Chapter 7: Movies and the Impact of Images Review Questions

Do films contribute to a global village in which people throughout the world share a universal culture? Or do U.S.-based films overwhelm the development of other cultures worldwide? Discuss.

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Why are genres and directors important to the film industry?

By making films that fall into popular genres, the movie industry provides familiar models that can be imitated. It is much easier for a studio to promote a film that already fits into a preexisting category with which viewers are familiar Directors tell viewers that the movie is filmed and produced in a certain style that they know they have enjoyed from previous films

How has the home entertainment industry developed and changed since the 1970s?

Cable and videocassettes In today's world Internet distribution (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) are the most promising

What is the impact of inexpensive digital technology on filmmaking?

Digital videos means seeing camera work instantly instead of waiting for film to be developed, and being able to capture additional footage without concern for the high cost of film stock and processing

How did the movie industry respond to the advent of television?

First it started to show more serious content that television did not show/encourage (alcoholism, anti-Semitism, adult-teen relationships etc.) Secondly, movies adopted Technicolor and other technological advancements to draw in the crowds

What political and cultural forces changed the Hollywood system in the 1950s?

In the unfolding of the Cold War and, Congress began investigating Hollywood for communist ties. The House of Un-American Committee (HUAC) led to the Hollywood Ten hearings. HUAC told the film industry to provide any names of people that may be tied to the communist party. Eventually, HUAC subpoenaed ten unwilling witnesses about their ties to the communist party. They were sent to jail. Also, the government increased its scrutiny of the movie industries aggressive business practices. It was said that ventrical integration had to be ended. The Paramount decision was then made (forced the 5 big companies that ruled the movie industry to start giving up theaters). However, the Paramount decision did not change the oligopoly of Hollywood. It failed to increase distribution but did help with the exhibition aspect of things. For example, art museums, exhibitions, drive-ins etc.

How does vertical integration work in the film business?

It involves dominating all levels of the movie business-production, distribution, and exhibition- and gave studios great power, eventually creating an oligopoly.

Why did Hollywood end up as the center of film production?

It offered cheap labor, diverse scenery for outdoor shooting, a mild climate suitable for year-round production, and was geographically far from the Trust's headquarters Independent producers in Hollywood could easily slip over the border into Mexico to escape legal prosecution brough by the Trust for patent violations

Why were early silent films popular?

Silent films broke the language barrier for those immigrating to America during the European Immigration boom in the early 20th century. These theaters filled a need for many newly arrived people struggling to learn English and seeking an inexpensive escape from the hard life of the city. They created narrative worlds that engaged the audience' imagination; they transcended language and race barriers; offered an escape from the struggle of everyday life.

What are the various ways in which major movie studios make money from the film business?

Studios make money on movies from six major sources: 1- studios get a portion of the theatre box-office revenue 2- DVD sale and rentals, digital downloads and streaming 3- pay-per-view, premium cable, syndicated TV market 4- distributing films in foreign markets 5- distribute work of independent producers and filmmakers, who hire the studios to gain wider circulation 6- merchandise licensing and product placements in movies

Why did a certain structure of film—called classic Hollywood narrative—become so dominant in moviemaking?

The narrative had an allure that spoke to most viewers, ultimately satisfying their desire for the familiar and the distinctive. It provided a recipe It included a clear beginning, middle, and end, with a propelling plot

How did film go from the novelty stage to the mass medium stage?

The shift first started with the introduction of narrative films. These started popping up when audiences got bored with the clips of people dancing or waves against the shore. Secondly, nickelodeons (a movie theater who demanded an admission) helped with the shift. They were cheap to make and their silent movies were appealing to the incoming European immigrants who were looking for some kind of entertainment and did not speak English very well. The craze peaked by 1910.

What contribution did nickelodeons make to film history?

They brought in a wide audience thanks to the waves of immigrants flowing in The nickelodeons bridged the race gap, offering cheap entertainment and little need of the knowledge of English, they became a "craze"

Why are documentaries an important alternative to traditional Hollywood filmmaking? What contributions have they made to the film industry?

They show "real life" instead of a produced story as portrayed in the hollywood narrative They tackle controversial or unpopular subject matter

Why did Thomas Edison and the patents Trust fail to shape and control the film industry, and why did Adolph Zukor of Paramount succeed?

Thomas Edison formed the Patents Company known as the Trust. They controlled a great amount of the movie industry. In order for them to fund any production, the production had to meet a list of requirements. Some producers refused to comply with the terms. Adolph Zuker and Fox found out ways to bypass the terms. They then worked at dominating the movie industry at a deeper level than just monopolizing patents and technology. They worked at the production (everything involved in making the movie), distribution (getting the films into theaters), and exhibition (playing films in theaters). This type of control was referred to as ventrical integration (control of all levels of the movie industry) and turned the film industry into an oligopoly (a situation in which a few firms control the bulk of business). Zukor succeeded because he planned to control all levels of production, instead of just technology.

How is the movie industry adapting to the Internet?

Through mediums like iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and Xfinity, the movie industry is able to open its doors to the Internet after years of illegal file-sharing online 2012 makes the first time that fans accessed more movies online than through physical copies (DVD, blue-ray, etc.)

How do a few large film studios manage to control more than 90 percent of the commercial industry?

ventical integration --> oligopoly they have all the money