Ethnic Films in the United States and the World
A movie, also known as a film, short film, video, digital film or video animation, is an artistic work of multimedia visual art used to simulate real experiences, stories, emotions, images, beauty, or ambiance through the utilisation of moving pictures. More than just a simple story being told, movies have now become an international form of entertainment with millions of people around the world enjoying them. The term “moviemaker” derives from the French word “moteur”, which means to make movies. Nowadays, you can even find some independent movie producing companies operating on the Internet and other forms of multimedia platforms. The industry of movie making is now worth billions of dollars annually.
Film production can be broadly divided into two major types: live action/animation films and documentary films. Live-action motion pictures are those that incorporate complex computer-generated images and animation, while documentary films are those that are usually filmed as non-live and are intended for wide theatrical distribution. Both types of motion pictures can be directed or adapted from other media such as books, TV shows, and music.
Motion picture technology has evolved greatly over the decades. Initially, all motion pictures were made by hand on celluloid or handmade cardboard slides, which were later developed into the transparent medium of Vistamin film in 1924. This development paved the way for the development of celluloid or Plexiglas, which became increasingly popular for use as a projector in movie theatres. Today, the major improvements in the technology of moviemaking have been made by the use of computerised imaging machines.
The most common medium of motion pictures and one of the biggest industries based on it is the cinema. Cinema houses create and exhibit motion pictures and other forms of multimedia using large-scale, digital screens. The advent of digital video and home electronics like video games and DVD players has also contributed to the increasing popularity of motion pictures. Motion pictures and movies are now readily available in all languages and genres in the world.
Motion-picture houses can be classified according to the type of genre they belong to. Film houses can be national or local, commercial or public, personal or institutional, or community-based. Most of the national motion picture houses are government-owned and are scattered all over the country. The most famous ones are the Walt Disney Co., Disney studios, Universal Studios, MGM and Warner Bros.
American film industry has the largest number of films, second only to the British film industry. A number of prominent American film stars have earned millions of dollars through their films, such as: Walt Disney, Robert Rodriguez, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Ben Kingsley, and Bill Murray. British film industry, on the other hand, consists of well-known British talent such as; Guy Pierce, Tom Hopper, Peter Jackson, Guy Hamilton, Rupert Grint, and Eddie Murphy. Many top British celebrities have made English films, such as; Guy Pierce, Matt Damon, and Hollywood favorite Rupert Grint. Many major film prizes are given out in American and British film festivals, including best picture, best actor, and best actress. Winning the Oscar for the best film award is one of the most coveted awards in Hollywood.