Film History

Transition to SoundProduction Code

It Happened One Night

Silent Film was an Art Form

• Sophisticated Language of Film– Shot, Scene, Sequence– Lighting, Camera Angle– Editing– Mise en Scene (Staging the action)

Movies talk….

• Early experimentation with technology

– Synchronization

– Amplification

• By 1929 Silent film was history

– Early sound was characterized by inert camera encased in sound proof glass.

Problems with early sound…

• Limited or no mobility• Sound quality muffled• Microphone placement determined scene design• Mixing (sound realism)• SOF established at 24fps

– MOS or SIL was 16 fps

Early Sync Sound

• Lee DeForest demonstrates sound on film

Sound Booth

The Jazz Singer 1927

Basically a silent film with sound sequences

• Warner Brothers• Audiences were already intrigued with RADIO

• Heralded the ascendance of the “talkies”

• Jolson performs in blackface in several scenes

The Jazz Singer

Major Economic Change in Industry

• Sound was expensive• New Needs

– Sound Stages– Theatres wired for sound– Many actors/directors did not survive the transition to

sound– Raided NY for

• stage directors• actors who could speak! • writers

Sound Revived the Film IndustryThe Little Three

• 1929– Paramount $15million vs. $8 million– Warner’s $17million vs. $2million– Fox $9million vs. $5million

It Happened One Night

• A spoiled heiress, running away from her family, is helped by a man who's actually a reporter looking for a story. But then he falls for her...

• Director: Frank Capra• Release Date: 23

February 1934 (USA)

Screwball Comedy

• War of the sexes– Supplanted real sex – Verbal sparring/witty dialogue

• Women were equal or better

• Often took on or challenged the traditional roles or conventions for women

Famous Teams

• Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy– Adam’s Rib, Desk Set, Pat & Mike

• Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert– It Happened One Night

• Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn– Bringing Up Baby, Holiday

• Gable and Carol Lombard

Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable

Frank Capra 1897-1991

• 1903 Immigrant• WWI 2nd Lt. Navy

• worked for Mack Sennett • Later a director at Columbia

Pictures• Documentaries as well as

feature films (Why We Fight - WW2)

Best Director 3 Oscars1934 It Happened One Night1936 Mr. Deeds Goes to Town1938 You Can’t Take It With You

Nominated 1939 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1946 It’s a Wonderful Life

Frank Capra