The Main Changes That the Paramount Decree Effected on the Structure of the American Film Industry and the Measures the Ex-Studios Took to Remain in Control of the Film Market

In the early 1900’s, as films stated centering their focus on profit, large scale studios came onto the film scene. The studios that were discussed in the chapter were: Universal, United Artists, Paramount, Warner Bros, MGM, Fox, Columbia, and RKO. These studios employed some of the biggest names in the film world at the time. Many of these studios are still in business today, and have given prominent actors and directors their shot at fame. Universal was the first studio to move to the west coast. They produced popular films such as The

Basically, the studio system controls everything from production to showing included the actors. Actors who worked with a studio were under contract with that studio and could only act in that studio's production. These contracts were seven years long and forbids the actors from doing any other projects, like radio or television along with regulating the actor’s lives. The studio actors that were under contract were mostly white; minorities did not get much contracted work. The actors were required to act in whatever film they were cast, do publicity for their films, promote product tie-ins and occasionally even be loaned out to other studios for a film or two. The actors were working six days a week and often for about 14 hours a day. It may have been a hectic schedule but they were putting out 10 to 20 films a year. Studios had everyone under contract from the actors to the directors, from the writers to the technical staff. I think there was an up and down side to the studio system. On the good side, all the employees were under contract and everyone was available when they were needed. Films were getting produced at much faster rate than they are today. I would think there would be less conflict between actors and directors because everyone would have to

2. Pirogi, Jeanine. (2013). Titled: The Rise & Fall of Blockbuster: The very Long & Rewinding Road" (The Street). N.p., 23 Sept. 2010. Wide-Web. 11-Dec.

In the Paramount decision of 1948 this was the outcome of the United States vs. Paramount Pictures. This was a monumental case in the right of production companies to own theatres and holding exclusive rights on which theatres could show there movies.it would also change the way Hollywood movies were made, distributed, and exhibited in theatres and other places. The court held that this distributing technique was in violation of the antitrust law that was put in place years before. This case is used in vertical integration cases and is later known as the first nail in the coffin of the old Hollywood studio system.

The United States vs. Paramount decision changed the filmmaking business by making block booking illegal. It also made the ‘Big Five’ movie studios sell their movie theaters. The ‘Big Five’ consisted of Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and RKO Radio Pictures.

Paramount decision forced the film industry to go back to basics. For the previous twenty years, films had been created, produced, and distributed according to the dictates of the major studios. These studios controlled every aspect of each film, and, necessarily also the expenses and resulting incomes from them. With the dissolving of these tightly controlled nationwide organizations, the most immediate consequence of the case was significant financial loss. It was no longer an option to have a single entity produce a film; each part of the process had to be separately hired and planned.

These “Big Five” created an alliance of theater chains that monopolies on the profits of movies’ first-run and absolutely crushed other independent production countries. The Paramount case went into Federal Court in New York in 1940. The was a consent decree; the compromise allowed the Big Five to retain their chains in exchange for restriction on block-booking(selling multiple movies to a theater as a unit). This also outlawed blind bidding, so all films were required to be shown to the buyers before selling them (SIMPP, 2002).

The Paramount decision was a supreme court ruling in 1948 against the major film studios in Hollywood. The studios were Loew's incorporated, Fox, RKO, Paramount Pictures, and Warner Brothers, also called 'The big 5'. The court ruled for the elimination of block-booking and blind buying. Block booking meant that a studio would sell its films in packages on an all or nothing basis, usually theaters had to buy several

The Hollywood studio system was based on the industrial models developed by Henry Ford of the Ford Motor company. This process streamlined the production of the movies, similar to a production line in a factory. As I mentioned in my week 2 DB post, “The motion picture industry was just that, an industry in need of harnessing its work force for profitability”. The process relayed on every member of the production team and became the standardized system of the five major studios during that time period. The studio system allowed the top five studios to almost specialize in their particular genre of film production. It was cost effective to continuously make the same style of movie, from writing similar style scripts, production of similar stage

The following essay will examine how these changes took place, and what impact it had on the film making industry in America. We shall also examine how the system relates to the current production methods used in film making. The main issues raised within the text will be summarised concisely within the conclusion. Before a film reaches the cinema screen, and its audience it must go through a three stage process.

In recent years, our company as well as our competitors have seen changes in the movie theater industry. While revenues have increased, ticket sales have been declining which has led to research and analysis. In addition, the demographic makeup of moviegoers is seeing changes…opening up opportunities and room for expansion. The traditional movie theater has seen competition arise from alternatives.

The company is a film division for a large entertainment conglomerate. The main office is located in California. The company had many diversification that branches on to theme parks, home videos, interactive games etc. The company is a film division for a large entertainment conglomerate. The main office is located in California. The company had many diversification that branches on to theme parks, home videos, interactive games etc. Be nominated for and win an academy award for Best Picture of the year. Create at least one new animated character each year that cab star in a cartoon or TV series.Generate additional merchandise revenue (action figures, dolls, interactive games, music CDs). Raise Public consciousness

Hollywoodland, known as the most recognizable film industry in the world from the 1920’s to now, slowly went from black and white silent movies to colorful motion pictures in the screens. This lead to a major production of movies along the road and introduction to big world famous stars that helped with the expansion of the entertainment business. Hollywood became an overnight success during the 1920’s by making improvements in the film and motion picture industry.

Hollywoodland, known as the most recognizable film industry in the world from the 1920’s to now, slowly went from black and white silent movies to colorful motion pictures in the screens. This lead to a major production of movies along the road and introduction to big world famous stars that helped with the expansion of the entertainment business. Hollywood became an overnight success during the 1920’s by making improvements in the film and motion picture industry.

Looking at the film industry as we now know it, it’s hard to imagine that America wasn’t always the film producing machine we see it as now. Yet, when we begin looking at all the technological advances that took place in film over time and the events which occurred during these periods, it was a complex journey. In the following essay we are going to discuss why I believe that the wars faced both foreign and domestic played the biggest factor in the American Film industry’s rise to dominance by the 1950s.