History of Hollywood
In the early 20th century, the captivating new art form of the motion picture became big business in a small district of Los Angeles. Ever since, Hollywood has been producing beloved entertainment for the masses and turning its stars into the biggest celebrities in the world. Its outsize cultural power has also made Hollywood the site of fierce battles over morality and politics. Though it now faces challenges from streaming giants such as Netflix and ascendant overseas competitors, including India’s Bollywood and Nigeria’s Nollywood, the U.S. film industry remains by far the world’s largest in terms of revenue and still enjoys the farthest cultural reach.
The Oscars
The Academy Awards are perhaps the most famous way that Hollywood tells its own story. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences began granting the awards in 1929, and winning an Oscar quickly became a path to glory for Tinseltown’s creatives. Indeed, the list of who has won the most Oscars includes some of the worthiest names in cinema history. However, the Oscars have faced criticism—such as the 2015 #OscarsSoWhite campaign—for its voting body, which has historically skewed older, whiter, and more male than Hollywood at large and has often chosen winners who look like themselves. Take a look at past Oscar winners.
Major Aspects of Moviemaking
Movie credits are filled with a dizzying array of job titles of the people who contribute to making a film. Although roles such as actor and director have been crucial to filmmaking from the beginning, other specialties arise whenever technology and tastes change. For example, synchronized sound was introduced with The Jazz Singer in 1927. Enter the Foley artist, who adds supplemental noises and sound effects to make onscreen action believable to audiences. More recently, innovations in motion capture and computer animation have inaugurated new rounds of creativity and specialization. Take a closer look at some of the technologies and disciplines involved in moviemaking.
The Filmmaker’s Toolbox
Watch and Learn
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
