True or false: five myths about Hollywood. Should there be a “Hollywood movie”? When will “Russian” stereotypes disappear from American cinema?
The letters HOLLYWOOD are located in the city of Los Angeles - crowning one of the Hollywood Hills. Their creator, Thomas Goff, did not know how a one-time advertising campaign would turn out in the early 20s: 13 huge letters were installed for a period of only a year and a half. In 2018, the inscription turns 95 years old!
Initially, the letters were installed as part of an advertising campaign; there were 13 white glossy (literally and figuratively) letters - HOLLYWOODLAND. Business developers needed to attract attention to the newly built residential areas in Los Angeles. And what can I say - they succeeded. The width of each letter was 9 meters and the height was 15 meters. In addition, in the evening there was illumination - four thousand lamps were lit! It was planned that after the period allocated for the start of home sales, the letters would be removed, but history decreed otherwise. The inscription soon became very popular and, having gotten rid of four extra letters, became a label for the film industry in the United States of America.
More than once the letters were attacked by vandals, which led to frequent restoration work. After all, it was already a monument then, and it needed protection.
25 years after its creation, the first reconstruction was carried out, and then, by agreement, the ending LAND in the word was removed. However, the letters, made of wood and covered with metal sheets, also quickly became unusable. The inscription was in poor condition. Only in the late 70s, with the support of a professional restoration company and collected material assistance, was it possible to return the legendary letters to their worthy appearance. Many considered it an honor to become a letter sponsor. Thus, with the participation of nine sponsors (one benefactor for each symbol), new letters were made from a different, more durable material. The height became slightly less than 14 meters, and the width was about 12 meters. The new letters were unveiled on Hollywood's 75th anniversary. Many people watched the opening ceremony live.
The last restoration work was carried out in 2005. The letters were updated and repainted. In the same year, the first original letters were put up for auction, which were sold for almost half a million dollars.
Although any unauthorized change of letters is prohibited and punishable by law, several times activists and jokers still managed to pull it off, which caused a strong reaction from people, because HOLLYWOOD is not just a word, it is a legend, these are letters that are visible not only to residents of the star city , but to the whole world.
In the 2000s, a video surveillance system, motion detectors and other security measures were installed on the hill. When approaching closer than 50 meters, all sensors are triggered, and a police patrol immediately arrives. But tourists vacationing nearby are not afraid of this. The considerable hilliness of the area does not stop them either. People go for a walk in search of a good angle, selfies with HOLLYWOOD in the background are getting a record number of likes.
The famous inscription is often found in American films. For example: “The Terminator”, “Independence Day”, the 2nd and 3rd parts of “Shrek”, “Mulholland Drive” directed by David Lynch, the animated series “The Simpsons”, the cult series “Beverly Hills” and many others.
Kaluga region, Borovsky district, Petrovo village
This is the beginning of a journey through ETHNOMIR! The original facades of all the houses on the Street of Peace were created taking into account the architectural traditions of a particular country. The facade, the interior of the interior space (colors, furniture, interior items) - everything helps to plunge into the atmosphere of an amazing unfamiliar culture, to understand and feel the uniqueness of each country.
Many interesting master classes and excursions are held on Peace Street. And the doors of every house are always open for guests of the ethnographic park.
At one time, I was inspired by the works of Epstein and completely changed my attitude towards the field in which I work. In order for you to be inspired, I have prepared a summary of the most interesting facts from Epstein’s investigations. I roughly divided the facts into three parts: “Cinemas”, “Marketing” and “Filming and money”. Let's start with this.
Sergey Korol is a guest editor at Look At Me. Lover of books, travel, unusual languages, blogger and copywriter at Aiyo.
Edward Epstein - famous American journalist and publicist, known for his extensive research, which is based on behind-the-scenes facts and figures. In the mid-2000s, he became deeply involved in the world of Hollywood, intending to study it from its most unsightly, financial side. Epstein managed to convince top managers of film studios to disclose documents and facts to him under conditions of partial non-disclosure of information. The result was a famous series of articles in Slate magazine, a popular blog, and two books: The Hollywood Economist and The Big Picture.
Filming and money
Each Hollywood film is a separate company, constrained by obligations, debts and contracts.
The vast majority of films are unprofitable on paper. All profits are immediately divided between contractors, who are often located in different countries. This allows you to cleverly evade taxes and avoid paying shares of profits to filming participants. For example, Jerry Bruckheimer’s blockbuster “Gone in 60 Seconds,” with half a billion in revenue (according to documents), brought its creators a loss of $120 million. But this did not prevent all interested parties from making their profits.
The collections of films in cinemas are beautiful numbers, and nothing more. Take, for example, the same “Gone in 60 Seconds.” With a budget of $103 million, the film grossed $242 million, of which 60% was retained by theater chains. So the film’s profit from distribution was only 97 million - this is already less than the budget, despite the fact that overhead and marketing expenses have not yet been deducted from the amount. In net terms, the film's distribution brought in only $11 million.
Shooting a Hollywood film is a vicious circle. Filming requires money, which is given to a famous actor who demands a lot of money for participating in filming. Take, for example, Schwarzenegger's participation in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. For his participation in the film, Iron Arnie received $29 million and payment for a huge number of additional expenses: from personal security and an airplane to a gym in a van. In addition, under the terms of the contract, Schwarzenegger received the right to choose all participants in the process: from the make-up artist to the director.
An actor's contract is the bible of Hollywood. Contracts consist of dozens of pages and describe every detail of the filming process. They are created by specialized lawyers. Schwarzenegger's contract took seven months to prepare and included 21 drafts.
Legally, actors do not receive money personally- the amounts are transferred to the accounts of affiliated companies that “ensure the actor’s participation in the filming.”
Tax optimization in Hollywood has reached incredible proportions. With its help, film studios have learned to make money even before the film appears in the form of a script. To do this, they sell rights to countries that provide tax deductions for filming. (primarily to Germany).
Canada is the favorite country of Hollywood producers. It's all about the rich benefits and subsidies that the Land of Maple Leafs hands out to movie producers. Over the past 10 years, more than 1,500 box office films have been produced in Canada. Films starring Canadian actors receive special benefits, which is why they are now in great demand. A significant portion of films about New York are shot in Toronto.
Today, up to 60% of Hollywood's profits come not from movie tickets, but from marketing campaigns: product placement, use of film characters in games, advertising, release of souvenirs, sale of film rights to airlines.
Despite the fact that everyone talks about the immoderate appetites of famous actors, they are often ready to work for the minimum wage allowed by law (just under $1,000 per day) and act with independent directors. This way the stars can play with pleasure and to their full potential, without being constrained by strict production boundaries.
The filming process is strictly regulated and insured. Films are scheduled for release on a specific date, and delays can result in reduced profits. Cinema insures against delays in filming, and actors often work literally to their limits in order to stay on schedule.
Insurers are one of the most important participants in the filming process. The law strictly regulates the availability of medical insurance for an actor; without it, he cannot begin filming. If an actor is injured several times, then insurance companies may refuse or insist on special conditions for the next film. (for example, Nicole Kidman herself paid extra money to the insurers on the set of Cold Mountain). On the set of Terminator 3, Schwarzenegger was insured for $150 million, but the film itself was insured for only $2 million.
Stories about actors getting personally involved in dangerous scenes often turn out to be great press stories. Insurance agent involved in the filming of all scenes (including bedding), he just won't allow it.
Cinemas
For years, movie theaters were the only source of entertainment for most people. Anyone could afford a movie ticket: a poor burger seller, and the owner of factories, newspapers and ships. Film producers and distributors united to form the largest monopoly in the entertainment market until the famous lawsuit “US Government v. Paramount Pictures” took place. After this, cinemas began to select films for screening themselves.
Since 1963, the first multiplex cinemas - multiplexes - began to appear in the United States. The ability to release multiple films at once made cinemas less dependent on filmmakers. Now they could take films from different studios and show them at the same time.
Most American multiplex movie theaters have exactly 299 seats per theater. This is due to the Law on the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in 1990: from now on, any halls with a capacity of 300 seats or more were required to have access for people with disabilities.
The distributors have a saying: “Salt and sugar are our money.” Indeed, distributors receive most of their income from selling popcorn. Popcorn is simply incredibly overpriced corn that is generously salted or sweetened to encourage customers to drink more soda. Soda, of course, is also highly overrated.
Modern cinema still remains film-based. Films shot with digital cameras are still printed on film and shown in cinemas in the traditional way. The Wolf of Wall Street was the first film to be filmed and distributed digitally.
Ultra-modern digital technologies cannot yet compete in quality with film. For example, the original 1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre, shot on amateur 8mm film, is being digitized by fans in the highest quality currently available - 4K (and also has a considerable amount of resolution).
The film also has a minus: the price. Printing one set of film costs more than $2,000. Considering that the film is shown in tens of thousands of cinemas around the world, this amounts to a huge amount of money that is a dead weight on our tickets.
Marketing
Modern Hollywood cinema is cinema for teenagers. Filmmakers are targeting audiences under the age of 25 who go to the cinema in groups, are exposed to advertising and are happy to spend money on popcorn. Targeting a teenage audience influences which films are made more often: these are large-scale, bright, dynamic films that are pleasant to watch on the big screen.
The rental market actively fights for morality and assigns age ratings to films. The 18+ rating practically puts an end to rental income, because most teenagers simply will not be allowed into the theater. Therefore, sex scenes and hints of sexuality are carefully removed from box-office films. In a Hollywood film, like in the Soviet Union, there is no sex. Many classic paintings (e.g. "A Clockwork Orange" or "Last Tango in Paris") It will be very difficult to show in a modern cinema.
The struggle for morality is a knack towards adults and parents who care for patriarchal, religious values. Thus, the tastes of Hollywood are influenced by the Wal-Mart supermarket chain, a place of power for families and mothers with children. Wal-Mart gives studios up to 60% of revenue from disc sales and does not sell films with sexual overtones.
The release of every Hollywood film is accompanied by a lot of marketing preparation. By and large, each film creates its own audience, for which tens of millions of dollars are spent. Wanting to save money, producers focused on a rapid and multiple release of remakes.
The box office receipts of films are directly related to how much money and effort is put into promoting the film. For example, we can take two very similar romantic comedies with Julia Roberts: “My Best Friend’s Wedding” and “Everyone Says I Love You.” The first film grossed $21.7 million, while the second only grossed $132,000. The reason is that the first film was promoted by the Sony film company, and for the second, the independent studio Miramax did not find such a budget.
Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are topics that are increasingly arising in connection with areas far from crypto exchanges and trading. For example, blockchain is increasingly associated with the entertainment industry, including cinema. The cost of making films has increased significantly, so making films is now only possible for those who can attract capital from industry giants. But what should those who came up with an original idea, but did not find the means to implement it, do? And the answer to this question promises the world of the crypto industry. We have already written about the initiative from Korea, but the interest of the film industry was not limited to this project. Hollywood continues to show interest in the world of cryptocurrencies and technology. At the Block Seoul conference we met and talked with Marcello MARIE, which is actively promoting the idea of blockchain into the world of dreams.
“Our project is the result of a collaboration with Christopher WOODROW, a Hollywood producer whose works are very famous: the Oscar-winning Birdman, as well as Dallas Buyers Club and the film Black Mass.”- says Marcello MARIE. - However, they all have one thing in common: they are all independent films, worked on by a pool of independent producers. In the modern film industry, the situation has developed that if you are not one of the “supertops,” then it is very difficult to create films. Moreover, the waiting period for a return on investment is about a year, which makes the film market inaccessible to independent producers."
According to Marcello MARIE, which is why there are so many Avengers, Transformers and other big-budget films being released, while the share of high-quality auteur films is much smaller. Market democratization is a long-standing, urgent need that many film producers want to solve using blockchain.
“In this case, crypto will work as an intermediary, uniting everyone involved in the process, which eliminates a number of issues at once. There is no problem of distribution, receiving money from many different distribution channels, and besides, cryptocurrencies work as an excellent tool for optimization and cost control: blockchain perfectly allows you to track all financial aspects. Thanks to the blockchain, everything becomes much more transparent, in fact, everyone will be able to track how the invested money was spent.", says Mr. MARIE.
But nevertheless, blockchain and everything connected with it is still more of a mystery for people in the film industry, since cinema is very traditional and conservative, and innovation in it is rare. Therefore, unfortunately, there are still few people who look at blockchain as a solution to problems. There are individual examples in the field of logistics, distribution or production, but so far very few are looking for a more systematic, deeper application. In addition, a very delicate point arises: will Hollywood producers allow blockchain to be introduced into the holy of holies of cinema - film budgets, where for decades they have decided who will receive funding and become a star and who will not.
For this reason, it is now important to present a working product in Hollywood: this is a priority for promoting blockchain at the Dream Factory. AND Marcello MARIE I am sure that when people in the film industry understand that blockchain is more profitable, more transparent and safer, then everyone will start using it: “Hollywood knows how to count money, and this way of earning it and saving it will certainly be interesting to it. We understand perfectly well that you shouldn’t expect top-tier producers to immediately be inspired by this idea, but I’m sure that as soon as blockchain shows itself in movies, many will immediately begin to use it."
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Hollywood signDue to its fame and cultural identity as a historical center of film studios and movie stars, the word "Hollywood" is often used as a metonymy for the American film industry. The name "Tinseltown" refers to the magnificent nature of Hollywood and the film industry.
Today, much of the film industry is located in neighborhoods such as the Westside, but much of the supporting industry, such as editing, effects, props, final editing and lighting, remains in Hollywood, as does the Paramount Pictures location.
Many of Hollywood's historic theaters are used as action and concert stages for the premiere of major filmed productions, as well as as a venue for the Academy Awards. It is a popular destination for nightlife and tourism, and is also home to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Hollywood history
Nowadays, the meaning of the word “Hollywood” is known in all corners of the earth. The spectacles they put on on the screens attract all connoisseurs of filmmaking. Hollywood cinema is without a doubt a leader among its “colleagues”. But often the concepts of “American cinema” and “Hollywood” are combined.
Hollywood cinema is by far the most popular in the world. Hollywood also has a significant influence on the cinema of other countries. It's no secret that Hollywood films set fashion in many film genres. They are also decisive in the choice of plot, in the selection of the ensemble of actors, and in creating the image of the film for the advertising campaign. Nowadays, this film empire really dictates the fashion of cinema. It produces thousands of films every year. And this is already something!
And it all started with a small plot of land in the vicinity of the small town of Los Angeles (now, when it is no longer small, it sounds quite funny). It was purchased in 1886 by a modest family of American settlers, the Wilcoxes. Deida Wilcox suggested calling the place "Hollywood." Why? From the words “holly” - holly and “wood” - forest. That's where you got "Hollywood". If only they knew then what this acquisition of theirs led to, adjacent to German peasants and an Indian reservation. Life moved on at its own pace. Soon the Wilcox couple decided to rent out the land, and around 1903, their ranch gradually sank into the depths of the new village, which was later honored to join Los Angeles as a suburb. At that time, born of the Lumière brothers, cinema more and more conquered the hearts of romantics who dreamed of translating their world of illusions into a visible picture. It did not bypass Colonel William N. Zeling, who laid the first foundation stones for the construction of a huge movie empire in Hollywood. He bought part of the land from the Wilcoxes for a branch of his Chicago film company.
Although all his actions were legal, he could not work on his favorite thing without obstacles. However, as always happens in life. In 1907, America experienced a wave of ongoing disputes regarding the ownership of projection equipment. The so-called “patent war” led to a ban on the opening of nickelodeons in and around Los Angeles. The reason was that in such semi-underground cinemas, where they paid 5 cents for admission (in English “nickel”, “odeon” - theater), stolen films were shown on unlicensed equipment. So the Los Angeles municipality had to fight this troubled phenomenon. But no matter how it was, interest in cinema did not decrease, but on the contrary increased. In the 20s, in southern California, in the area of the already familiar town of Hollywood, the American film industry was created and began to rapidly develop. At that time, interest in cinema in America developed parallel to the population of the country with potential viewers. For example, in 1907, 1,285,000 people came to America from Europe alone, which gave a new strong impetus to the development of cinema. It was emigrants who made an amazing contribution to the development of the country's film industry. Many of them became great directors and producers, who are well remembered in the history of cinema to this day, and their works have become classics of world cinema. Who is this? Some of them were the founders of the country's largest film studios: Adolf Zukor (Hungary), who began his career as an apprentice to a furrier, founded Paramount; Karl Leml (Germany) - sold clothes, founded Universal, the Warner brothers (Poland) - advertised bicycles, founded Warner Bros., Louis B. Mayer (Russia, Minsk) - resold scrap metal, founded Metro-Goldwin-Mayer " By the way, let's focus on the last one. Why? Because it was the leading studio in Hollywood for over 30 years. And this, you see, is worth attention.
But we will start not with Mayer, but with a native of a Jewish family, Samuel Geblitz (Sachmuel Gelbfisz). This man was one of the luckiest refugees from Eastern Europe. He was born in Warsaw in 1892. He, still very young, was forced by fate to leave his homeland, and fled first to London and then to New York. Circumstances were such that he even had to change his name to Samuel Goldfish.
So in 1913, his life’s path took him to American soil and stopped in California, where he mastered a new profession related to motion picture production technology.
He began his film career together with two of his like-minded people (Edgar and Archibald Selwyn). He soon changed his name back to the American one - Goldwyn (he combined the first syllable of his old surname GOLDfish with the last syllable of his partners' surname SelWYN). And in 1925, together with the already well-known Russian emigrant Lewis B. Mayer, Samuel Goldwyn founded the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio, which dominated Hollywood, as we have already mentioned, for about 30 years.
As for the star system, it did not exist in American cinema. The names of the actors and actresses were not mentioned anywhere. All were hidden under pseudonyms. In March 1910, Karl Leml changed the situation and entered into an agreement with actress Florence Lawrence. After this, gradually, under the influence of film business specialists, stars began to appear one after another, each of whom had their own screen role. The institution of stars in Hollywood cinema began to emerge around the 1920s and, having been formed in the 1930s, reached its full dawn in the 1940s and 1950s. The stars seemed ideal to the audience. Future stars were specially trained in courses at the film studios themselves. The huge PR industry at major film studios specifically worked to create and maintain the image of stars. The tabloid press vigilantly followed every step of the actors, talking about all the incidents in their lives and about their eccentric antics, which thus tested the boundaries of their popularity.
It is impossible to imagine the history of world cinema without two of the greatest stars of the era of the birth of Hollywood - Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. These were the brightest stars in Hollywood. They achieved such popularity that even today there is nothing to compare with.
Mary Pickford's real name was Gladys Smith, she was born in 1893 in Canada, in the city of Toronto. She made her debut on the theater stage at the age of 7 years. She was called "America's Sweetheart". The image of a young, naive, virtuous teenage girl, an American "Cinderella" in her performance, gained worldwide fame. For 20 years, the appearance of this wonderful actress preserved youthful innocence and purity, which played a huge role for her as an actress.
The years of her creativity coincided with the very years when the formation of American cinema took place. And Mary Pickford was among its most important creators. The first American woman to earn a million dollars in one year, a businesswoman of unique intelligence and insight. She was one of the first who understood what cinema was and what its role was. She was very insightful and intelligent and felt that Hollywood was the future leader of cinema. It’s not for nothing that she was called “the brightest head in Hollywood,” meaning not her golden curls.
The second star of that time was Douglas Fairbanks (real name Douglas Elton Ulman). He was born in 1883 in Denver, Colorado. Since childhood he was attracted to the theater. According to some reports, he first appeared on stage at the age of 12. From 1902 he performed on Broadway and by 1910 he had won the position of one of the theater’s leading actors, becoming the living embodiment of the “ideal American” - a young, active romantic, ready to conquer the whole world. In 1915, Fairbanks traveled from New York to Hollywood, where he made his screen debut. Fairbanks' famous smile and impressive athletic build made him one of the most popular actors of the era. He is especially famous for films such as The Three Musketeers, The Thief of Bagdad, The Man in the Iron Mask and The Mark of Zorro.
Two Hollywood stars have reached enormous heights. And, as often happens, in 1920 Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford got married. Their Pickfair mansion remained for a long time the largest and most prestigious mansion in Beverly Hills. In the 20-30s, scenes of some films were even filmed at Pickfair. It was considered a special honor to be invited to a reception at this mansion. Newspapers and movie almanacs reported literally every detail concerning the Pickfair guests.
At the end of the 60s, the studio system collapsed. Since that time, a new (modern) stage in Hollywood cinema began. Interest in traditional, formulaic star-studded studio films was steadily declining, and many even major film studios were brought to the brink of bankruptcy. Studio bosses were perplexed about what kind of movie audiences wanted to see. Experiments began. Among the young directors who were given the chance to demonstrate their abilities were George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Brian De Palma. And it was this group of directors who shaped modern cinema in the form in which it entered the 21st century. Their films in the late 1960s and early 1970s were huge successes. Thanks to them, the word “blockbuster” arose. The heads of large studios began to trust young directors. Moreover, inviting them for filming has become fashionable and profitable. After all, they, having come out of film schools and small studios, knew how to fit into very small budgets.
Michael Bublé, Hollywood – music video
Top Hollywood Attractions
Hollywood and Highland
Visiting numerous shops and restaurants is certainly not the most important, but also not the last place on a trip to Hollywood. Located on the corner of Hollywood and Highland Boulevards, the three-story modern shopping and entertainment complex Hollywood and Highland is one of the most visited centers in Los Angeles. In addition to shops and restaurants, the complex is an excellent starting point for a walking tour, as it is located directly next to the Walk of Fame, the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards) and one of Hollywood's most famous movie theaters, Grauman's Chinese Theater.
One of Hollywood's main attractions, the famous Walk of Fame is a chain of sidewalks located on both sides of a 15-block street on Hollywood Boulevard and a 3-block street on Vine Street. About 10 million people visit the alley every year. The Alley consists of approximately 2,400 five-pointed brass Stars set into a six-foot terraz floor. Each star celebrates the achievements of a specific real and fictional "star" in the music, film or television industries. The Walk of Fame was opened in 1958.
Grauman's Chinese Theater
On the site in front of the Walk of Fame, you can see one of the most popular attractions in Hollywood - the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater. Located on Hollywood Boulevard, the movie theater was built in 1927 by famed Hollywood impresario Sid Grauman. The cinema is one of the main monuments of the "golden era" of Hollywood and one of the most popular places for film premieres. It is worth noting that the choice of stars who leave their hand and foot prints in the cement on the Walk of Fame is made by the owners of the cinema. On the area in front of the cinema you can see prints of many celebrities, including Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Jack Nicholson, Marilyn Monroe, Clint Eastwood. Since 2007, the cinema has been owned by the CIM Group company. The cinema is open 24 hours a day. You can buy a ticket for a tour of the cinema or just buy a ticket for one of the sessions.
Hollywood Bowl
One of the best open-air concert halls in Hollywood, the Hollywood Bowl amphitheater was built in 1922. The hall can accommodate about 18,000 spectators. The concert season at the Hollywood Bowl lasts from late June to mid-September. However, in addition to this, a number of unscheduled events take place in the hall, such as the Playboy Jazz Festival.
Hollywood sign
By far the most recognizable monument in Hollywood is the famous "HOLLYWOOD" memorial sign in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles. The memorial sign was installed at an altitude of 491 meters above sea level, on the slope of Mount Lee in Griffith Park in 1923 as an advertisement, and subsequently gained wide popularity, becoming the main symbol of the US film industry. Each letter is 9 meters high, 15 meters wide, and a total of 4,200 light bulbs are used in the letters. It was originally planned that the sign would stand for about a year and a half, but with the development of the American film industry, it was decided to keep the sign. The sign has undergone several restorations and the letters are now 1.5 meters shorter than they were in the original version.
Usually the monument is not accessible by regular excursion, but you can choose several convenient places that offer the best view of the famous inscription. The most convenient places to view the sign are Hollywood Reservoir, Mulholland Drive, Franklin Avenue in Gower, Hollywood at Highland shopping complex, Griffith Park Observatory.
Los Angeles Farmers Market
One of the popular and most visited attractions in Hollywood and Los Angeles is the famous Farmers Market shopping center. The shopping center is located on the site of a historic farmers market that has existed since 1934. In 2002, the market area was turned into a huge shopping center, preserving some of the historical buildings. The Farmers Market attracts approximately 3 million visitors each year. The center is located at the corner of Third and Fairfax. The center is open 24 hours a day.
Sunset Strip
One of the largest shopping and nightlife centers in Los Angeles, the Sunset Strip is located on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. The Sunset Strip is a 1.5-mile stretch between Doheny Drive and N. Crescent Heights Blvd. The Sunset Strip is quite a rich place in terms of attractions. Among the main attractions are the Rocky and Bullwinkle statue, the luxurious Sunset Tower Hotel, the popular Comedy Store comedy club, the Plaza chain of stores and restaurants, the legendary Whiskey A GoGo bar in the 1960s, where such celebrities as Jimi Hendrix began their careers, bands The Doors, The Byrds, Led Zeppelin.
Excursions to film studios
There's no better way to experience what goes on behind the camera than on a Hollywood Studios Tour. Most of these tours invite tourists to visit real, working studios. But unfortunately, this means that the tour can only be taken on a weekday when the studios are open.
Visiting the filming of the show
With a little planning, you can become part of the studio audience while filming a comedy, reality show, or game show. What's even nicer? It's free - and you get the opportunity to express yourself.
Hollywood Christmas Parade
If you're lucky enough to be in Los Angeles for the Thanksgiving holiday, you shouldn't miss one of the world's most colorful annual parades - the Hollywood Christmas Parade. The parade has been celebrated annually for the past eighty years and has long become one of the main cultural news of American television. A number of celebrities take part in the parade each year. The parade was first held in 1928 and was originally called the Santa Claus Lane Parade. In 1978, the event changed its name to the Hollywood Christmas Parade. The parade takes place annually on the third Thursday of November. The parade follows a 3.5 kilometer route along Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard.
Hollywood and BollywoodTwo of the world's largest centers of the film industry - Hollywood in the USA and Bollywood in India - signed a cooperation agreement designed to improve the conditions for the production and distribution of film products.
Bollywood is ahead of Hollywood. And a lot. It is the leader in the production of films per year around the world. The Indians, with obvious irony, call their film production factory “the continuously working conveyor belt of Bollywood.” So, this conveyor belt produces a thousand films a year for viewers. When compared with the results of Hollywood, its figures are several times lower. By the way, the name itself comes from the merger of two words: Bombay and Hollywood.
Usually, Bollywood films are very long in duration. For about three hours or more, the actors sing and dance about it, about Love! This is usually the main line in the entire cinematic plot. You will almost never see kissing on screen, because in India they are very strict about it. Just like with bare parts of the body.
About fourteen million people in India go to the cinema every day to watch a new masterpiece. India sells four billion tickets every year. To put this into perspective, here's another figure: Three billion tickets are sold worldwide to watch Hollywood films.
The first film shot and shown to a wide audience was “La Sortie des Ouvriers de l”Usine Lumire.” It was directed by brothers named Auguste and Louis Lumière.
The first film with sound was “The Jazz Singer,” made back in 1927. The first words in the film were spoken by Ol Jolson. They sounded like this: “Wait a minute, you haven’t heard anything yet.”
In the world, the most successful and expensive film was James Cameron's unsinkable title Titanic.
The top five most profitable films of all time are:
1) “Titanic” - 1.835 billion in US currency;
2) “Jurassic Park” - 920 billion US dollars;
3) “Independence Day” - 810 billion in US currency;
4) “Star Wars” - 780 billion American finances;
5) “The Lion King” - 767 billion in US currency.
The interesting thing is that these films are family films, that is, they can be watched by the whole family. This type also includes a wonderful film called “Gone with the Wind,” dated 1939. All the actors who starred there became incredibly popular, and the director himself, whose name is David Seleznick, was not immune to this. By the way, during filming he was fined five thousand dollars for swearing. At that time, this money was a very tidy sum. Gone with the Wind was based on a book written by Margaret Mitchell. By the way, this work was the only one written by her.
By the way, half of all films produced in Hollywood are not profitable. This is due to the fact that much more was spent on filming than was returned upon rental.
The largest contract concluded in Hollywood, and probably in the whole world, is a two billion dollar contract with the Pepsi company and a director named George Lucas. Its goal is to use advertising for this drink in films.