From Silents to Studio's Golden Years

Part 1: The inclusion of sound in the movies

A sound stage.

Most of the big film studios were opposed to using sound in movies for a number of reasons, chief among these being their fear of the public not accepting it, the inevitable rough transition for many actors and actresses from silent films to sound films (i.e. for those with foreign accents, those with weak and unfitting voices, those lacking experience and with diction problems, and with having to now memorize dialogue and directions) and the increased cost of utilizing sound (i.e. building sound studios/sound stages, equipping theaters with new technology).

Writing About Film

The article "Writing about Film" details five different kinds of film writing. The first is formal analysis. This requires the writer to separately consider each and every element of the film and its impact on the piece as a whole. Therefore, the viewer must develop a deeper understanding of each aspect.

Another type of film writing is film history. Such writing involves a knowledge of the culture of the film's time and place, particularly the norms and standards reflected in it. Furthermore, film history also entails the history of the film itself - the trials and tribulations as well as the successes and achievements experienced during its production, its release, and the aftermath: its legacy.


A third form of film writing is an ideological paper. These discuss the beliefs and ideals expressed in all films, ranging from political propaganda to nationalistic pride to simply being a good person.

Papers regarding cultural studies and national cinemas reflect on the deep, unintentional resonance that culture has on a film. A specific culture's values are invariably displayed in its films, leading to differences in perception amongst audiences of different cultures.


Finally, we come to discussions of the auteur. An auteur in film is a director whose personal creative vision is notable through all aspects of the film. Discussion of such recognizes this; ergo, criticism leads one to comprehend what really makes an auteur's film his or her film. This type typically takes traits of other papers, such as film history or formal analysis, in order to spread its focus to the film itself as well as the auteur's personal efforts.

To annotate a shot sequence is to take notes on each and every shot in the sequence. This is medium-specific; that is, it's unique to film and differs greatly from literary annotation. A key tip for this is to not only note the sequence's shots, but why they exist. What are the filmmakers trying to achieve utilizing these particular shots and edits? What do they wish to convey to the audience?


When we are told to think beyond the frame, the author is urging us to consider not only what we are seeing, but to equally consider what we don't see. We should consider the director and his previous works, the production history of the film that affects the choices of the filmmaker, the criticisms that others have of the film, the conventions of the genre in which the film is classified, and the influence of the culture to which the film was being released. All of these, in conjunction, can broaden one's understanding of the film and thus enable a more thoroughly analytical paper.