Question 1

Name the first Hollywood feature-film released using the three-strip Technicolor process.

Accepted Answer

Becky Sharp (1935) was the first feature-film released using the three-strip Technicolor process. Flowers and Trees (1932) was the first animated short film produced using the same process. A Star is Born (1937) and The Ten Commandments (1956) were produced in Technicolor, but not using the three-strip process.

Question 2

Which description best matches the use of sound in The Jazz Singer (1927)?

Accepted Answer

The Jazz Singer is known as a silent-sound hybrid because it features both synchronized sound (dialogue and singing) and silent film techniques (title cards, intertitles, and visual storytelling). This hybrid approach was used because at the time, the technology for producing synchronized sound films was still developing, and not all theaters were equipped to handle them.

Question 3

Which studio ultimately partnered with Western Electric and utilized Vitaphone technology, rebranding its image and making itself competitive in the process?

Accepted Answer

Warner Bros. ultimately partnered with Western Electric and utilized Vitaphone technology, which allowed them to add sound to their films. This rebranding made them competitive with other studios who were already incorporating sound into their productions.

Question 4

Name the technology that became known as sound-on-disc, which featured a synchronized record (disc) that played alongside moving pictures projected on screen.

Accepted Answer

The technology that became known as sound-on-disc was Vitaphone, which featured synchronized record (disc) that played alongside moving pictures projected on screen.

Question 5

Which decade best represents the moment when Hollywood transitioned from black-and-white films to color films?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which decade best represents the moment when...

Question 6

All of the following figures were fundamental in developing the technology that led to sound film EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The answer of All of the following figures were fundamental...

Question 7

Name the inventor who developed sound-on-film (Phonofilm) technology, which streamlined the synchronization process.

Accepted Answer

Lee de Forest invented the Phonofilm technology that enabled sound to be recorded directly onto film, eliminating the need for a separate sound recording device and simplifying the synchronization process.

Question 8

What percentage of films were released in color during the 1930s?

Accepted Answer

During the 1930s, the vast majority of films were still produced in black and white, with color films making up only about 1 percent of the total. Color film technology was available but expensive and not widely adopted until later.

Question 9

Hollywood talent were compelled to sign exclusive contracts with studios for which of the following reasons?

Accepted Answer

Hollywood talent were compelled to sign exclusive contracts with studios primarily for the steady paycheck and job security. This meant they were guaranteed a salary and work on a regular basis, which was attractive to many actors and actresses. The other options listed do not accurately reflect the main reason for these contracts.

Question 10

Name the vaudeville star of The Jazz Singer (1927).

Accepted Answer

Al Jolson starred in The Jazz Singer, which is considered a landmark film in the history of Hollywood.

Question 11

The classical studio system extensively utilized exclusive contracts to deal with talent from technicians to directors and stars.What motivated the studios to utilize such a system?

Accepted Answer

The exclusive contract system allowed studios to handle a large number of employees across different departments and fostered efficiency by providing a stable employment environment. It facilitated the creation of a consistent brand image for the studio, which was crucial for the audiences that were loyal to specific studios. The system was less influenced by California talent unions or the Supreme Court and more driven by the needs and goals of the studio system itself.

Question 12

Name the sound-on-film technology developed by William Fox that had a distinct advantage that allowed for on-location shooting and the production of newsreels (like the one covering Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight)?

Accepted Answer

Movietone was the sound-on-film technology developed by William Fox that had the distinct advantage of allowing for on-location shooting and the production of newsreels. It used a variable density soundtrack, which made it possible to synchronize sound and image accurately. Phonofilm and Vitaphone were both sound-on-disc technologies, while Vitagraph was a film production company.

Question 13

Three-strip Technicolor is based on the principle that adding these three colors together will produce natural color combinations.

Accepted Answer

Three-strip Technicolor is based on the additive color model, where red, green, and blue are the primary colors that can create a wide range of colors by mixing different amounts of each RGB color.

Question 14

Which of the following technologies was fundamental in developing sound cinema technology?

Accepted Answer

The phonograph, telegraph, and telephone were all fundamental in developing sound cinema technology. The phonograph was used to record and playback sound, the telegraph was used to transmit sound over long distances, and the telephone was used to amplify sound.

Question 15

Vitaphone secured licensing agreements with performers from the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and ________.

Accepted Answer

Vitaphone was a sound-on-disc system used for the synchronization of audio and visual recordings. It was primarily used for recording and broadcasting live musical performances, especially from vaudeville theaters. Therefore, the best choice is B, vaudeville.

Question 16

The intersection of the conversion to sound and the Great Depression produced all of the following circumstances EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The Great Depression led to a decrease in demand for films, not an increase. Therefore, rapid expansion of film production did not occur.

Question 17

Early experiments in Technicolor produced which of the following production conundrums?

Accepted Answer

Early experiments in Technicolor required high-speed shooting and projection, which was a challenge. Additionally, the exhibition prints were often clumsy and had to be cemented together, which added to production costs. Therefore, all of the options mentioned above are correct.

Question 18

The Jazz Singer features a young Jewish singer who performs in which traditional vaudevillian performance style?

Accepted Answer

The traditional vaudevillian performance style depicted in The Jazz Singer is blackface, which was a common feature in early 20th century American entertainment.

Question 19

Which of the following processes was utilized for producing color films prior to the 1930s?

Accepted Answer

Prior to the 1930s, all three processes (hand-tinting, uniform tinting, and hand-painting) were utilized for producing color films. Hand-tinting involved painting or adding color to specific parts of a film frame, uniform tinting involved adding a single color to the entire film, and hand-painting involved painting colors onto the film directly.

Question 20

Before the advent of sound technology, which three studios dominated production and distribution?

Accepted Answer

First National, MGM, and Paramount were the three studios that dominated production and distribution before the advent of sound technology.

Quiz 3: Technical Innovation and Industrial Transformation, 1927-1938