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Visual Media: Photography. Daguerreotype (1839). Photography is a means of stopping time—seems to capture moments. The artist’s hand no longer provides the best picture. Painting evolves away from realism. Turner, “Rain, Steam, and Speed” (1844). Van Gogh, “Threatening Skies” (1890).
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Visual Media: Photography • Daguerreotype (1839)
Photography is a means of stopping time—seems to capture moments. The artist’s hand no longer provides the best picture. Painting evolves away from realism.
Photography and Science Still photography reveals things about motion never before seen.
Scientific American, 19 October 1878. Based on photography by Muybridge.
Photography shows us worlds--both outer and inner--never before seen.
Human embryo, 8 weeks.
Crab Nebula
New kinds of journalism emerge=> photojournalism. New level of expressiveness! (and also new kinds of ethical issues)
Photojournalism, Life Magazine Alfred Eisenstadt, “VE Day, 14 August, 1945.”
Bill Eppridge, RFK’s death, 1968.
Movies as Medium: Importance of Experience • How else do films differ from previous media? • Overwhelming experience • Intense theatre experience • Suspension of Disbelief • Surrender doubts about the reality of a story and become caught up in the story • Dream Theory
Movie Exhibition • Early theaters=Movie Houses • By 1910 there were 10,000 Nickelodeons. • Movie houses could sometimes hold up to 3,000 people • 1946=80 million movie tickets sold • 1953=numbers decline by half
Movie Technology • Technical image is photography • 1727- motion picture technology • Persistence of Vision • 1888- creation motion picture camera using celluloid from George Eastman (Kodak) • 1891- Edison produced movies
Edison’s Kinetoscope • Kinetoscope=peep Show format Lumiere Bros=borrowed Idea and moved it to Projection 1895- opened first movie hall in Paris
Movie History • The silent Era: lasted for much of the beginning of movie history: Sound was not incorporated into films until the 1920’s • Use of intertitles (title card) • Films used to only last 10-15 mins. Because mostly viewed by working class • Eventually came feature film • 1920’s U.S. has greatest output of feature films
Silent to Sound Films • Birth of a Nation (1915) • First full-length film • Silent films usually had live music • The Jazz Singer (1927) • First ‘sound’ movie (mostly music) Shift from silent=>sound brings changes!
Animated Films • Walt Disney went into the animated films business in the 1920’s, beginning with Steamboat Willie, who was to later evolve into Mickey Mouse. The animated film was morphed into a full length film with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. • Change from hand drawn animation to computer animation. In 1995 Disney’s Toy Story was the first full length movie produced solely by computers.
Color: In 1939, Gone with the Wind (referred to as the first color movie) was released.
Hollywood Narratives: economics of genre • Standardization/Differentiation • Logic of mass production: same basic product, slight variations. • The power of repetition: watching the same movie over and over again, with slight variations • Reflexive genres: parodies of known formulas.
The studio system • Mass production of movies (the move to Hollywood) • Reliance on the “star” system • Control over actors signed to long term contracts (like the record industry now). • High expectations of production • Creation of PR/personas • Studios used to control/own theaters, too. • 1948 Paramount Decision, forced major studios of the time to divest (give up control of creation AND distribution)
Major Studios The Big Six: • Columbia (Sony-Japan) • Walt Disney (Disney- US) • Paramount (Viacom- US) • 20th Century Fox (News Corporation-Australia) • Universal Studios (General Electric- US) • Warner Brothers (Time Warner- US) • Independent Films were able to emerge after the 1948 decisions.
Before US Supreme Court ruling, major studios controlled the entire system. • Film Festivals give young/independent directors to show their films for exposure.
Movie Industry: Distribution • The distribution component of the movie industry includes things like release dates, marketing and promotion, and booking films into theaters. • MPAA=body that gives movie ratings • More options (VOD, straight to video) • Digital cinema=makes things less $$ • Foreign Distribution=‘second life’
Beyond Hollywood Foreign films • Bollywood=largest film industry! • American films abroad • Catching on? Documentary Controversial/unpopular material(Moore)
Hollywood Adapts to TV & Video • Initially, H-wood fears TV! • Put movies on TV (HBO) • Address themes not treated in TV. • Technological developments: 3-D, Technicolor, surround-sound. • Video/DVD afterlife • Home-based viewing/home theaters • Acquiring/owning films is easy, cheap
The Blockbuster Model • Huge promotional costs • Special effects ($$) • Built around stars, director • Large upfront investment and large returns. • Translate to international markets. • product placement/tie-ins!
A white, male industry • A ‘boys club’ at most levels (even acting!) • Only one female director w/an Oscar; only 3 nominations ever • No black Oscars for directing. • All the black Oscars:
Hattie McDaniel, supporting actress* James Baskett, honorary award Sidney Poitier, Best Actor 1963 Louis Gossett, Jr., supporting actor (1982). Denzel Washington, supporting (1989). Whoopi Goldberg, supporting (1990). Cuba Gooding, Jr., supporting (1996). Halle Berry, Best Actress (2001). Denzel Washington, Best Actor (2001). Sidney Poitier, Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award “ Jennifer Hudson, supporting actress (2007) Forest Whitaker, Best Actor (2007) Mo’ Nique, Best Supporting Actress (2009) Octavia Spencer, Best Supporting Actress (2011)
