Film studies Overview

Review What is a film? When did they begin making film? What is the technology? How have films changed?

History camera obscura - project a moving image, but there was no means of recording the image for later viewing. Moving images were produced on revolving drums and disks in 1830 (Stroboscope) in Austria 1878 (Leland Stanford) photographed a horse using 24 cameras.horse First film projectors were called Kinetoscope Thomas Edison (Light bulb guy) 1885 (one viewer at a time)

What makes A good picture? review Ten Points (look at your notes) Quiz on Thursday/Friday aSGuest stories-of-greatly- touching-photos/ aSGuest stories-of-greatly- touching-photos/

Exhibition Hall Era 5 cents Single clip No editing No sound People ran out of hall when film of train coming at them

1898 France Leads Georges Méliès fiction films Georges Méliès Originally a magician Liked special effects Early film was science fiction (Jules Verne’s “Earth to Moon”) 1900 Charles Pathé began film production (focused on newsreels)Charles Pathé Dominates industry until WWI (Astral-Pathe still in Canada - Montreal called Astral Studios)

Silent film Era 1900 – 1929 One reeler (15 minutes) Eventually stared two, three reel films Often Slapstick Different genres emerged

Silent film Era Jew located to Hollywood because of suppression by Thomas Edison Perfect lighting New York industry dies out Different genres emerged (Western, musicals) Depicted immigrant experienceexperience

Codes & conventions Black & white (heavy contrast) Silent so had to be emoted Some writing but average viewer fifth grader Music was often played live in theater Static camera shots (cameras large and limited) Short so many theaters had several films

Stars Usually stage actors first “Star system” begins (script revolves around actor) Most couldn’t switch to “Talkies” Mary Pickford “America’s sweetheart” was Canadian Charlie Chaplin (clown) Rudolph Valentino “sex symbol” Clara Bow the “it” girl Co-created Universal Studios

Talkies Synchronizing film and sound was tricky First feature to do so was “Jazz Singer” (racist by modern standards) Many silent film stars voices did not match persona and new technology meant no more emoting

Montage Q (Battle ship Potempkin) Q (Manhatten) (Rocky) (Mulan) 4

Genres & technical Name some EARLY genres What are the limitations of silent films? How does it change the way they tell the story?

Fantasy ry=a+trip+to+the+moon+1902+full+movie&oq =a+trip+to&gs_l=youtube.1.1.0l j ac.1.11.youtube.uNNEYALe7F8 ry=a+trip+to+the+moon+1902+full+movie&oq =a+trip+to&gs_l=youtube.1.1.0l j ac.1.11.youtube.uNNEYALe7F8 Georges Méliès (1902) Subject of modern film “Hugo”

Slap stick boisterous comedy: comedy with the emphasis on fast physical action, farcical situations, and obvious jokes that do not depend on language ro ro

Melodrama sensationalized dramatic or literary work: a dramatic or other literary work characterized by the use of stereotyped characters, exaggerated emotions and language, simplistic morality, and conflict RueQ RueQ

Romance focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters and the journey that their genuinely strong, true and pure romantic love takes them through dating, courtship to marriagepassionemotion CvY CvY

Action o4 o4

Comedy aik aik Charlie Chaplin