Introduction
In this unit I will be focusing on Film and TV. I chose this industry because it was the one that excited me the most because it is the most relevant to me. I like the soundtracks of films and when they make a scene feel good.
Origins
Film and TV has developed unrecognizably since the first moving images released in 1895 of workers leaving the Lumiere factory. From then silent cinema developed from short films to full length feature films. It is from this that the foundations of film making that we recognize today were laid, such as cinematography, lighting and continuity-editing. The break through came in 1927 when the first talkie was released called The Jazz Singer, as it was the first film to have a soundtrack (film-history.pdf (grahamschool.org), accessed on 14.1.22).
There is a discussion amongst academics about what really was the first film. There is an argument to say that the Lumiere Brothers’ piece ‘Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory’ from March 1895 was the first film as it was the first feature to be recorded, developed and projected using one device (https://www.history.com/news/the-lumiere-brothers-pioneers-of-cinema, accessed on 14.1.22). However, there is evidence to argue that filmography originated even sooner. In 1878 ‘The Horse in Motion’ was the first ever motion picture. It “was accomplished using multiple cameras and assembling the individual pictures into a a single motion picture” (https://headsup.scoutlife.org/what-was-the-first-movie-ever-made/, accessed on 14.1.22). Although I think this was groundbreaking, I would not call this the first film, but the first instance of motion photography.
Also in 1895 they made a 50 second silent film of a train pulling in to a station using one unedited shot and when they first showed it to an audience they all panicked and ran to the back of the room to “avoid the train” (https://headsup.scoutlife.org/what-was-the-first-movie-ever-made/, accessed on 14.1.22).
At the time of the 1920’s Hollywood became the center of film making and by 1930 five major studios had been created: Paramount, Warner Brothers, MGM, FOX and Radio Keith Orpheum. Cinema attendance exploded globally and in the UK in the 1930s “more than 65% of the population went to the cinema weekly” (https://www.businessinsider.com/movie-attendance-over-the-years-2015-1, accessed on 14.1.22). In 1948, Paramount had a big court case which prevented vertical integration in studios. This means “owning all phases of the production, distribution and exhibition” (film-history.pdf (grahamschool.org), accessed on 14.1.22). This had a big impact in the film industry as it meant that by the 1950s, independent film production and agents had emerged to produce films for Hollywood studios to distribute and exhibit instead. This caused lots of competition which led to Hollywood becoming even richer and more powerful.
In 1935 Rouben Mamoulian’s Becky Sharp was the first feature length film to use three strip colour film. This was achieved by creating a separate film register for each of the 3 primary colours. This is a development of the technicolour technique which had been created in 1916 and required “a triple photographic impression, incorporation of chromatic filters and cameras of enormous dimensions” (History of film – Wikipedia, accessed on 14.1.22). Please see the image below for a diagram. This has developed significantly into what we recognise today where we have more wide-spread use of computer-generated imagery where we can add visual effects in digitally post-production. This was first pioneered by George Lucas’ company Industrial Light and Magic in 1970 and still used today, especially in franchises such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (film-history.pdf (grahamschool.org), accessed on 14.1.22).
Although the first electronic television was made in 1927, it was not until the 1950s that they became more popular and accessible (What Year Did the First Television Come Out? (reference.com), accessed on 14.1.22). This was due to the emergence of widescreen and 3D technologies, and the increased living standards that meant people had more money and time to spend at home. The website http://grahamschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/film-history.pdf explains to us that more content could be made due to the development of lightweight, portable cameras that were suitable for hand-held use which allowed ‘point of view’ filming to become possible in the 1950s. This marks the start of a wave of documentary making. This was further improved by the introduction of Steadicam technology which was a stabilising device for hand-held cameras to keep them steady, in the 1970s by Garrett Brown. This is what was used in the infamous running scenes in the ‘Rocky’ franchise.
Technology
Consumption and Accessibility
TV became more popular in Britain as the 20th century went on, but still by 1982 there were only 4 TV channels available: BBC1, BBC2, ITV and Channel 4 (https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/history-of-british-television-timeline/, accessed on 21.1.22). To change between channels, you had to press buttons on the side of the television as television remote controls were not very popular. The introduction of Freeview television in 2002 gave the TV remote a purpose and allowed ‘channel surfing’ (https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/history-of-british-television-timeline/, accessed on 21.1.22). People now had the freedom to choose what they wanted to watch and weren’t restricted to set programming that was chosen for a small amount of channels. This is a good thing as it gave the viewers more choice and encouraged competition between businesses.
This has progressed even further. Nowadays, internet accessibility and ‘on demand’ programming has reduced channel surfing significantly and you can watch whatever show you want whenever you like. We are no longer restricted to a channel’s programming schedule and this means that people now have favourite shows rather than favourite channels (6 Ways Technology Has Changed Television (electronicworldtv.co.uk), accessed on 21.1.22). The internet has changed film and television massively. We can now watch anything on any device that has access to the internet, including computers, phones and laptops. TV networks have developed apps, such as BBC IPlayer and ITV Hub that means we can watch catch up TV on our phones, and independent digital streaming apps like Netflix do the same thing. This is a really good thing as it means people have unlimited access to their favourite shows and no longer have to worry about missing episodes or forgetting to put something on record. It means people can have constant entertainment and do not have to be inside with a TV or at the cinema to enjoy it. They can now watch it on a long train journey for example. However, this does mean that people can lose jobs if they work in networking or TV manufacturing as they are becoming less popular.
The internet’s relationship with TV is not always successful. In 2016, BBC3 was taken off of TV networking and became an ‘over-the-top Internet television service’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Three_(streaming_service)#:~:text=It%20was%20launched%20on%2016,on%20comedy%20and%20documentary%20programming., accessed on 21.1.22). This meant that it could only be accessed on the internet. This was the BBC’s attempt to engage more with younger population as we are going more digital, however it ended up backfiring. People missed BBC3 being on their television because it produced such popular shows like ‘Normal People’ in 2020 and so it has been announced that on the 1st February 2022, BBC3 will be coming back to regular TV programming (https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2021/bbc-three-return-to-tv-screens-confirmed, accessed on 21.1.22). This shows that the advances in technology and the internet’s influence on TV is not always successful.
Also, the accessibility of the internet can be quite dangerous for viewers of film and TV. Content often has legal age restrictions which can be easily enforced at the cinema as audiences who are too young will be turned away. But, children are better with technology now and can easily watch age inappropriate content if they knew how, despite parental controls. This is a big risk.
However, social media has improved the popularity of TV and film because it has made it an “interactive medium” (6 Ways Technology Has Changed Television (electronicworldtv.co.uk), accessed on 21.1.22). People can engage with the content by leaving comments on Twitter, for example, and fans can come together and discuss their favourite shows and films. This is really good because people can make friends by finding similar interests, and also reviews can be easily accessed so people can make quick decisions about whether to watch something new. Social media also makes TV and film more popular because they are used to advertise new content. This is great for businesses because they make more money but the adverts can be annoying. There is a very negative side to social media in that people can leave really negative comments which can spiral and get out of control. This can lead to films and series failing because they have received such bad reviews and people are put off before they even see it.
Furthermore, social media sites that create video content like TikTok and YouTube are changing how we view film and TV. They have made the production of content so easy that you can do it at home, and so the consumers of TV have become the creators of it. This really rivals film and TV, and many successful Youtubers are now more successful than famous actors. The richest YouTuber in the world is MrBeast who does stunt videos and he earned $54 million in 2021 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2022/01/14/the-highest-paid-youtube-stars-mrbeast-jake-paul-and-markiplier-score-massive-paydays/?sh=5d9f7171aa71, accessed 21.1.22) . However, the second most paid actor of 2021 was The Rock and he earned $50 million, showing the domination of YouTube (https://manofmany.com/entertainment/movies-tv/highest-paid-actors-2021, accessed 21.1.22). This shows that not only has social media changed how we view TV but also it might be taking over! Also, because there is less censorship over what people can create online and how easy it is to make, it means that there is a bigger risk of people creating insensitive, inappropriate and vulgar content which is really bad.
In addition, cinemas still exist and showcase new films everyday. However, their use has been constantly shrinking since TVs became more popular in the 1950s and even more so since the COVID-19 Pandemic which saw the “lowest annual attendance ever recorded” (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/aug/06/uk-cinemas-covid-closures-admissions, accesses on 21.1.22). People wanted to be able to watch films on demand and in their own home which came with the growing popularity and affordability of the VCR in the 1970s (https://legacybox.com/blogs/analog/when-did-vcr-become-popular, accessed on 21.1.22). This was then replaced by DVDs. The first films released on DVD by Hollywood were ‘Twister’ and ‘Mars Attacks’ in 1997 (https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/05/10/first-movies-on-dvd-1997-vault-orig.cnn-business/video/playlists/business-vault/, accessed on 21.1.22).
Like TV, cinema has now gone digital and we use streaming services like Netflix. Netflix is a streaming platform that has lots of films, entertainment and TV series that you pay a subscription for and can watch any time. This is great because you can watch content at any time and they have a great variety, however like with DVDs you have to wait for brand new films to come out which can take months. However, Netflix has their own original films and TV series which are really popular and come out immediately. Their original series Squid Game (2021) is their most successful and has had over 142million views (https://www.businessinsider.com/bridgerton-compared-to-other-netflix-top-original-shows-viewership-2021-1?r=US&IR=T, accessed 21.1.22). The main problem with streaming services like Netflix is that they have favouritism for their own original content. For example, if a series of films or tv shows is not a Netflix Original, they will often only show a few of the series, rather than a complete box set. This means you have to pay for other subscription services. This makes the TV and film industry richer but becomes very expensive for viewers. The extreme cost puts people off and also can make things really unfair as not everyone can afford to see new things.
Quality
One of the key developments of technology in film and television is the use of CGI which stands for Computer Generated Imagery. Cinemas first 2D computer images were created in 1973 in the film ‘Westworld’. There is a moment when the audience looks through the point of view of a robot which is achieved by the screen going pixelated (https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/history-of-technological-art, accessed 21.1.22). Over time, it has become much more realistic and integrated with live action. The first main characters to be created with CGI with motion capture that are surrounded by live actors are Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and Golam from The Lord Of The Rings. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace came out in 1999. The way they used CGI with motion capture they record the actors playing the characters whilst wearing reference points. These are often painted dots or small balls which then become the key control points when they create the 3D digital figure (https://amt-lab.org/blog/2020/3/cgi-motion-capture-and-the-commercialization-of-celebrity-images, accessed on 21.1.22). This means the figures will move exactly as the human actor did, and can therefore work with live action actors. Below is a short image showing how Jar Jar was created in 1999.
Motion capture technology has since progressed even further and can now be used to de-age actors. This was recently used very effectively in the new Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home (2020). They de-aged Alfred Molina who plays Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2 (2004) using motion capture CGI to show continuity with the other films as he is now almost 20 years older and looks very different. De-aging technology is a brilliant development as it means films can jump around different time periods effectively without having to hire different actors which can be confusing to an audience and disrupt how realistic the film is. Below is an example of how de-aging was used on Will Smith in Gemini Man (2019) which is a film about an aging assassin being chased by his younger clone.
CGI is not always effective and when it is badly done it’s very obvious and breaks the realism. Obviously this has improved with technological advances so CGI now is much better than it was in the 1970s, however poor CGI done nowadays is often because of a small budget as these things cost a lot of money. Here are some poor examples of CGI that leave the audience disappointed.
Jabba the Hut from this 1997 Star Wars film looks very computerised, however it can be forgiven as CGI was still in early development at this time. A very recent example though is Superman’s upper lip in 2017’s Justice League. The actor was shooting another film at the same time and so couldn’t shave his moustache. They therefore used CGI to remove it however his upper lip is now oddly shaped and looks very unrealistic. This ruined the film for some viewers as they were distracted by this, rather than concentrating on the film.
High Definition technology has also changed the viewers experience of film and TV for the better. Screens have much higher resolutions now which makes images much clearer and therefore better to watch for the audience. This works by increasing the amount of pixels so that images can be much clearer (https://www.ihdtvreview.com/history_hdtv.html, accessed on 21.1.22). Although this is a great thing, it is not always standard and so people have to pay extra for this. It is also rumoured that as HD improves, providers worsen the quality of older services so that people are forced to spend more money on the newer technology – but this has not been proven!
CGI has also brought about deepfake where you can take someone’s face out of one image, put it over someone else’s face and can make it look fitting and can be seen everywhere online.
Another piece of technology that has been introduced is an LED screen they use in ‘The Mandalorian’ series (2019). This is the first of its kind and could be the future of Sci-Fi filming. Essentially it replaces green screens, and creates an immersive world for the actors. They are LED screens that surround the set so that the actor can visualise the world they are in, rather than imagining it. The screens move with the actors and helps them.This technological advancement helps actors create more believable performances. You can see how it works below.
My Evaluation
I think the technological advancements in film and TV are a good thing because they make them more accessible for the viewer, and it makes them more fun to make for the filmmakers. I know there are bad things like the cost, inappropriate content, and negative reviews that can cross the line, however these are all things that can be contained and managed with the right guidance and regulations. Overall, the development in technology has created better quality content that is more realistic and so easily accessible that it has become and integral part of our lives and this is why I want to be a part of the industry.
Industry structure
National and Global TV and Film Companies
National and global film companies are film companies around the world that have and still are making lots and lots of films, for the world is their audience. The industry is capable of making so many great movies that are for everyone now compared with the 1920’s. Global productions create a more mainstream piece aiming to please everyone and become popular in the media in order to make more money, compared to indie companies that are lower budget and cover more realistic and challenging storylines.
An example of a global film company is Warner Bros, founded in 1923. In the Warner Bros group are New Line Cinema, Warner Animation Group, DC Films, Castle Rock Entertainment, Warner Bros Television Studios, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Turner Classic Movies. This is not even all of them. This shows that they are so versatile and are create content aimed at everyone. For example, Boomerang creates cartoons for children, yet DC Films create superhero films for adult comic book fans.
For example, the Harry Potter franchise was made by Warner Bros. All 8 films together made a total of $7.7 billion at the global box office. It has created successful spin-off franchises (Fantastic Beasts), opened theme parks, produced billions of pounds in merchandise, created board games, TV game shows, card games, has successful studio tours, and continues to inspire generations of young people and welcomes them into their fanbase. This extreme success generated lots of money for Warner Bros which means they could continue to make extremely successful content as the revenue is pumped back into the company.
On a national level, Hollywood studios invested over £1 billion in UK films in 2020. “By early 2021, movies that had started production in the UK included The Batman, and the latest instalments of the Mission Impossible, Fantastic Beasts and Dr Strange movie franchises” (TV & Film: Why the UK? – The Creative Industries, accessed 4.3.22). This shows that with lots of funding, national TV and film companies can also produce hugely successful franchises on a global scale that make lots of money, and entertain and inspire people across the world.
Global and national film companies are great because they have a lot of money to provide very entertaining films where they can hire the best cast, crew and equipment. They make a lot of money which means they can produce a lot of content which makes the film and TV industry very interesting. Also, because they are so big, they can employ lots of people which helps to reduce unemployment.
However, they have downfalls too. They are very expensive to run because to produce high quality content costs a lot of money. It is also very time consuming to produce such high-budget productions as there are many steps involved to get the funding for a production all the way to premiere.
Independent TV and Film Companies
Independent films and TV shows (sometimes called Indies) are produced by smaller production companies. “They do not follow the same formula as studio films. Instead, they vary in style and genres” (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z9hrwxs/revision/2, accessed on 7.3.22). They are often created to make their audiences think about challenging subjects and are less escapist than studio films.
They raise money from a variety of sources, mainly from private investors. They can also be funded by arts agencies, for example the British Film Council or the British Film Institute. Some of the smaller production companies may collaborate together on production to share their skills but also to save money.
Independent film companies have changed the industry because it has allowed independent filmmakers to gain easier access to the industry. This is because they can use the internet to crowdfund and the technology is more accessible. Independent film companies have also meant that there is less importance on cinema in making a film successful. This is because they do not usually have a mainstream cinema release and instead enter their films into local, national and international film festivals to gain exposure with distributors who might then who may then buy the distribution rights. This means they will have a theatrical release or go to DVD or on-demand.
Ruby Films is an example of an Independent Film Company based in London. They are well-known for making films like ‘Suffragette’ (2015) and ‘Flushed Away’ (2006). Another example is Heyday Films which is famous for the film ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ (2008) and ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ (2019) by Quentin Tarantino. This proves that just because they are made by smaller studios, they can be just as successful. ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ received a nomination for all of the major Academy Awards.
The weaknesses of Independent film and TV companies is that they have a reputation of having a lower production value, and even if this is not true, people automatically write them off because they think this is the case. They also tend to have a limited theatrical release compared to global studio companies and this is because they rely heavily on funding which is hard to get. This will mean its harder for the films to become popular and have success.
However, independent film companies are great because it allows more people into the industry and makes it more accessible for people who find it hard to break into the global studio businesses. There has been lots of technological innovations so people can create equally as great quality from their own homes or smaller studios. This is things like better quality cameras and computer software for editing at a more affordable rate. These companies make films cheaper to make but still with high production value meaning more people can get involved.
Drama Schools
Drama schools are a school that focuses on specific drama skills such as acting skills, design and technology theatre, arts administration, and related subjects. You need to be 18 to go there and you can be there until you’re 25 and you have to go through a audition process to get in. There’re only 100 places in a course so they want you to be competitive to get in.
Drama schools offer professional training to train students as professional actors for stage or screen and for backstage roles like directing or more technical like camera work. They are great because they train students the ways to succeed in the industry but the schools often have links to talent agencies which helps to kickstart people’s careers early on.
Professional training for aspiring performers has existed in the UK since 1833 when Frances Maria Kelly managed a school at the Royal Strand Theatre and slowly more have appeared and have become mainstream (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drama_school, accessed 7.3.22). In 1969, the 22 leading drama schools joined together to form the Conference of Drama Schools which work together to maintain a high standard of teaching. In 2012, this became Drama UK. Most drama schools require independent funding and some are now part of a university so it is included in mainstream education, like Guildhall School of Music and Drama is now part of the University of London. They have changed the industry because it gives students focused and specialised training that they could not access before, and they have made the Arts more aligned with mainstream education, which makes it seem more legitimate and acceptable because people have negative stereotypes about how serious an education it is.
Drama schools are great because they provide very specific training which will really benefit aspiring people in the industry. It gives students a chance to focus on what they really love and want to do, and gives them a place to study if they are not academically minded or want to do a traditional university course. It also gives students an easier way to have access to talent agents and opportunities that will help them find work in the industry quicker.
On the other hand, drama schools are really expensive. They cost the same as university fees but they are not eligible for student loans for tuition fees. They are really hard to get into and have a very limited number of spaces so they are not very accessible. You are also only trained in one thing so it might be harder to change careers later on in life.
Casting and Talent Agencies
A casting and/or talent agency are management companies that work in partnership with actors and advocate for them in all aspects of their career. Agencies form relationships with talent seekers (people who need actors) like advertising agencies, producers, production companies, and casting directors, and when they are notified of an upcoming audition, they will send actors to represent their agency.
The agent is there to help protect their client every step of the way. They make sure that they are not discriminated against in the audition and casting process. They also make sure they are given the relevant information and resources, like the details of the audition and access to the script that will be used. They have a more financial role too. “The agent is responsible for negotiating fair rates and proper terms in a contract, as well as making certain that all invoicing and payment details are handled for the talent in a timely manner” (https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/what-actors-need-to-know-about-talent-agencies-72773/, accessed on 9.3.22).
Casting and talent agencies have changed the industry as they provide a lot more support to actors who may be struggling to find work. They make auditions more accessible to actors and the organisation of the auditions by agents means that the audition process is more organized and there is less waiting around for actors. It makes the process more systemized rather than having massive open auditions that are time-consuming and messy. Talent agencies are also great because they give actors better representation and make sure that they are not discriminated against. They legitimise the industry and the audition process, meaning that actors will always have assurance when it comes to fees and any complaints they may have.
There are some bad things about talent agencies. An actor has less freedom as they will only be made aware of the auditions that they are told about. They also have restrictions on how they look: if they want to change their appearance (like dying their hair a different colour) they might not be able to as this could go against their contract. The contracts are really strict as you represent not just yourself but the agency at auditions and so they can easily drop actors if they break it, or are continuously unsuccessful at auditions. Agencies are like drama schools in that they are very competitive and hard to get in to. They also cost money to be a part of and many take commission from the actor if they get a role through an audition that they organised. Overall, I think agencies are great at representing actors and helping them find opportunities, but they place more restrictions on them than opportunities.
My Thoughts
I think that casting agencies and drama schools have been beneficial to the industry in that they provide actors with support, however they have been limited at revolutionising the industry itself. Film companies, whether it is is global, national or independent, have made a huge impact. They provide so many jobs and get so many people involved. They produce high quality content that is both well thought-through as well as well put together. Global companies especially have loads of money to make an international impact and create franchises that have become household names, whereas independents create thought-provoking content that constantly reveals new talent in the industry.
Case Studies
Charlie Chaplin
Background: Charlie Chaplin was born in London on the 16th of April 1889 his mother was an attractive actress and singer known under the stage name Lily Harley and his father was a versatile vocalist and actor.
Training: He has no professional training but most of the talent he had was inherited from his parents
Experiences : Charlie Chaplin has officially been involved in 82 films as both an actor and a filmmaker. He was very successful: he has 3 Academy Awards, a star on Hollywood Boulevard, a Golden Lion from the Venice Film Festival, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lincoln Centre Film Society which has since been renamed the Chaplin Award. Most of his awards came later in life when Film became a fully recognised industry. He was given a Knighthood in 1975 for his services to the industry and an honorary doctorate from the Universities of Oxford and Durham. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Chaplin#Awards_and_recognition, accessed on 10.2.22).
Net Worth: £100,000,000 (£400,000,000 in today’s money)
Industry Issues: he was accused of being a communist sympathizer. In fact, this is what stopped him getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame until 1972.
Breakthroughs: Charlie Chaplin had a breakthrough with the ‘Tramp’ character. This was a role he developed and arguably is the one he is most well remembered for. The Tramp is “one of the silent era’s most iconic characters ever created”, and one of the funniest (https://great-characters.fandom.com/wiki/The_Tramp, accessed 4.2.22). This is such a breakthrough character because it represented Chaplin’s liberal political beliefs, and showed the social injustices of the class system in a funny way. The Tramp was therefore a very relatable character to many audiences and made him even more popular. The Tramp appeared in many films, including ‘Modern Times’, ‘The Kid’ and ‘City Lights’, and in each of the films he is portrayed as a ‘punching bag’ but he always manages to make the best out of a situation. He symbolises positivity, selflessness and comedy.
Tom Holland
Background: Thomas Stanley Holland, was born 1st June 1996. He grew up in ‘Kingston Upon Thames’ in Surrey, and he was the eldest of four. He went to school in Wimbledon and attended two different colleges, the first being ‘Wimbledon College’ and the second being ‘School for Performing Arts And Technology’ which was based in Croydon, Surrey.
In 2009 he appeared on the ITV show “The Feel Good Factor”. Holland was chosen for the lead role at the fifth anniversary of the show “Billy Elliot the Musical”, on March 31 2010. His regular rotation as Billy along with three other performers ended on May 29, 2010.
Holland was diagnosed as dyslexic at the age of seven. Holland and his three brothers is a sponsor of ‘The Brothers Trust’, which is a non-profitable charity that raise money for many charitable causes, giving small charities a voice.
Following Hollands diagnosis of dyslexia, his parents led enrolled him into a private school to give him the best chance of succeeding. Even so, Holland has still occasionally been picked out on social media, because of spelling and grammatical errors. However, he was mostly recognised for his natural acting ability and athletic ability.
Training: After two years of training and around eight auditions, on 28th June 2008, Holland was able to get his lucky break into the West End debut performing in ‘Billy Elliot the Musical’, as Billy’s best friend Michael.
His first performance in the role of Michael in Billy Elliot was on September 8, 2008, and he got some really positive feedback from his audience.
At the age of 10, Holland started ballet lessons, in which he did a lot of the rehearsing in his garage. He soon after started some classes at the Nifty Feet Dance School in Wimbledon . In 2006 Holland performed at the Richmond Dance Festival with his dance class. It was Holland was spotted by ‘Lynne Paige’ who was a dance choreographer. Lynne thought he Holland would be excellent in a stage play. Holland also joined ‘Donhead Wimbledon College School’.
It was roughly two and half years before Holland was talent spotted and when into the West End debut performing in Billy Elliot. During this time, It was thought that Holland attended eight auditions and trained on a regular basis on a strict schedule.
Holland also went under cover at ‘Bronx High School of Science’. Marvel wanted to send the newest Spider-Man to Holland to high school, so he could understand his role better as the teenager ‘Peter Parker’.
Experiences: Tom Holland started his career in musical theatre as Billy Elliot on the West End, and has since progressed on to the film industry. This means his experiences in performing arts are very versatile, as he works in different sections of the industry as well as differing genres such as drama and action. As a teenager he was in ‘The Impossible’ (2012) where he worked with Hollywood A-Listers such as Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts which gave him invaluable exposure to how the best actors in the business succeed.
His biggest success comes from playing Spiderman since 2015. The latest Spiderman film ‘No Way Home’ (2021) is already the 6th highest grossing film of all time at the worldwide box office, and at the time of writing it has only been out 2 months (https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-box-office-milestone-spider-man-no-way-home-is-set-to-break-this-huge-avatar-box-office-record-451180, accessed 10/2/22). The fact that he is the lead in one of the most successful films of all time is such a unique experience that any actor would love to have.
Net Worth: According to the ‘Celebritey Net Worth’, Holland is worth $18 million. This is a substantial amount to back up all of his success.
Industry Issues: So far, Tom Holland has had a pretty smooth career with limited setbacks and problems. This is probably because he is still young and has become involved in some of the most respectable franchises in the film industry, such as Netflix and Marvel. The only issue he may face in the near future is that he is reported to want to take a break from acting to potentially start a family soon which will put his career temporarily on hold and may pose problems in the future (https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/10/spider-man-star-tom-holland-considers-acting-exit-in-mid-life-crisis, accessed 4.2.22).
Evaluation: I think that the industry has gotten better in some areas theatre production has gotten better but they still need more women’s roles since it’s male dominated. Health and safety has gotten better.
You can make more money now but actors use to work more as there was less competition. There’s more creative freedom now and more women’s roles. Women such as Marilyn Monroe were paid less and treated badly, initially hired on looks. Celebrity couples have always been in the limelight.
Charlie Chaplin’s worth (£400million in today’s money) and lifestyle exceeds Tom Holland’s £18 million. Charlie Chaplin had an easier path, with less formal training but he gained experience through his parents’ stage work.
Charlie Chaplin was accused of being a Nazi and a Communist but deported from America as a Communist. If Tom Holland expressed a political opinion, he’s unlikely to be deported but could be attacked on Social Media and public opinion may affect his future job prospects.
Charlie Chaplin wrote scripts, books, music and produced his own films. It is highly unlikely that Tom Holland or any of today’s actors could write and finance films in the way that Chaplin did.
Conclusion
The filming industry learned a lot in a short space of time about how to make film better with sound and colour. I have learned that the influence of social media and other modern streaming platforms have revolutionised the film and TV industry. This has come with lots of controversy but has broadened the scope of advertisement which has ultimately made the industry richer and therefore more successful.
The Technology has gotten drastically better over the past century for the film and TV industry, from sound to colour to 3D and there on. And the most recent enhancement CGI has gotten so better in films and TV and this makes it all so better to watch.
I have found doing this task very interesting, especially looking at the origins and at the technological developments. From what I can tell, the industry has already dramatically changed from its humble origins in the 1800s and due to the advances in technology, I do not think progress will slow down any time soon.
F16 My Performing Arts Industry BloG 