The first association most people have with the word “cinematography” is probably Hollywood.
Fewer people know that cinema began in Europe. For example, one of the most famous events in the world of cinema was the screening of a short film, Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station, by the Lumière Brothers from France. By 1910. France was still producing 70 percent of its films. Inventors were trying to come up with devices to help the industry develop, among them Thomas Edison, I.A. Timchenko, and J. Demeny.
But then why is it the American film industry today is the largest and most developed?
If you turn to history, it is clear that this industry has developed quite rapidly, involving an increasing number of interested people who invested money in the new business, creating competition. Focused on the film industry for the mass audience (however, we must not forget about the so-called independent cinema).
Over time, the industry began to grow even faster, the production of films has increased dramatically, actors and directors from other countries began to come to the U.S., there was a wider range of film genres.
Already by the middle of the twentieth century, movies had become one of the most profitable ways to make money. Competition between studios and companies tightened, there was a merger of some of them, small and “weak” were destroyed by competitors. Those who managed to stay in the industry prospered. The number of jobs grew; writers, cameramen, stuntmen, and technicians were hired. Consequently, the specialization of education developed as the need for various film-related professions only increased. Cinemas sprouted up all over the country like mushrooms after the rain. Films began to be put on stream, to become one and the same.
With the advent of sound in movies, a problem arose – so popular throughout the world, American silent movies suddenly began to lose popularity because of the lack of translation. They tried to solve this problem by releasing versions in a foreign language, but the idea did not catch on, and eventually it was necessary to establish a system of translation into other languages anyway.
However, with the advent of the ability to shoot color movies, with the advent of special effects and sets, the U.S. chooses, so to speak, the path of spectacle. The main task now is to surprise the viewer, to make him experience a real shock in the theater. This is how blockbusters come into being. This is perhaps one of the most common definitions of a “typical American film. This spectacularity draws people to cinemas, they want to see things that are not always possible in real life.
Everyone knows that most foreign cinematographers are “inspired” by Hollywood. We can talk about fashion in the film industry, as well as all kinds of compilations and plagiarism.
Being an attractive country for all categories of people, America attracts filmmakers to this day. Undoubtedly, in this country a talented editor/writer/director has much more chances, because the film industry is developed and continues to grow, creating more and more stars, celebrities, masterpieces of cinematography.
I think almost anyone can find something for themselves in American films. The range of subjects, genres, ideas, implementation of these very ideas is so wide and bright, that it is easy to get dizzy from the variety. Of course, connoisseurs and especially subtle natures can argue that the U.S. cinema is too streaming and belongs to the mainstream, but even to such requests America has prepared an answer – independent film. All sorts of trends, the so-called art house, indie, experimental and underground cinema, are as well developed in the U.S. as the production of major Hollywood companies. Isn’t that proof of the multifaceted nature of the U.S. film industry?
People treat America as a collection of many “peoples” in one territory. No wonder, as the history of immigration to the United States tells us. In a relatively short time there has been an incredible diversity of different cultures. If Englishmen, Jews, Germans, and Chinese live in one city alone, what about the nationalities in the whole country? I can only assume that this has been one of the reasons for the popularity of American cinema. All of this mixing of cultures has manifested itself in different areas of life. Including in the film industry. For example, the founders of one of the most famous film companies in the world, Warner Bros. were natives of Poland.
Some people may associate the United States with globalization. Sometimes globalization is equated with Americanization, and this is due to the influence that America began to have on the world in the twentieth century. And, in our case, it is, of course, the influence on cinema.
America sets trends in many areas of modern life, be it science, music or film. The history of the American film industry is rich not only in events and names, but also in turns in the development of artistic thought, and the history of the States itself has allowed the industry to evolve and involve artists from around the world. It’s hard to imagine today’s entertainment scene without American films, and it’s hard to imagine the world cinema without the U.S. film industry.
