Guiding Question: How has film in the west evolved over time, affecting cultural expression?
By ellie.haidry
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Major contributors to film have guided the expression to it's present form today. Cinema began with the invention of a prototype of a Kinetoscope from the Edison Company (Science Museum Group, 2020). The Kinetoscope allowed for people to watch moving pictures on a singular device (Science Museum Group, 2020). The pictures would loop, running at about twenty seconds (Science Museum Group, 2020). -
Artistic cultural expression is a singular person or a communities usage of art forms, which helps convey thoughts, values, morals, and experiences. One of these forms is movies or film, which people use to articulate stories from personal perspectives, historical perspectives, and/or social perspectives. Films incorporate auditory and visual elements to provide a message. Messages can challenge societal norms, create cultural awareness, and conserve historical moments.
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Social movements and increased immigration have contributed to changes. The industry as a reflection of real life has shown that people of colour are not welcome in these career fields (Dunn et. al, 2021). The level of diversity in front and behind the camera has changed. In the Silent Era black actors were given violent, stereotypical roles, but the Civil Rights Movement changed outcomes. Presently less than 6% of US made films involve the creative input of Black people (Dunn et. al, 2021).
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The Lumiere Brothers, however, were the first to display moving pictures to a live, paid audience (held in Paris, France) (Science Museum Group, 2020). The Cinematographe was developed by them, combining a camera, projector, and printer (Science Museum Group, 2020). -
Before the First World War, reel films in the United States were known as "features" (Sklar, Cook, 2024). Reel films would be displayed in theatres for as little as a dollar (Sklar, Cook, 2024). Distributing these "features" was challenging, although national distribution alliances were able to settle on a pricing for a film's negative cost, resulting in box office receipts too (Sklar, Cook, 2024). The reels could run longer and the ticket prices would increase. -
Film locations and location shootings became popular in Florida, Texas, New Mexico, and Cuba, yet the best site was always Los Angeles, in a suburb called "Hollywood" (Sklar, Cook, 2024). The suburb was close to the popular company MPCC (Sklar, Cook, 2024). There was a low tax base, with inexpensive labor and land (Sklar, Cook, 2024). By 1915, investments in American motion picture were greater than $500 million dollars (Sklar, Cook, 2024). -
In the Silent era the function of cinema was purely to entertain with the newfound ability of presenting the real world through moving photographs. Film makers, entertainers, and actors were influenced, as well as the people living in Hollywood (Catherall, 2022). Cultural experiences were created with audiences having the shared experience of experiencing a story and "transporting" to a whole other reality (Catherall, 2022).
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The Warner Brothers announced that all of their films would be backed with a musical arrangement, using a Vitaphone (sound on disc system) (Sklar, Cook, 2024). Major film companies borrowed significant money to produce sound, causing them to work under two groups: Morgan Group, and Rockefeller Group (Sklar, Cook, 2024). Colour in film was introduced with stencilling, and later three colour systems (Sklar, Cook, 2024). The studio system would later change the industry. -
The film industry had the expectations of restricting any mention of drugs, alcohol, sexual intercourse, and/or sexuality. The industry focused on pleasing the government and by these expectations they would support war-arms campaigns (Sklar, Cook, 2024). The government instilled the fear of communism, investigating films that were in any way influenced by communism (Sklar, Cook, 2024). Television was also a threat to film (Sklar, Cook, 2024). -
Enhanced elements of dialogue, sound effects, and realism allowed for deeper messages to be illustrated. Social issues were slowly becoming a part of film, though the government still had majority of control over the industry. In Germany, Nazi's would use heavy propaganda and censorship to promote their ideas (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d.). In America, the government instilled the fear of communism, justifying their role in the war. Nationalism and patriotism were emphasized.
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From 1950 to 1960, the Civil Rights Movement impacted the casting of actors and the representation of black people in movies (Events, 2023). Black actors were hired to amplify the movement of representation (Events, 2023). Social instability in America was of deep focus in film, followed by a demand to end racial injustices (Events, 2023). Movies like "To Kill A Mockingbird" shifted the aims of Hollywood, explicitly targeting oppression of minority black communities (Events, 2023).
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Technology saw major developments, including media culture taking over numerous societies. Videocassette recorders (VCRs) made movies accessible, as well as cable and satellite television (Sklar, Cook, 2024). Higher technology allowed for better recording cameras, computer animation, and digital video discs (DVDs) (Sklar, Cook, 2024). These trends, along with the Internet, created the rise of distribution of movies (Sklar, Cook, 2024). -
Advancements in technology and the Internet have created a shift to narratives that commonly speak upon isolation of individuals, the seeking of identity, and the digital world. Social justice topics are voiced surrounding people of colour and their rights, gender inequality, and colonialism. Sexuality is freely expressed too. Independent production of movies have led to expanded topics, regardless of government ideology and expectations.
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Households now invest in subscriptions to streaming services such as, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and/or HBO. International film is a major influence on these platforms as geography does not have the same effect on the content we consume (Jones, 2024). Movies filmed in various locations, that incorporate various cultures (languages, biases, political influences), are available on one platform (Jones, 2024). Storytelling is shown from a multitude of perspectives (Jones, 2024). -
Artificial intelligence technology is incorporated in assessing audience preferences, and reactions (Spair, 2024). The quality of script writing, storytelling, casting, and even advertising has all changed. One example is Netflix utilizing AI algorithms to assess viewer data, therefore implementing recommendations to users (Spair, 2024). Tailoring a film to a specific demographic, as well as tailoring the distribution to a specific audience is how Netflix has seen immense success (Spair, 2024).
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Men dominated cinema for a long period, inputting the male gaze to develop movies that cast female characters, solely for the pleasure of male audiences. In the present day, movie franchises like "Barbie" have worked to disprove the need for a predominant male gaze (Beers, 2021). New archetypes grant females the ability to have fresh and authentic perspectives (Beers, 2021). The feminist movement has allowed for females to produce and write films, true to their lives (Beers, 2021).
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Traction for the Black Lives Matter movement created a domino effect. Society freely voices their opinions on the injustices of people of colour, and various misrepresentations. Historical revisionism is a term to describe the revision of established positions (Oxford Reference, n.d.). Historical revisionism in film leads to the refusal of denying the violation of human rights (Oxford Reference, n.d.). Culture has changed with movies reflecting overturned biases (Oxford Reference, n.d.).
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The COVID-19 pandemic is a reason for the major switch in audience viewing, the idea of a packed cinema developing into at-home viewing. The movie theatres closed leaving people isolated, with the only option to use streaming services. This trend persists as people have adapted to the idea of isolation and the concept of an at-home, personal viewing experience. The pandemic sparked increased traction for the Black Lives Matter movement, resulting in the fight for combatting social injustices.
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Since the invention of the Kinetoscope, cinema has seen extraordinary evolution. We've seen this evolution from the Silent Era, to deep, personal narratives, or in contrast artificial intelligence technologies. Sound and colour was a stepping stone into adding layers to cinema. The globalization of films through streaming has increased diversity, bringing larger streams of revenue. Artistically, historically, and socially the evolution of film has affected culture in a progressive manner.