HOLLYWOOD Stars & Studios

THE HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS : transition from Trust to STUDIO SYSTEM “Studio Era” typified by: –Picture palaces –Movie audience that included all classes –Standardized production of feature-length films (1½ hrs) –Concentration of production in Hollywood –OLIGOPOLY & VERTICAL INTEGRATION

OLIGOPOLY A few large firms control an entire industry Due to high cost of film production –Feature-length films were expensive –Salaries increased, esp. for stars –Production values increased –Sound added to costs of equipment & production

OLIGOPOLY Costs of distribution, picture palaces & converting to sound Small companies began to merge in order to compete By late 1920s, 8 companies controlled 91% of box-office These companies known as 8 Majors

VERTICAL INTEGRATION Company controls product from production to retail sale BIG 5 –MGM, PARAMOUNT, FOX, WARNER BROS., & RKO –Vertically integrated: production, distribution & exhibition

VERTICAL INTEGRATION LITTLE 3 –COLUMBIA, UNIVERSAL, & UNITED ARTISTS –Not totally vertically integrated –Columbia & Universal in production & distribution, but no theaters –United Artists only distributed films

“THE DREAM FACTORY” DIVISION OF LABOR –Labor highly specialized & efficient, becoming highly unionized –THE CONTRACT SYSTEM Most workers under contract for 5-7 years Renewable by studio every 6 months Studios maintained prop & costume depts Filmed on own lots

“THE DREAM FACTORY” THE “STUDIO LOOK” –Consistent labor, props, settings resulted in "Studio Look“ –Studios tended to build their films around their stars

Marlene Dietrich Paramount Stars

The Marx Bros Mae West

Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour & Bob Hope Paramount Stars

Fleischer Bros. Studio Popeye

Fleischer Bros. Studio Superman

Fleischer Bros. Studio Betty Boop

Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer

MGM Stars Greta Garbo

MGM Stars Clark Gable Spencer Tracy

MGM Movies Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)

MGM Movies Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938)

Hal Roach Studio Laurel & Hardy

Hal Roach Studio Our Gang

MGM Animation

Tex Avery’s Wolfie and Red

20th Century-Fox

20th Century-Fox Stars Sonja Henie Shirley Temple

20th Century-Fox Stars Betty Grable Tyrone Power

20th-Century Fox Movies Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Stars Humphrey Bogart

Warner Bros. Stars Bette Davis

Warner Bros. Animation

RKO Movies

Disney Animation Mickey Mouse Donald Duck

Disney Animation Snow White (1937)

Universal

Universal Serials

Walter Lantz Studio Woody Woodpecker Chilly Willy

Universal Movies Abbott & Costello

Universal Horror Movies

Columbia

Columbia Movies Claudette Colbert Clark Gable Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night (1934)

Columbia Movies Batman & Robin

Columbia Shorts The Three Stooges

United Artists Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin & DW Griffith

Monogram Movies Federal Bullets (1937)

Monogram Stars The Bowery Boys

Republic

Republic Movies

ADAPTING TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES SOUND –Help define space –Offscreen sound creates sense of 3- dimensional world –Onscreen sound defines space it comes from DIALOGUE: sound a way of developing characters & defining character traits

ADAPTING TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES MUSIC –Nondiegetic music reinforces “proper” emotional responses –Helps define & identify characters –Both outgrowths of live music in silent film exhibition –Market for records of film music

ADAPTING TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES SOUND DEVICES FOR CONTINUITY –Work with continuity editing Create smooth transitions between shots & scenes Keeping attention on narrative –SOUND BRIDGE –DIALOGUE HOOK

ADAPTING TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES DEEP FOCUS –By late 1930s, trend toward deep focus –New film stocks & lenses –Adapted to CHC narrative style Establish relationships among characters in a number of planes –Takes became longer

ADAPTING TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES COLOR –HAND-COLORING ( ) & TINTING & TONING ( ) –TECHNICOLOR TECHNICOLOR, INC. (1915) 2-COLOR TECHNICOLOR (1920s) –Red & blue 3-COLOR TECHNICOLOR (1932) –Red, green, & blue –3 rolls exposed simultaneously