Edison and WKL Dickson attempted sound motion pictures, 1894–95
Amplification
Synchronization
Little Interest among Major Studios
Dickson Sound Experiment (1894–95)
Roaring 1920s
Stock Market–Credit Bubble
Advent of Radio
Simultaneous Discovery
The concept of multiple discovery is the hypothesis that most scientific discoveries and inventions are made independently and more or less simultaneously by multiple scientists and inventors.
The concept of multiple discovery opposes a traditional view—the “heroic theory”of invention and discovery.
Simultaneous attempts to figure out sound motion pictures
Sound on Film
Sound on Disk
Audion Tube
Lee de Forest
vacuum tube, 1906
based on Edison’s light bulb
used to amplify voice for telephone calls
patent acquired by AT&T
Theodore Case
partnered with Lee de Forest, 1921–24
Developed Thallofide vacuum tube
with Earl Sponable
Enabled turning sound into light
Sound Recording
record grooves
correspond to the vibrational energy from sound
hills-and-dales represent sound
Optical Soundtracks
same concept as record groves
but not physical
they are optical
read by light
remain synchronized to the film picture
Phonofilm
sound-on-film
solved synchronization problem
experimental shorts using celebrities
program of debuted at Rivoli Theater, NYC, April 15, 1923
Phonofilm Shorts
President Coolidge, Taken on the White House Ground
A Few Moments with Eddie Cantor
Amplification
Western Electric
condenser microphone
electric sound
public address system
amplified by radio tubes
Western Electric
sound-on-disk system
solved amplification
high sonic fidelity
problems with distribution, synchronization, editing
Vitaphone Company
acquired by Warner Brothers, 1925
used Vitagraph Brooklyn studios
began producing experimental sound shorts
renamed company Vitaphone
Vitaphone System
Sound-on-disk system
16-inch records
disk would correspond to each film reel
intended to replace orchestras at silent film screenings with synchronized music
synchronization was “challenging”
Don Juan
adaptation of Cervantes novel
featuring John Barrymore
feature film with synchronized soundtrack
premiered August 1926
Don Juan Sword Fight Clip
Don Juan Premiere
Vitaphone Shorts
Eight Vitaphone shorts
Accompanied Don Juan screening
Synchronized voice and musical performances
Audiences reportedly wanted to hear the movies “talk”
Will Hays Presents Vitaphone
The Jazz Singer (1927)
based on Samson Raphaelson play, The Cantor
starring Al Jolson, vaudeville superstar
feature-length, talking picture
premiered October 1927, Warners Theater
launched talkie revolution
The Jazz Singer Blue Skies
William Fox & Movietone
strategy to gain market share
partnered with Case
bought US rights to German Tri-Ergon optical sound process