The impact of sound technology on the distribution of shot lengths in Hollywood cinema, 1920 to 1933

Authors

  • Nick Redfern Independent researcher

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/cinej.2012.50

Keywords:

film style, statistical analysis, Hollywood, shot length distributions, sound cinema, silent cinema

Abstract

The impact of sound technology on Hollywood is analysed through looking at the median shot lengths of silent films from the 1920s (n = 54) and early sound films (n = 106). The results show a large increase in the median shot lengths with the introduction of sound (Mann Whitney U = 554.0, Z = -8.33, p = <0.01, PS = 0.0968), estimated to be 2.0s (95% CI: 1.6, 2.4). The dispersion of shot lengths measured using the robust estimator Qn shows a similarly large increase in the dispersion of shot lengths with the transition to sound (Mann Whitney U = 319.0, Z = -9.18, p = <0.01, PS = 0.0557), estimated to be 2.0s (95% CI: 1.7, 2.4).

Author Biography

Nick Redfern, Independent researcher

Nick Redfern studied Film and History at the University of Kent, and completed his Ph.D. on regionalism in contemporary British cinema at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2006. He has published articles on regional film policy in the United Kingdom and the representation of the UK’s regions in cinema in The Journal of British Cinema and Television, Cyfrwng: Media Wales Journal, The Journal of European Popular Culture, and Transnational Cinemas. He has taught film studies at Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Central Lancashire, specializing in British cinema, Hollywood cinema, film analysis, and film theory. He is the author of the ‘Research into Film’ blog at http://www.nickredfern.wordpress.com.

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Published

2012-11-26

How to Cite

Redfern, N. (2012). The impact of sound technology on the distribution of shot lengths in Hollywood cinema, 1920 to 1933. CINEJ Cinema Journal, 2(1), 77–94. https://doi.org/10.5195/cinej.2012.50

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2012): Fall 2012

Section

Articles

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