COMM245 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Motion Picture Patents Company, Movie Projector, Patent Infringement
24 Jan 2017
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Ch 6 MAGIC FROM THE DREAM FACTORY
A Brief History of Movies
Early Movie Technology
• Persistence of vision: aspect of human vision in which the brain retains images
for a fraction of a second after they leave the field of sight; allows illusion of
movement from a series of still pictures
o Peep shows: amusement parlor boxes containing moving rolls of still
pictures
• 1839: photography was invented and in 1872: 1st successful photography of
motion
• Edison
o Kinetograph: early motion picture camera
o Kinetoscope: (1889) early motion picture viewer
o Opened kinetoscope parlor in NYC in 1894
• Nickelodeons: small early movie theaters (started cropping up everywhere after
Edison premiered his 1st theater projector, the Vitascope, in 1896)
The Trust
• Motion Picture Patents Company: founded by Edison to control the movie
equipment business, known as The Trust
o Film producers not willing to pay the Trust’s patent use fees were not
allowed to make movies
o If they used a camera or film the Trust would get a court order to raid their
studio and destroy equipment and the owners would be prosecuted for
patent infringement
The Move West
• Aspiring filmmakers moved west for outdoor shooting all year and varied scenery
• 1st modern feature film - D.W. Griffith’s 1915 The Birth of a Nation
o Improved art of storytelling, perfected close-up, flashback, the fade-out,
and the montage
o Racist depiction of African Americans and glorified KKK
The Star System
• Created in 1920s when audiences began to demand to see popular actors
• Studio execs created stars by placing actors/actresses under contract and
promoting them a lot
• Block booking: forcing theater owners to show movies with unknown stars in
order to get movies with established stars
• Blind booking: forcing theater owners to reserve movies without previewing
them
The Golden Age
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Edison premiered his 1st theater projector, the vitascope, in 1896) The trust: motion picture patents company: founded by edison to control the movie equipment business, known as the trust, film producers not willing to pay the trust"s patent use fees were not allowed to make movies. If they used a camera or film the trust would get a court order to raid their studio and destroy equipment and the owners would be prosecuted for patent infringement. The move west: aspiring filmmakers moved west for outdoor shooting all year and varied scenery, 1st modern feature film - d. w. griffith"s 1915 the birth of a nation. Improved art of storytelling, perfected close-up, flashback, the fade-out, and the montage: racist depiction of african americans and glorified kkk. Global dimensions: today, the american film industry collects over 80% of the world"s film revenues, although its produced only around 15% of the world"s films.
