The invention of film in 1895 by the Lumiere brothers in France created opportunities over the world to produce new and exciting entertainment for everybody to enjoy.
In America, reels with 8 – 12 mins of film were projected on to a large screen with some narrative films using a standard of ‘2 reeler’ films that were between 16 – 24 mins in length. The first cinemas were introduced after WW1 but were very different from the cinemas of the 21st century, lacking sound and colour with a mere 12fps compared to the traditional 24fps audiences have grown used to as commonplace in films today. Film became viewed as popular entertainment for everybody to have fun with the majority being comedy and romance films. The beginning of the studio system began during the 1910 – 1920s, where 6 different studios continually produced a wide variety of films in competition with each other. The popularity of these films brought about a star system in America as the country is capitalist, with the most popular actors of the time being paid an increased amount of money to star in a studios film as a specific name on a film would make someone want to see a film and therefore bring in more money for the studio. Glamorous women in film became known as ‘Pin – up girls’ whilst some standout names of the early era of Hollywood being, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy who were popular due to there bravery and athleticism admired in actors of the age.
Aaron Bruce's Film Studies Blog 