BLOG QUESTION: MILESTONES IN RECORDING

How do you think these technological advances affected filmmaking? Which 3 of these advances do you think are the most important to video and film? Why?

Advancements in technology has impacted filmmaking by improving sound, visual, and editing quality overall. It has made recording more convenient, and it has allowed us to do more during post-production. I think the milestones of stereophonic sound, multi-track recording, and digital audio has been the most important to video and film. Stereophonic allowed for a more accurate and immersive listening experience, multi-track recording allows us to layer audios and add sfx, music, dialogue, and more, and digital audio made high quality sound more accessible for filmmakers.

 

BLOG QUESTION: HISTORY OF SOUND QUESTIONS

Take a moment to write down 2 questions about the history of sound at the movies that you would like to learn about. What do you want to know about these aspects of sound history?

One question I have is how gradual was the change from live sound (live narration, music, etc.) to digital, and what specific theaters were the first to adapt this change. I also want to know what kinds of sounds they prioritized first (Soundtrack, dialogue, sfx, etc.) after the development of the technology. I think it’ll be interesting to see the development of digital sound from analog, and I’d also like to know how it changed the industry and impacted those working in it, specifically silent film actors and composers, since I know some people had their careers destroyed.

BLOG QUESTION: BIT RATES

How would you describe the differences between the bit rates? Why do each of them sound different from each other?

As the bit rate level decreases, the quality of the sound seems to decrease also. The audio starts to sound distorted and it contains a lot of white noise. This is because the audio becomes more compressed with a lower bit rate. The quality sounds different because the bit rate determines the amount of data being used. The higher the bit rate, the more data, and the more details and accuracy in the audio. This all leads to better sound quality.

BLOG QUESTION: FREQUENCY

What is frequency in audio? How is it measured?

Frequency in audio can control the pitch/tone of a sound. They can be divided into two groups, with low frequencies being called bass and high frequencies being called treble. It is measured by the amount of cycles (when a wave oscillates 360°) in a wave created in one second. The unit used is called Hertz (Hz).

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH

What do you find interesting about this video? How does seeing sound visualized help you understand what sound is?

I found that the shapes of the sound waves and the speed that they traveled in was interesting because they changed depending on how loud or quick the sound was. For example, a clap created multiple sound waves and moved at a slower speed compared to a gunshot sound which was one quick wave. Seeing sound visualized helps me understand how sound can travel far and how sound can last for prolonged amount of times due to multiple waves travelling through the air at a slower pace.

LOG QUESTION: WRAPPING CINEMA HISTORY

Take a few moments to reflect on what you have learned in this unit. The history of cinema is vast, and we could only cover a short part of it. After watching this video, what do you notice about the evolution of filmmaking? How did it all begin? How far have we come? In your opinion, where are we headed?

Filmmaking started off very simple, with pictures shown in rapid succession to create the illusion of motion. Later, it started to develop, and events and stories could be recorded. These were called photoplays, and they consisted of scenics, topicals, and fiction films that were single shot pictures. This would soon change with innovations in editing and camera work, such as cross-cutting. Now, movies are filmed in color, and they contain elaborate stories with all kinds of special effects, including CGI and practical effects. In my opinion, I believe movies are going to become more realistic and immersive, with technology such as VR and AI. 

BLOG QUESTION: ASIAN AMERICAN PIONEERS

How were asian actors and characters treated at the time in American films? Which of these actors' stories could you relate to? Explain why you found their achievements so significant.

During this time, asian actors and characters usually had to portray racial stereotypes to get people to watch. People at that time weren't thinking critically about authentic cultural or ethnic representation before the 1960-70s. When they were given roles that didn't revolve around their race, they were usually secondary characters to a main white lead. Many of them would lose roles to white people in yellowface. By the 1930s, romantic Asian male leads were also basically nonexistent. Even in these cases when a white actor was portraying an Asian onscreen, interracial relations were still forbidden, preventing Asian-Americans from landing these roles. I found Anna May's story the most interesting and relatable, since she was fascinated by film from a very early age. 

BLOG QUESTION: AFRICAN AMERICAN'S IN SILENT FILM

Why was Micheaux so important in film history? What was so significant about his achievements considering the period?

Micheaux is an important African-American filmmaker who wrote, produced and directed 44 features. His films tackled controversial issues such as the racism of  Birth of a Nation, and he was the first African-American filmmaker to have his work shown in "white" theaters. Micheaux also has was the first African-American filmmaker to direct a "talkie," and movies in the "race film" genre. This genre portrayed characters who weren't stereotypes, but real people with regular concerns. Despite his contributions, figures of the "Harlem Renaissance" generation didn’t give him as much recognition. They looked down on Micheaux because he wasn't middle class or educated. However, he is now considered a pioneer in the history of African-American film.

BLOG QUESTION: BAY AREA SILENT ROOTS

What are the roots of silent cinema in the Bay Area? How did it play an important role in early cinema history? What famous personalities made films here?

San Francisco was a popular location choice for movie shoots, but the cold and foggy weather led at least one filmmaker to settle in Niles, California instead. “Broncho Billy” Anderson, who was partly in charge of the Essanay Film Manufacturing Co., had been traveling around the United States for three years, looking for the perfect weather and filming location for the Westerns that he was making. Essanay was the most successful silent film company in the Bay Area. One of the biggest movie stars of the time, Charlie Chaplin, had been working in LA at the Keystone Film Co. for $150 a week, and his contract was almost up. Broncho Billy’s righthand man, Jess Robbins, signed him at Essanay for $1,250 a week, with a $10,000 signing bonus. Chaplin didn’t really like Niles compared to Los Angeles, but he made five films in Niles that cemented his standing as a movie star. Essanay allowed Chaplin to transition from being an actor to a filmmaker himself. Many believe that this was the true beginning to Chaplin and his rise to popularity.

BLOG QUESTION: THE PATENT WARS

If you had to summarize and explain the events that led from the film industry's transfer from New Jersey to Los Angeles, how would you explain it? What was Thomas Edison's role in this transition? What role did patents and Nickelodeons play in this dispute?

The main factor that led the film industry to move from New Jersey to Los Angeles was Edison and his company's (MPPC) strict patent laws which controlled a lot of the filmmaking technology at that time. The industry moved to the opposite coast to put distance between themselves and Edison. There were also other factors such as the environment (good weather) and the fact that it was accessible through railroads. Nickelodeons were small theaters that showed films at the time created a higher demand for movies, but because of the MPPC and its patents, the production and distribution of movies was being controlled by them. 

BLOG QUESTION: THE LATHAM LOOP

What is the Latham loop? How did it change cinema?

The Latham loop was created because people wanted to make a film that lasted more than a few seconds

without tearing. The Latham brothers, along with their father, invented the Latham Loop, a way of

pulling film through the threading device of the camera gently enough not

to tear the sprockets. It was also a device that enabled the film to gently spool over from back to front, allowing for longer films. Their projector was called the Eidoloscope. By 1908, the Loop became integral to any film projector and camera. The Latham Loop, now owned by Dickson, had became a pawn in Edison’s battle against independents. Combined with the "fricion feed", these innovations made by Dickson had proved a match for Edison.

BLOG QUESTION: D.W. GRIFFITH PROBLEMATIC PIONEER

After delving deeper into the context of D.W. Griffith's life and career, what are your reflections on his contributions to film? How do you believe Griffith's influence should be perceived and evaluated in the context of 21st-century cinema?

 D.W. Griffith made major contributions to film through his use of close-ups, fadeouts, large amount of extras, and ginormous film sets, and use of cross-cutting. His film "The Birth of a Nation" was also the first feature film to have its own musical score. Despite its significance to the development of cinematic techniques, it had a very harmful impact towards African-American people, and was made with the intent of degrading Black civilians to maintain White Supremacy. In terms of his contributions to cinema, D.W. Griffith's influence was positive, but his overall social impact on America was negative.

BLOG QUESTION: EDWIN S. PORTER

What was Porter's contribution to cinema? What was so significant about his work?

Porter used innovative editing techniques such as dissolves, gradual transitions, and cross-cutting. He also pioneered continuity editing (action matching cuts) and popularized it. His first use of cross-cutting is shown in his film, “Life of an American Fireman”, which shows a woman and child being saved from a fire. His film, “The Great Train Robbery”, is also considered one of the first western films, and it also uses the same innovative editing and story telling techniques listed above. His work is significant because he pioneered continuity editing, the western genre, cross-cutting, and overall helped developed storytelling and editing techniques.

BLOG QUESTION: GEORGE MELIES

What were Melies' contributions to cinema? Why is his work so significant?

Melies' contributed to the development of elaborate storytelling, special effects, and editing techniques. He started creating "trick" films, which used editing and special effects to create the illusion of levitating heads, disappearing people, and objects changing in size/shape. "A Trip to the Moon" is one example of a that contained a complex story and had many special and practical effects for  its time. He used techniques such as double exposure, which allowed him to show multiple images on screen at the same time. Melies' work is significant because he pioneered many special effects and editing techniques used today, and helped build the foundation for special effects and elaborate storytelling.

BLOG QUESTION: TONIGHT, TONIGHT

What is this music video about? Why did the band and the filmmakers choose these images? Why are they significant? What do you think they are paying homage or emulating?

I think the music video pays a homage to the silent film 'A Trip to the Moon" and other silent films. It's about a couple who journey to the moon and encounter aliens. They are captured, and manage to escape them. The music video uses effects such as superimposition to make characters look smaller/bigger on screen, and there's no dialogue at all. They also have unique makeup and costumes that fit the silent film theme. The set design/background effects create the "stage play" look that many silent films had.