Classical Age of Hollywood

Classical Age of Hollywood

The Big 5 Studios:

The Little 3 studios:

The studio system was a big part of the success of Classic Hollywood.

It was a system that enabled the biggest studios in Hollywood to have total control of the movies they made and how they would be distributed

The powerful structure of the studio system is known as vertical integration, because the studios controlled the supply chain from top (production) to bottom (exhibition)

Hays Code:

the Star System:

The studios were also infamous for ‘owning’ their stars, a practice known as the star system

In this system the stars were employees of the studio that they were working for and were bound to them in contracts

The Studio would build an image around the star that didn’t necessarily have anything to do with how that person was in real life

Contracts often had morality clauses, in the hope that it would keep the actors from using drugs, committing adultery and other indiscretions that could ruin their image.

Actors often felt ‘owned’ by the studios and were frustrated that they did not have the ability to choose their own work and the Studios sometimes ‘lent’ out their stars to other studios

The Narrative Structure:

The narrative is clearly structured with discernible beginning middle and end

Linear chains of cause and effect events

The narrative generally provides comprehensive resolution at the end. 

Continuity editing: 

    Establishing shot

    Shot/reverse shot  180 degree rule: 

    30 degree rule: 

    Match on action 

    Eye line match