THE FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN FILM

1908-1919

Rapid change in Film

Length of films expanding from 1 reel shorts (12-15 min) to feature films with multiple reels.

Size of movie theaters grew- 1st large movie palace built in 1912

Actors became stars Charlie Chaplin

U.S. becomes the dominant center of filmmaking Especially in Hollywood; cheap land and sunshine Largely due to WW1

D.W. Griffith

Elevated film to a sophisticated art form Generally regarded as the single most

important figure in American film Acted for Edison and Biograph Directed his first film for Biograph in 1908 and

by the end of the year was doing all of their directing.

By the time he began work on The Birth of a Nation in 1915, he had directed approximately 450 films. Most 1-reel, but some 2 and 4 reel

D.W. Griffith

Explored a wide variety of effects: Close-ups Panoramas Moving camera Crosscutting

Types of cuts

Cut: the connection between two shots. 3 Principal types:

Narrative cut: vision is focused on different objects or people in a continuous scene.

2nd type joins different times (flashback or forward) or places.

Crosscut: moves quickly back and forth between two or more related events.

D.W. Griffith cont….

By using crosscutting, Griffith was able to build tension and to show simultaneous action in a way that is not possible on stage.

Worked with a permanent set of actors Used extensive rehearsal time with actors-

unprecedented for his time. Created a new style of acting suitable for film. Had a strong music background and worked

closely on the composition of original scores for his films.

Developments in Film

Organ became the most common movie theater instrument.

The size of musical ensembles in movie theaters tended to expand

Compilation scores became common using 19th century classics

Cue sheets and music anthologies provided help for theater musicians

Original scores created for films

Musical Accompaniment

Wurlitzer began producing organs designed for movie theaters Additions made so the organ could make sound

effects like a car horn, telephone or gunshot Size of theaters increased and became

more ornate. Ensembles increased as well. By the end of the decade, some theaters

had full orchestra ensembles of over 50 musicians.

Compilation Scores

3 Types of music for silent films:1. Adaptations of classical works2. Arrangements of well-known patriotic,

religious, or popular tunes3. Newly composed material

Musical scores based largely on borrowed material are considered to be compilation scores. Pg. 67

Cue Sheets and Anthologies

Filmmakers became increasingly concerned with the relationship between music and drama

Began to recognize the need for music to reflect the action.

This led to two things:1. Creation of guides to help theater music

directors select appropriate music2. Composition of new scores for individual

films.

Cue Sheet

Sheet telling stage musicians what songs were to be played where.

Accompanied a specific film First appeared in 1909

Anthologies

Books of original music written to accompany general moods, settings, or characters.

Example: Agitated music, sad music, happy music, wedding music etc.

Rather than picking random Theater pianists could select passages from an anthology to fit the needs of the film.

Original Music Scores

Between 1910 and 1914, over 100 scores can be documented.

Camille Saint-Saëns wrote one of the first completely original film scores for a Paris film. He was one of France’s most prestigous composers at

the time.