Few People Know The Real Reason Behind Hollywood Becoming The Film Capital Of The World
By Natasha Kayes|Published January 12, 2024
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Natasha Kayes
Author
I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
You hear “movies” or “film industry” and you think Hollywood, right? They are virtually synonymous today, but the fact is that this is not where the movie industry started and, if things had gone a little differently, we would think of New Jersey as the film capital of the world. What is more, Thomas Edison was – unintentionally and indirectly – responsible for the establishment of Hollywood’s film industry. Keep reading to learn the intriguing *real* history of Hollywood as we know it.
When most people hear the name Thomas Edison, they generally think only of one thing - the invention of the light bulb. The truth is, though, that he invented quite a few things including the phonograph, an electric pen, the alkaline storage battery, and the very first movie camera, known as the kinetograph.
Using the kinetograph together with the kinetoscope movie projector - developed by Edison’s assistant, then patented by Edison himself - the silent film was born, and Edison opened the country’s first-ever movie studio called Black Maria.
Edison’s studio began producing movie after movie. Here’s the kicker: Black Maria was located in West Orange, New Jersey, which consequently became the official film capital of the world.
Competition ensued, with filmmakers wanting to put out their own movies, and Edison responded by using patents to control the industry. He created an alliance with other motion picture equipment patent-holders, including Eastman Kodak who produced raw film.
Between patents, expensive license fees, and lawsuits over copyright infringement, it became nearly impossible for anyone not contracted with Edison to produce films. Legend has it that Edison even resorted to intimidation tactics that pushed the boundaries of the law.
In the end, filmmakers wanted to get as far as possible from Edison and his industry monopoly. The farthest place from the East Coast was the West Coast, specifically Los Angeles, where judges were not so inclined to rule with Edison and when they did, rulings were harder to enforce. Land and labor were also much more available and affordable.
In 1911, the first movie studio, Christie-Nestor Studios, was established in Hollywood, and by 1915, some 60 percent of all movies came from Hollywood, and a new film capital was in place.
Did you know the history of Hollywood’s film industry? It seems no matter how well we know our home state, there is always something new and interesting to learn, and we just can’t get enough! If you feel the same, dive in and check out more Southern California history and fun facts. And if you are a California native (and proud of it!) you might love the cool duds at Wear Your Roots. See something you can’t live without? Be sure to use coupon code CALIFORNIA10 for a discount!
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