The Birth of the Feature Film: Crash Course Film History #6

TL;DR

Feature films emerged as filmmakers made movies longer, more complex, and more narrative, while editing developed into a visual language. From about 1907 to 1913, studios mass-produced 10-to-16-minute “one reelers,” but longer works and filmmakers such as D. W. Griffith helped shift cinema toward modern storytelling. Read on to understand how studios, monopolies, independents, and controversial landmark films shaped that transition.

Transcript

If you’ve been joining me from the beginning of our journey through the history of film, you might’ve noticed something. None of the films that I’ve talked about so far look like the movies you see today. Yes, Ryan Gosling got very little play in the late 1800s. But what I really mean is: We haven’t talked much about story. Character. Narrative. Li... Read More

Key Insights

• The film industry evolved from short novelties to feature-length films due to technical and narrative advancements.
• D.W. Griffith played a pivotal role in developing film language, introducing techniques like close-ups and cross-cutting.
• Studios, distributors, and exhibitors formed a vertically integrated system, which was later deemed a monopoly.
• The Motion Picture Patents Company, or 'the Trust', controlled film production and distribution, leading to resistance from independent filmmakers.
• Feature films gained popularity through successful longer films like 'The Crusaders' and 'Quo Vadis', breaking away from the one-reeler format.
• Griffith's 'Birth of a Nation' was a landmark in feature films but faced criticism for its racist portrayal of history.
• Independent filmmakers, including African American directors like Oscar Micheaux, created films challenging the racial narratives of the time.
• The transition to feature films marked the end of the Silent Shorts era, paving the way for more complex storytelling in cinema.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did feature films emerge from early short films?

Artists, technicians, and engineers began making films longer, more complex, and more focused on narrative, character, and story. Editing helped cinema develop its own visual language, while studios, theaters, distribution systems, and publicity made filmmaking and moviegoing more established.

Q: What role did D. W. Griffith play in the birth of the feature film?

D. W. Griffith’s extensive work helped film develop a visual language closer to modern cinema, including techniques such as close-ups and cross-cutting. His feature-length work advanced narrative complexity, although his legacy was deeply complicated by the racist content of “Birth of a Nation.”

Q: What were one-reelers, and how long were they?

One-reelers were the standard films produced during the early studio era. They generally ran about 10 to 16 minutes and were created rapidly through an assembly-line process that emphasized quantity over quality and discouraged experimentation.

Q: How was the early film industry organized?

The industry centered on studios, distributors, and exhibitors. Studios made films, distributors marketed and delivered them to screens, and exhibitors, including theaters, presented them to audiences.

Q: What did vertical integration mean in the early film industry?

Vertical integration meant that a studio controlled production, distribution, and exhibition. This gave major studios tremendous power, but the arrangement was eventually ruled a monopoly, forcing studios to separate their distribution and exhibition businesses.

Q: What was the Motion Picture Patents Company?

The Motion Picture Patents Company, also called “the Trust,” combined Thomas Edison’s interests with William Dickson’s Biograph, eight other major studios, the leading film distributor, and film-stock supplier George Eastman. Together, they created an effective monopoly over film production and distribution.

Q: What were the Patent Wars in early cinema?

Thomas Edison claimed patents covering elements used in motion-picture cameras and projectors and sought a share of equipment and film revenue. He sued competitors repeatedly, including no fewer than 20 lawsuits in a few years, and men connected to him reportedly threatened independent filmmakers.

Q: How did independent filmmakers help shape feature filmmaking?

Independent producers and distributors resisted the established monopoly and pursued longer, more innovative films. Their efforts helped weaken the Motion Picture Patents Company’s control, supported Hollywood’s rise, and expanded opportunities for filmmakers such as Oscar Micheaux to challenge dominant racial narratives.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The evolution of film from short novelties to feature-length productions was marked by significant technical and narrative advancements. D.W. Griffith emerged as a key figure, pioneering techniques that shaped modern cinema. However, his most famous work, 'Birth of a Nation', was controversial for its racist themes.

• The early film industry was dominated by vertically integrated studios that controlled production, distribution, and exhibition. This monopoly was challenged by independent filmmakers, leading to the rise of Hollywood and the creation of longer, more complex films.

• Feature films became the new standard as filmmakers experimented with longer narratives, breaking away from the one-reeler format. This shift was driven by successful longer films and the innovative work of directors like Griffith, despite the contentious nature of some of their content.