accepted
The film is very controversial and draws protests and creates unrest (first time a film is recognized as being controversial)
+African American Cinema
Brothers George and Noble Johnson decide to make films showing a more realistic depiction of African American life
They form a film company (Lincoln Motion Pictures) which makes films for an African American audience.
+American Cinema Moves West
Battles between established movie companies and independent film makers get worse in the early part of the 20th century
Independents move west to Hollywood and the movie industry grows and prospers there
+The Star System
Early movie companies didn’t believe in promoting actors and actresses
Independent film companies realized that promoting “stars” could help generate excitement and interest in their movies
Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin were the earliest big names
1919 Pickford and Chaplin (as well as many other actors and actresses) joined together to form “United Artists” as their own production company
+The Star System
Audiences began demanding longer movies (1 to 2 hours)
Nickelodeons had hard wooden seats
Theaters began renovating to be more comfortable
Larger, more elaborate theaters were built (some as large as a city block)
+Consolidation and Growth
The cost of making and distributing movies was increasing “Stars had to be paid higher salaries” Making movies longer cost more Competition to get in the biggest and best theaters
increased
+Consolidation and Growth
One owner combined production and distribution functions into one corporate structure (eventually became Paramount pictures)
Several companies (Paramount, Fox pictures) also began building their own theaters
Marcus Loew (a theater chain owner) purchased his own movie company (eventually becoming MGM)
+Block Booking
Movie companies would force theater owners to agree to show less popular movies in order to get more popular ones (theater owners didn’t like it, but gave movie companies a predictable stream of revenue).
World War I was devastating Europe during this time, so American movie companies were able to establish dominance over the market for movies worldwide
+The Roaring Twenties
Age of prosperity after WWI
Movie profits were so high that pictures became extravagant
Cost of making the average movie went up 1500% between 1914 and 1924
1925 Ben Hur made for a reported $6 million (average film cost bout $200,000)
+“Sin City”
Exploding salaries and young actors and actresses led to outrageous behavior Huge parties, prostitution charges, untimely
deaths and lots of controversy
Both state and federal governments began introducing bills to create censorship boards
Movie industry moved to create its own self regulatory body (MPPDA) which went on to set standards that would be followed for the next four decades
+“Talkies”
The ability to record sound on film started in 1918, but Hollywood didn’t look in to using it until the late 1920s
Movies were making money and movie companies didn’t want to mess with success
Warner Bros. was not doing well and so, decided to experiment
+“Talkies”
In1927 the studio released “The Jazz Singer” with Al Jolson who sang and spoke
Within 2 years, the market for silent films was gone
+The Depression Era
Talkies helped the movie industry at first, but as things got worse, attendance fell
Hollywood tried several things New technologies such as “Technicolor”
were tried Theaters introduced the “double feature” (2
movies for the price of one)
+The Depression Era
Cartoon shorts became popular and were often added to the beginnings of the showing
These things led to an increase in the number of films made (almost 400 a year during the 1930s) Good for big studios which could make more
films economically Bad for small companies which couldn’t
+The Studio Years (1930-1950)
8 large studios dominate the industry MGM, 20th Century Fox, RKO, Warner
Brothers, Paramount, Universal, Columbia and United Artists
They built large back-lot movie sets, built elaborate sound stages, developed “stables” of talent groomed for stardom
+The Studio Years (1930-1950)
Studios developed reputations for certain kinds of movies Warner Brothers – gangster films 20th Century Fox – historical and adventure MGM – lavish star studded musicals
From 1939 to 1941 height of this period Gone with the Wind (Technicolor) Wizard of Oz Stagecoach Citizen Kane
+End of an Era
In 1938 the U.S. Justice Department filed a suit against Paramount and other major film companies alleging the industry’s practice of “vertical integration” constituted a restraint of trade
Suit was put on hold during WWII, but in 1948 the courts had ruled in favor of the government’s case Studios were forced to give up one of the three
holdings in question (production, distribution, theaters) most gave up their theater chains
Studios were also forced to stop the practice of block booking
+Reaction to Television
In the late 1940s, television began building a sizeable audience
Studios fight back by refusing to advertise films on television or release films for broadcast on TV
Many studios added clauses to their stars contracts forbidding them to appear on TV
None of these measures made any difference on TV’s growing popularity
+New Approach
Movie industry decides to try technical approach3-DCinerama (3 projectors and screen
that curved around the audience) Cheaper versions such as Cinemascope,
Panavision and Vistavision were also tried)
+Capitulation
Hollywood belatedly realizes it’s better off playing a role in the development of television
Studios begin releasing films for airing on TV
Studios begin making films designed to compete with television “Spectacles” such as Cleopatra Adult themed topics which couldn’t be
shown on TV
+Realignment – 1960 to 1990
Rise of the independent film producer
Studios become less powerful, many release stars from contract system
Stars often work for reduced salary for greater say in process
Many large studios were bought by big corporations
+Realignment – 1960 to 1990
Industry guidance on content loosens
Instead of limiting what movies can show, new “rating” system is introduced
Supreme Court decisions also give movie makers more freedom
Revenues and budgets increased during this period as going to the movies became popular again
+Contemporary Trends
Piracy and illegal file sharing
Hollywood followed the RIAA approach Recent raid in China found 1.6 million illegal copies of
movies 81 million counterfeit DVDs seized in 2006
Estimated losses about $6 billion in 2005
+Contemporary Trends
Theater attendance is declining, but revenues are increasing Increased ticket prices 3D movies charge even more
Movie industry makes more from sales and rentals of DVDs 6 big studios still produce the bulk of the movies seen
here Sony/MGM, NBC Universal, Disney, Fox, Warner
Brothers and Paramount
+The Digital Age
Digital movie making Digital cameras are replacing film cameras “300” only the actors were real
Digital distribution Instead of making “prints” movies can be
distributed via DVD, ftp or internet Improved quality and cheaper costs, but… Converting theaters to use digital
technology is expensive
+The Digital Age
Digital distribution to the home Movies can be rented or purchased Apple TV, Movielink, OnDemand Hotel rentals
Digital projection Expensive (about $150,000 per screen) Theater owners want movie studios and distributers
to pay since they’re the ones who’ll benefit Studios and distributers say they’re already bearing
the costs of making both digital and analog versions
+The Digital Age
Mobile movies Portable DVD players Laptop and tablet computers Cell phones UGC (user generated content)
Defining features of motion pictures Most expensive form of media ($120 million or so) Dominated by big conglomerates Strong aesthetic dimension (tension between artistic
and financial interests) Strong social dimension
+Film Industry Organization
Production Story development Casting Art Makeup Sets
+Film Industry Organization
Distribution Supplies prints to theaters Supplies films to TV networks and makers of DVDs Provide transportation and delivery systems to get
films to theaters on time Makes enough copies of the movie for release Handle advertising and promotion Dominated by big film companies
+Film Industry Organization
Exhibition By 2000 about 37,400 theaters in the United States By 2007 number dropped to about 37,000 Multiplexes of 12 or even 18 theaters show a variety
of movies Theaters are changing food and drink offerings
+Film Industry Ownership
Disney Touchstone (mature audiences) Buena Vista (general films)
Time Warner (Warner Brothers)
Paramount (Viacom)
Sony/MGM
NBC Universal
News Corporation (20th Century Fox)
+Producing Motion Pictures
Preproduction (starts with an idea) Treatment – narrative statement of plot and
descriptions of the main characters and locations First draft script – contains dialogue and camera
setups and a description of action sequences Revised script – incorporates changes suggested by
the producer, director, actor and others Script polish – adding or subtracting scenes, revising
dialogue, making other changes At the same time, the producer is auditioning talent
and offering contracts, looking for financial backing, looking for behind the camera personnel
+Production
Cast and crew assemble at the shooting location
Each scene is shot and reshot
Once completed, everyone moves on to next location
Expensive ($500,000 a day for moderately expensive film)
Shooting lasts about 70 days on average
Each day of shooting produces about 2 minutes of useable film
+Postproduction
Begins when filming is completed Film editor works with director to decide how
to mix shots (inserting close ups for instance)
Special effects are added Once these things are in place, sound is
added or sweetened (sound effects, narration, redone dialogue)
Once edited, film, soundtrack and special effects are sent to the lab where a release print is made
+Economics of Motion Pictures
Revenue streams U.S. box office receipts International box office receipts Sales and rentals of DVDs* Miscellaneous video sources such as
downloads, pay-per-view and video-on-demand
Merchandising
+Economics of Motion Pictures
Financing a film Distributor loans (producer then may rent
studio facilities from distributor) “Pickup” (distributor agrees to buy finished
movie for a set price, producer can then get a bank loan)
Limited partnership (outside investors who agree to put up a certain amount)
Joint venture (multiple companies pool resources to finance a film)
+Economics of Motion Pictures
Dealing with an exhibitor Exhibition license (sets terms for how the
film will be shown) How many weeks the film will be shown Holdover rights Date the picture will be available for showing Clearance (amount of time before film can be
shown at a competing theater)
+Economics of Motion Pictures
Financial terms Percentage split (50/50, 60/40, 70/30) Sliding scale (as box office increases, distributor
receives bigger percentage) 90/10 (exhibitor deducts house expenses,
distributor gets 90% of remainder) Other exhibitor revenue
Concessions Advertising before film starts
Means less time for coming attractions, can make studios unhappy
+Economics of Motion Pictures
Financial terms Percentage split (50/50, 60/40, 70/30) Sliding scale (as box office increases, distributor
receives bigger percentage) 90/10 (exhibitor deducts house expenses,
distributor gets 90% of remainder) Other exhibitor revenue
Concessions Advertising before film starts
Means less time for coming attractions, can make studios unhappy
+Economics of Motion Pictures
Promoting a film First three days crucial (weekend) Films often heavily promoted for weeks before
airing Columbia TriStar spent $50 million promoting
Spider-Man 2 Promotion includes stars being available for
interviews to talk about their pictures Can also include publicity “stunts” to arouse
interest
+Feedback for Motion Pictures
Box office Weekly box office figures as reported by trade
publications Total gross and gross per screens are two important
figures Blockbusters can influence a studio’s bottom line
for the entire year Successful movies can results in sequels and
spinoffs
+Feedback for Motion Pictures
Market research As costs of production get higher and higher, more
and more emphasis is placed on audience research Often a rough cut of the movie is made and shown
to test audiences. The movie is then edited or scenes are reshot based on audience feedback
This is generally followed by a “sneak” preview where the audience fills out survey cards. Further changes to the movie are made based on this feedback.
Sometimes alternate endings will be filmed and each tested with audiences
+Feedback for Motion Pictures
Motion picture audiences Average annual attendance currently about 24
million, compared to more than 85 million in the 1930s
Movie audiences tend to be young (about 60% are under 40)
“Frequent” movie goers (12 or more/year) account for 75% of ticket sales
Tend to be young and single, middle class, from urban areas
Largest audiences found in July and August, smallest in May. The first 2 weeks of December are the worst 2 weeks of the year for movie attendance.
+Movies at Home
Home video is Hollywood’s biggest revenue source Market is maturing (revenue growth has flattened) Hollywood hopes new technology will boost
revenues BlueRay DVDs 3D movies and 3D TV sales
Home market is driven by big hits just like theaters Some movies bomb in theaters but find success at
home Time between movie release and DVD release
shrinking Gone from 6 months to 3 months Easier for studios to take advantage of ad campaigns while still
fresh in people’s minds
+Movies at Home
Other revenue sources Pay-per-view movies Licensing movies to premium cable channels Licensing movies to broadcast TV TV generates more revenue for industry than does
box office