Major changes in Hollywood after the 1948 Paramount decree and television's popularity

United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. is a 1948 decree that changed Hollywood.

Due to this decree, film studios started divesting themselves of their theatre chains, indie producers and directors won freedom and films in the indie, foreign and alternative genres sprang up.

After the Second World War, television emerged in popularity as cinema's main rival.

Television's popularity led to a decline in movie theatre attendance, but also led Hollywood to develop larger-than-life, innovative and creative experiences that television could not match.

Some of the noted film innovations, including widescreen and stereophonic sound, were not enough to prevent television's popularity, but did successfully change the Hollywood film industry.

With innovations, such as widescreen and stereo sound, Hollywood successfully made a pivot towards blockbusters and high-end visual experiences, but also made a surge in colour production.

Hollywood also started to target a younger demographic wanting to leave the house (pivoting from the older demographic who stayed home with television).

CinemaScope has anamorphic lenses to squeeze a wide picture onto standard film, making widescreen affordable for film theatres around the world.

VistaVision is a widescreen film format for higher resolution and clarity.

Panavision is a company that develops superior lenses to counter visual distortions in close-ups.

Technicolour is a process to counter early television's monochrome.

Eastmancolour is a cheaper alternative to the expensive three-strip Technicolour process, which allows more films to be shot in colour than monochrome.

Some other contributors to major changes in Hollywood include the blacklist coming from the HUAC trials and the striking down of the Hays Code.

Named after Will H. Hays and enforced by Joseph Breen, the Hays Code was homogenized.

Besides Will H. Hays and Joseph Breen, Martin Quigley and Daniel A. Lord are the other icons being involved with the Hays Code.

With the decree, the early popularity of television and foreign films, the Hays Code met its demise.

HUAC was used to investigate alleged communist/subversive ties, leading to many Hollywood figures being blacklisted and creating paranoia in American cinema and forced conformity.

Resulting from HUAC, political messages was redirected or driven underground from Hollywood.

Plus, the HUAC trials shifted American cinema towards a safer and more traditional tone.

Coupled with the decree, the early popularity of television and the striking down of the Hays Code, the HUAC trials changed Hollywood.

During the post-decree and television era, individuals like Saul Bass, Maurice Binder, Pablo Ferro and Andrew J. Kuehn reimagined motion graphics.

Kinetic typography and panning shots define the works by Saul Bass, Maurice Binder Pablo Ferro and Andrew J. Kuehn.

Before the Saul Bass, Maurice Binder Pablo Ferro and Andrew J. Kuehn era, film studios endured film posters, film trailers and film title sequences being designed by different artists.

For film title sequences before Saul Bass, they were static text cards, separate from the film, and were typically being projected on the closed theatre curtains, opened to reveal the first scene.

Some traditional elements, including cards, satin and books, are often used in titles before Saul Bass.

Incidentally, film titles before Saul Bass used fixed slates or flipped pages that listed names without a narrative connection; popcorn time described dull titles often ignored by audiences.

Likewise, movie advertising (posters and trailers) was handled separately before the 1948 Paramount decree and television; its mission was to simply publicize the screening times and stars.

The National Screen Service (NSS) had dominated the film trailer scene until the 1960's with its own approach comprising large text laden with film clips.

However, with both the Paramount decree and the early popularity of television, Saul Bass created his innovative approach: a unified film branding and titles as mini-movies.

Saul Bass had Eastern European roots; he was taught by Hungarian-born American individual Gyorgy Kepes.

In movie posters, newspaper ads, theatre trailers and on-screen title sequences, Saul Bass was the first filmmaker to mandate that a film's marketing must not be separated from the film itself.

Unified film branding is Saul Bass' belief with the same visual motifs, typography and colour palettes.

For Maurice Binder, he made film title sequences something sexy, sultry and sensual by incorporating elegant graphics, creative typography and abstract imagery featuring (or hinting) at women.

Pablo Ferro pioneered fast-paced editing and multi-screen techniques in film title sequences.

Due to Saul Bass, Maurice Binder and Pablo Ferro, title sequences are being utilized after raising the movie theatre curtains and before the beginning of the first scene of the actual film.

Together, those innovative title sequences being made by Saul Bass, Maurice Binder and Pablo Ferro feature bold and dynamic graphics, all of which influence similar trends.

Hailing from Madison Avenue, Stephen Frankfurt revolutionized television advertising by focusing on emotional appeal, visual storytelling and a "show-don't tell" approach.

Prior to Stephen Frankfurt, television advertising heavily focused on talking heads.

Stephen Frankfurt brought his innovative techniques from television advertising to motion graphics.

Andrew J. Kuehn's trailers featured innovative techniques from television advertising, which Stephen Frankfurt had pioneered, breaking the dominance/influence of the NSS.

Like Saul Bass, Stephen Frankfurt also dabbled in the movie advertising scene (specifically posters).

With his partner Philip Gips, Stephen Frankfurt had created innovative movie posters.

For both Stephen Frankfurt and Philip Gips, their movie posters used minimalist or abstract imagery to capture the movie's essence, something that is innovative and high-concept.

Bob Peak is also a trailblazer in movie posters, like Saul Bass, Stephen Frankfurt and Philip Gips.

The movie posters being created by Bob Peak featured a dynamic and painterly approach, defining the modern blockbuster poster aesthetic.

Aubrey Balkind, who was born in South Africa and has made his first overseas trip in the 1960's, was a member of the company under the Stephen Frankfurt and Philip Gips legacy.

Peter Bemis (who owned Frankfurt Balkind's Los Angeles office) joined forces with Aubrey Balkind to launch Bemis Balkind.

John Whitney Sr. pioneered motion control photography, utilizing decommissioned WWII anti-aircraft computers to create precise geometric patterns.

In 1960, John Whitney Sr. founded his own company called Motion Graphics, Inc.

Six years later, in 1966, John Whitney Sr. was named IBM's first artist-in-residence.

For Douglas Trumbull, his early work was at Graphic Films Corporation, founded in 1941 by former Disney animator Lester Novros.

Con Pederson also worked at Graphic Films, which Lester Novros led, like Douglas Trumbull.

While working as an intern for Saul Bass, in the 1950's period, Robert Abel entered computer graphics under John Whitney Sr.

Just decades after entering computer graphics, Robert Abel joined forces with Con Pederson, who, like Douglas Trumbull, worked at Graphic Films, to form thier own computer graphics company.

Having been around for sixteen years, Robert Abel & Associates refined the slit-scan, backlit and streak techniques, but also pioneered CGI ones, like full ray-traced renders and fluid animation.

Plus, Robert Abel & Associates had its subsidiary: Abel Image Research (AIR).

In the 1950's, the rise of the teenage demographic changed Hollywood, forcing filmmakers to create a entirely new category for youths in the post-Paramount decree and television era.

Just before the 1950's, films were made for general audiences.

In addition, the main exhibition venue for general films in the pre-1950's era was a downtown-based movie theatre chain owned by film studios, featuring a lavish look.

Plus, the core themes for general films in the pre-1950's era were escapism, romance, patriotism and traditional values.

Besides, general films in the pre-1950's era used orchestral scores and homogenized pop music.

The post-Paramount decree/television era, particularly the 1950's, meant that films were being created exclusively for teens and young adults.

Furthermore, the main exhibition venue for youth-targeted cinema in this post-1950's era was an indie theatre chain based in neighbourhoods and drive-in theatres based in outskirts.

In addition, the core themes for youth-targeted cinema in the post-1950's era were rebellion, romantic angst, alienation and anti-authority sentiment.

Youth-targeted cinema in the post-1950's period also used modern rhythm & blues and rock music.

Both the 1948 Paramount decree and television's early popularity are signs signalling the end of a rigid period for Hollywood, and a fresh and new generation of stars arrived.

Furthermore, both the Paramount decree and television's early popularity also led Hollywood to end its philosophy, which was "something for everyone."

With both the Paramount decree and the early popularity of television, American cinema underwent its transformation from a general entertainment habit into a targeted, youth-driven subculture.

The blacklist from the HUAC trials and the striking down of the Hays Code also contribute to changes affecting Hollywood.

Marilyn Monroe serves as the defining cinematic icon of the post-decree, post-HUAC, post-Code and television era.

James Dean and Elvis Presley are also icons of the era after the decree/HUAC/Code/television.

In fact, Marilyn Monroe is being involved in events, like a fundraiser for the New York premiere of the James Dean film, where she was an usherette and a special guest.

Even though they never meet each other in person, both Marilyn Monroe and James Dean are still pop culture/sex icons.