- Permanent Link:
- https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00054860/00067
Material Information
- Title:
- Picking a Star: The Power of Female Audiences in Early Cinema
- Series Title:
- 18th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium
- Creator:
- Secades, Marissa
- Language:
- English
Subjects
- Subjects / Keywords:
- Center for Undergraduate Research
Humanities
- Genre:
- Conference papers and proceedings
poster ( aat )
Notes
- Abstract:
- My poster will focus on how the growth of audience size and their rising power, as well as the introduction of the female spectator, affected the career of silent film star Mary Pickford. During the early 1900s, Pickford was known internationally as “America’s Sweetheart,†igniting screens with her portrayals of various child and child-like characters in numerous short and feature-length films. While much of the existing research in film studies focuses on the film industry’s moral and social impact on audiences, my research instead focuses on how audiences affected the film industry through their new-found power. By studying the change and maturation in film content, I argue that the roles of audience members evolved from the mindless spectators of the pre-industry era, to active, influential participants in a quickly commercializing film industry. Based the close examination of fan letters, film posters, magazine covers and articles, and published scholarship, I conclude that audiences successfully manipulated the film industry and shaped the careers of many actors, including Pickford. Studying this dynamic power play between audience and actor illuminates the historical roots of the fan frenzy that surrounds today’s actors and actresses. Ultimately, audience members can collectively drive the career of an actor forward or bring it to a complete stop, just as they did with Mary Pickford. ( en )
- General Note:
- Research Authors: Marissa Secades - University of Florida
- General Note:
- Emerging Scholars Program
- General Note:
- Faculty Mentor: Barbara Mennel - English, University of Florida
- General Note:
- 2017 University of Florida Best Undergraduate Research Paper Contest Winner - Qualitative Paper
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- University of Florida
- Rights Management:
- Copyright Marissa Secades. Permission granted to University of Florida to digitize and display this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
|
PAGE 1
Pick ing a Star: The Power of Female Audiences in Early Cinema Marissa Secades, Dr. Barbara Mennel Department of English, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida Abstract Conclusions Background During the 1910s, the lm industry began!exploiting actors' and actresses' onscreen personas to entice audiences and bring in larger revenues,!with Mary Pickford!being one of the rst actresses to be utilized in this manner.! Pickford brought a wholesome, youthful exuberance to her characters, although her own age usually exceeded that of her characters. Fan magazines, as well as songs and poems, became sources of public worship and further advertisement for Pickford. Selected References Evolution of Early Audiences The Pre-Industry Era (approx. 1890-1910) Audiences consisted mostly of working class citizens and immigrants. Subject content and the career of actors and actresses were minimally impacted by audiences.! By 1908, cinema began developing into a lm industry. Narrative-centered lms featuring "appropriate content" were more frequently produced. Cinema's reputation with the higher classes and popularity among women and young people boosted. Concern over the moral and societal impact of lms grew. Participants in a Power Play The Powerless Spectator Power Over Pickford By changing the content of their lms, lmmakers were not only expanding their clientele, but were also acknowledging the power dynamic between audiences and the lm industry. Women became the most valued customer, with more members of the household having to attend a screening to accompany them equating to a larger prot for the industry. As their consumer-value rises, so does their ability to impact the industry and its stars, thus, increasing their involvement and power stance in the industry. Together, the industry and Pickford created her "Little Mary" image subsequently based on who or what audiences would accept onscreen and adore offscreen. Ironically, this image would also lead to the demise of Pickford's career, as she became entrapped by the eternally youthful persona she had chosen to portray. 1. "Two Popular Songs Dedicated To Movies." Billboard 7 April, 1917, p. 14. Print. 2. Evans, Delight. "Mary Pickford, the Girl." Photoplay Magazine July 1918, pp. 90-91. 3. "Rosita Mary Pickford Foundation." Mary Pickford Foundation. N.p ., n.d. Web. 4. Photoplay Magazine November, 1915, p. 1. Print. Near the top left corner, an announcement about "The Mary Pickford Waltz" is made in the April 1917 issue of Billboard 1 Pickford's career path illustrates how audiences, particularly women, used their power to inuence her cinematic decisions. When Pickford depicted more mature characters, like in Rosita in 1923 (center photo above 3 ), the lm performed dramatically worse at the box ofce than lms in which she played child or child-like characters.! In 1928, after!chopping off her iconic locks and causing heartbreak!among audiences, Pickford was mandated to wear a wig onscreen.! An article featured in the July 1918 issue of Photoplay Magazine 2 America's Sweetheart During the early 1900s, Pickford was known internationally as "America's Sweetheart," igniting screens with her portrayals of various child and child-like characters in numerous short and feature-length lms. While much of the existing research in lm studies focuses on the lm industry's moral and social impact on audiences, my research instead focuses on how audiences affected the lm industry through their new-found power. By studying the change and maturation in lm content, I argue that the roles of audience members evolved from the mindless spectators of the pre-industry era, to active, inuential participants in a quickly commercializing lm industry. Based the close examination of fan letters, lm posters, magazine covers and articles, and published scholarship, I conclude that audiences successfully manipulated the lm industry and shaped the careers of many actors, including Pickford. Studying this dynamic power play between audience and actor illuminates the historical roots of the fan frenzy that surrounds today's actors and actresses. Ultimately, audience members can collectively drive the career of an actor forward or bring it to a complete stop, just as they did with Mary Pickford.
|