Movies and the Impact of Images Chapter 7. ... [W]e need to ask big-picture questions such as what...
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Transcript of Movies and the Impact of Images Chapter 7. ... [W]e need to ask big-picture questions such as what...
Movies and the Impact of Images
Chapter 7
“. . . [W]e need to ask big-picture questions such as what purposes movies serve for us today, compared with their earlier intent; how strong an impact the U.S. film industry has on society and culture in our own country and in others; and where the film industry may be headed in
the future.”
Early History of Movies: The Precursors of Film
1600s The Magic Lantern projects images painted on
glass plates. 1800s
Thaumatrope “combines” images when twirled, 1824
Zoetrope makes images appear to move, 1834
Early History of Movies: Development Stage
Muybridge projects photographic images on wall for public viewing, 1880
Eastman develops roll film, 1884 Le Prince invents first motion-picture camera,
1888 Creates first motion picture, Roundhay Garden Scene
Goodwin creates celluloid, 1889
Early History of Movies: Entrepreneurial Stage
Edison and Dickson Create kinetograph (camera) and kinetoscope
(single-person viewing system) Create vitascope, which projected longer
filmstrips without interruption Lumière brothers
Develop cinematograph, combined camera, film development, and projection system
Early History of Movies: Mass-Medium Stage
Méliès (France) Introduces first narrative films Uses new filming and editing tricks
Porter (U.S.) Adapts Méliès’s innovations to make America’s
first narrative film Introduces first close-up, western, chase scene
Nickelodeons Attract workers and immigrants to the movies
Evolution of Hollywood Studio System
Edison’s “Trust” Cartel of major U.S. and French producers Exclusive deal with Eastman
Zukor and Fox Leave East Coast for Hollywood Bypass the Trust; file suit that breaks its hold Create Paramount, Fox
Studio system Vertically integrated, creates film oligopoly
The Three Pillars of the Movie Business
Production Studios control all “talent” via exclusive contracts
Distribution Early film exchange system Block booking distribution (Zukor) European markets
Exhibition Studios purchase first-run theaters Develop movie palaces, mid-city theaters
Hollywood’s Golden Age
Narrative techniques developed Varied camera distances, multiple story lines, fast-
paced editing, symbolic imagery New types of film develop including:
Crime, horror, westerns, war, science fiction
Introduction of sound Further establishes narrative style Sets new commercial standards in industry The Jazz Singer first talkie Fox introduces newsreels
Setting the Standard for Narrative Style
Hollywood narrative Recognizable characters Clear plot Special effects
Hollywood Genres Action/Adventure, comedy, romance, drama, mystery,
gangster, western, horror, fantasy, musicals, film noir
Hollywood authors Movie directors develop specific style, interest
George Lucas, Steven Spielberg
Breaking the Gender and Racial Barrier
Female directors struggle for recognition. Lina Wertmuller, Jane Campion, Sofia Coppola
Minority groups, including African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans also struggle for recognition
Some have succeeded as directors: Spike Lee, Ang Lee, Chris Eyre, Wayne Wang
Alternatives to Hollywood
Foreign Films Small percent of films seen in U.S.
Documentaries Noncommercial films usually require grants Cinema verité Tackle controversial subject matter
Independent films Created on shoestring budgets Shown to smaller audiences
The Transformation of the Hollywood Studio System
Paramount decision Major studios forced to end vertical integration Opens up opportunities for new forms of
exhibition, like drive-in theaters. Flight to suburbs
Americans buy more consumer goods. Marriage age drops, fewer “movie dates”
Television Keeps Americans home
Television Changes Hollywood
Movies feature more serious content Alcoholism: The Lost Weekend Sexuality: Peyton Place, Lolita MPPA launches ratings system
Movies develop new technologies Technicolor, stereophonic sound
Home Entertainment More than 50% of domestic revenue for
Hollywood studios comes from video/DVD rentals
DVD sales declining Blu-ray has not helped improve video store sales.
Internet video streaming is the future. Allows viewers to download videos through Netflix,
Xbox, Apple TV devices, Hulu, Fancast Movie industry needs to adapt
Economics: Money In
Box-office sales Studios get about 40% of the theater box-office
take in first “window” for movie exhibition DVD/video sales and rentals
50% of all domestic-film income for major studios Cable and television outlets
Pay-per-view, video-on-demand, premium cable, network and basic cable
Economics: Money In (cont.)
Foreign distribution International box-office gross revenues almost
double U.S. and Canada box-office receipts. Independent-film distribution
Indies pay studios 30–50% of box-office and video-rental money they make from their movies.
Licensing and product placement Action figures, snacks, products “seen” in a movie Synergy, or promotion throughout subsidiaries of
media conglomerate
Economics: Money Out
Production Fees paid to actors, directors, personnel, costs for
special effects, set design, and so on Marketing, advertising, print costs
Can add almost $36 million in costs per film Post-production
Film editing, sound recording
Economics: Money Out (cont.)
Distribution Screening a movie for prospective buyers
Exhibition Constructing theaters, purchasing projection
equipment Acquisitions
Buying up other media-related companies
Uncertainties in the Digital Age
Broadband Internet service More movie fans are likely to download
movies from Web iTunes Store rentals, Netflix instant viewing,
Hulu Challenge of digitizing movies
More 3D films require new projection systems
Movies in a Democratic Society
Consensus narratives Provide shared experiences Bridge cultural differences, create “global village”
Stifle voices of other, underrepresented cultures Impose mainstream, Western ideas about values,
actions on others Watch movies with a critical eye
Seek other cinematic voices