Early Films 1908-1910

Watching Silent Films

1908 to 1917 was a decade of major change in the film business. Here are a few highlights:

American cinema saw an expansion out of New Jersey and New York, into Jacksonville, Florida, for warmer weather; it then took hold in Hollywood, California, between 1909 and 1915. “One-reeler” films (1000ft in length, or about 10 to 12 minutes of runtime) gave way to feature-length epics, tinted with different colors to match the mood of each scene. Intertitles containing lines of dialogue began to be used consistently from 1908 onward. Studio cameras became more portable, and 35mm film was accepted as an industry standard.

The “star system” began in 1909, emphasizing actors over plot lines to promote films. African-American movie makers entered the market, as well as more women directors. Film-making also began to take hold in Russia, India, and Latin America. 1917 marks the beginning of the Classical Hollywood era with films characterized by a formulaic narrative and style, particularly through major film studios like Universal and Paramount.

In the following decade, we’ll finally enter into an era that some people alive today were around to see the film premieres.

http://zepfanman.com/2018/12/videos-world-cinema-1908-1917-10y10f3/
^titles from the list:
1908 – Wilbur Wright flying in France (British Pathé; France)
1909 – Moscow Clad in Snow (Mundwiller; Russia)
1910 – White Fawn’s Devotion (Young Deer; USA)

hosted by YiFeng, Lily, Bob

Recorded on February 25, 2020