Lecture Notes on Mass Communication: Film

This set of flashcards is designed to help students review key terms and definitions related to the film industry and its historical development as outlined in the lecture notes.

Persistence of vision

The phenomenon that allows the human brain to perceive a series of rapidly changing images as continuous motion.

Kinetograph

An early motion picture camera developed by Thomas Edison.

Daguerreotype

The first publicly available photographic process, introduced by Louis Daguerre in 1839.

Cinématographe

A motion picture camera and projector patented by the Lumière brothers.

Montage

A film editing technique that combines a series of short shots to create a cohesive narrative, exemplified in Edwin W. Porter’s The Great Train Robbery.

Nickelodeons

Early motion picture theaters that charged five cents for admission, prevalent in the early 1900s.

The Birth of a Nation

A 1915 silent film directed by D. W. Griffith, noted for its special effects and controversial themes, including its sympathetic portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan.

Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC)

An early film industry monopoly founded by Edison to control the film production and distribution process.

Talkies

Films with synchronized sound, beginning with Don Juan in 1926 and becoming popular with movies like The Jazz Singer in 1927.

MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America)

The organization that oversaw the Motion Picture Production Code (MPPC) established to regulate content in films.

B-movies

Low-budget films that are often shown as a second feature alongside a main film.

Paramount Decision

A 1948 Supreme Court ruling that deemed vertical integration and block booking in the film industry illegal.

Red Scare

A period of heightened fear of communism in the U.S. that influenced many aspects of Hollywood, leading to censorship and the blacklisting of individuals.

Digital distribution

The process of delivering movies and TV shows through digital platforms, a method that has become increasingly common.

Convergence

The merging of various media platforms, enabling new ways for films to be produced, distributed, and consumed.

Product placement

A marketing strategy where brands promote their products in films, which has become a significant component of film finance.