Hollywood almost lost to this city
Вставка
- Опубліковано 8 гру 2019
- One Florida city could have been the world's movie capital. Why did it reject the movies?
Almanac Hollywouldn't is our miniseries on big changes to movies that came from outside Hollywood. Watch all of the episodes right here on UA-cam.
Episode 1: • The first movie with CGI
Episode 2: • Why movies went from 1...
Episode 3: • How stop motion animat...
Episode 4: • The trick that made an...
Subscribe to our channel! goo.gl/0bsAjO
In this episode of Vox Almanac, Vox’s Phil Edwards goes to Florida to answer a question: why did one city reject the movie industry?
In the early 1900s, the New York-centric film scene was in search of a warm-weather capital. Two contenders emerged: Los Angeles, California, and Jacksonville, Florida. And for a while, it was unclear which city would win the movie business. Jacksonville boasted a large industry, proximity to New York, and great weather. Some early comedy classics were even made there.
But ultimately, the city wasn’t ready to become a movie town. The compromises of life with the movie industry - like actors and actresses running loose around town - proved too much for the Jacksonville establishment. The people of the city effectively voted against the movies when they voted against the industry’s biggest political booster.
This footnote in history isn’t just trivia though - it shows how our culture could have had an alternate set of stories. That’s particularly obvious when it comes to Norman Studios, a film studio that endured in Jacksonville by casting black actors while much of the Hollywood establishment still relied on stereotypical roles or blackface. But we’ll never know what might have gone differently - Hollywood became “Hollywood,” and Jacksonville became a story in the archives.
Further reading:
Blair Miller’s book, Almost Hollywood, is a comprehensive look at the movie production scene in Jacksonville. It relies heavily on newspaper reports from the time (which is invaluable because it’s difficult to find digitized versions online).
www.amazon.com/Almost-Hollywo...
The First Hollywood by Shawn C. Bean provides a longer and more accessible history of movies in Florida, including outposts in Miami as well as the Jacksonville story.
upf.com/book.asp?id=9780813032436
If you want to learn more about Norman Studios, you can visit their website here.
normanstudios.org/
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out www.vox.com.
Watch our full video catalog: goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on Facebook: goo.gl/U2g06o
Or Twitter: goo.gl/XFrZ5H - Фільми й анімація
This is the last video in this edition about big changes to movies that came from outside Hollywood. Check out the first episode here: ua-cam.com/video/NMkZpuiEqh8/v-deo.html
Phil Edwards HI PHIL!!!
CharismaticKid hello hello!
Phil, there is a silent film collective in Jacksonville that performs live music to these films routinely. I was a member of this ensemble under the direction of Tony Steve, and composed music for it with him. You two should really talk, as Professor Steve of Jacksonville University has thousands of archives of the music for these films, as well as more info on Jacksonville’s Silent Film History.
@@brooksclarkemusic4510 Thanks Brooks! This is so cool you were in the ensemble. I ran into a bunch of articles about Prof. Steve and heard about him from Norman Studios too. I hope anybody in Jacksonville checks it out!
@UCb_MAhL8Thb3HJ_wPkH3gcw Hi Phil Edwards! I never knew you owned a youtube channel. By the way, you look
The fact that the Florida movie studios were more progressive with the portrayal of black characters is a surprising fact I didn’t expect.
@Tim Evans all the artists had to move west, and took progress and its ideas with them
@@cancerino666 while Florida became a nest for old conservatives
Anna Banana kinda sad to think about
right?
agreed! I was kinda shocked
*Too bad, otherwise we would've had a Florida Man trilogy instead of those Marvel movies.*
We dodged a bullet there didn’t we 😂
I've achieved reality TV.
Yep
😂😂😂😂
Good one
Fall is the most beautiful time in Florida, really...
All the license plates start changing colors.
@Ariff Ishak I'm America and I don't get it either.
The snow birds (old people from up north) start coming down.
Ariff Ishak He’s talking about all the snowbirds who come down to Florida in winter. A lot of people who live in colder states like Illinois, Now York, Michigan, etc. have 2nd houses down in Florida they run away to and avoid the snow back up North. In turn you see a bunch of different license plates from different states in Florida that time of the year lol Mainly old retired people 65+ years of age...
Ive seen some Ottawa license plates down in the south FL beaches
Molly Borgmeyer A lot of retired people from up North travel/live in Florida in the winter months to avoid the snow. Read my comment above responding to the other guy! 😅
i deadass thought he was gonna start talking about hollywood florida lol
Heyyyy, thats where I live and i thought he was gonna talk about it as well.
Nick Palomba same
Oh, so you're telling me that we could have a movie industry in Florida AND keep the cool name? smh
Me a Californian: there's a hollywood Florida?
CalifornianEASCreator yeah it’s not that small country town named after another place either😂 a bigger city in south broward county right next to miami
As movie nerd, I would add that Hollywood also won BECAUSE it was far from the east coast.
At the time Edison was trying to make everybody pay patent fees for his inventions, but LA was too far away to enforce the patent law.
Really? I'm surprised he couldn't find enough lawyers in CA to do his bidding.
@@sion8 this was before LA Law
@@bobbymcfuckin1478
What do you mean? Paten law is federal law, states don't have power over copyright nor patents.
As someone from Jacksonville I legit get excited when Jacksonville is mentioned in media.
why? dont the Jaguars get talked about in the media? (*looks at their record*) nevermind, I understand
Then you must've been excited when deadpool mentioned Jacksonville 😀
Ditto!
When the shooting happened
Honestly when ur from here u get weirdly excited about hearing its name
Florida May have lost the film battle but you know what they did get?
*Florida Man*
One state’s loss is another state’s gain. Cheers to Florida Man.
So they lost twice...
Yeah they won
"Florida Man throws alligator at cashier"
And Jason would have been a movie star and Tahani would brag about meeting him
The Good Place!!!
LOL
First thing i got in my mind when i heard Jacksonville: Jason. No surprise I was looking for a comment about him.
I’m glad someone else thought this as well!!! JACKSONVILLE
I LOVE the good place!!!!!
american idol judges:
*YOURE GOING TO JACKSONVILLE!!!*
Lol 😂
American Idol came to Jax for auditions before
St. Augustine was also a big hub. The fort, despite being Spanish architecture, was used as a backdrop for many films that were to be set in the middle east and India. Not only that, but the reason why so many studios were looking for warmer climates was because it was very dangerous to film indoors being that the film was highly flammable. So places like Florida and Hollywood were great alternatives being that the weather was warm enough to film outside year long. Not only was Hollywood so far away, initially it was a desert. Once they completed the project to irrigate the valley, it became an actual viable option for permanent studios.
I lived in Jacksonville for years and no one knows about this
Seconded. Me neither
People have been saying this
@bvzn lol
girafa400 I think they got this wrong, I grew up in south Florida and I remember hearing stories of Hollywood almost setting up shop in the Hobe Sound & Jupiter Florida area. There’s old run down street lights & sidewalks that they started to build before moving everything to California.
I'm from Jacksonville and I distinctly remember learning about this in 3rd grade.
Think of it this way, the cost of living in Jacksonville would have tripled lol
It's already cheap lol
The fact that I have a whole entire Film and Media Studies degree and this never came up in four years is a little mind blowing to me ngl
As someone who lived in Jacksonville all their life, I don't even want to think about a Hollywood like Jacksonville.
May Smith IKR , I feel the same way
Details please. I’ve never been to Jacksonville so I don’t understand the reference.
@@Dotthel Jacksonville is very... well, you either love it or hate it.
@@Dotthel I. Don't know how to describe Jacksonville, really. We get a lot of tourist passing through. People going to Miami, Disney and the snowbirds. The best way I can describe Jacksonville is you took a lot of small towns and made them one big city that spread out everywhere, so one part of Jacksonville is very different for the over parts. And do get me started on I95 🙄
@@maysmith5893 you mean the I-95 that has been under construction since 2000? 😂😂
Imagine the music biopics we could have gotten: Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, Slim Whitman, Shinedown, Yellowcard... but none would have eclipsed a movie about Fred Durst in entertainment value.
Hollywood: no one can surpass me
Atlanta (with tax incentives): hold my peaches
Not just Atlanta. British Colombia is huge for Sci-Fi. Quebec gives out tons of subsidies, as does NYC.
Tyler Perry Studios: *stonks*
Atlanta will never surpass Hollywood when it comes to production. All the big studios and companies are ingrained here. Plus LA offers more settings, scenery, and culture for movies.
@@hiphoprbloverjon9180 um, I guess you haven't been updated on filming locations recently. Hollywood's locations are dated, and worn out. I can ALWAYS tell a CA set or location (mostly because they have been used over, and over, and over...). Atlanta is the go to city for filming now because of the tax breaks offered by the city. Imo, in the near future, it will be a hub for film that will rival Hollywood. Out in CA, most film studios are being bought up and merged into conglomerates. Atlanta is offering an experience akin to the early years of Hollywood and film making. Some where the independent film maker can hone their craft and get their foot in the door.
Atlanta is racist and hates abortion
so what you sayin is bojack was gonna steal the letter, regardless...
😂
and one of the companies was called Vim!
hey isn't that the horse from that tv show?
Lived in FL most of my life & never knew about this. Yet another reason why I love Vox videos; they are entertaining & informative about such a variety of topics.
Can you imagine Republicans ranting about all those "Jacksonville liberals, forcing their values on us"...
Ramshackle Alex Unlike Hollywood, JAX-wood will keep the corruption out👍🏽.
Well that's essentially the version of this story I always heard. All the conservative Southerners didn't like the big city liberals coming in.
This explains the origin of Florida Man
He just thinks he’s in a big movie and must progressively top his last act
For anyone interested the flying ace is on Netflix in a collection called “Pioneers of African American Cinema” along with a bunch of other early black films👍🏾
Wait then Florida man would be replaced by California man. It just doesn't have the same ring to it.
Yeah. Florida is crazier than California.
@I love Angelique Florida is the mental institution of America.
there is nothing wrong being a florida man I'm normal I promise
if in an alternate world,Jacksonville beat Hollywood
we would have
bollyville
chinaville
and all other woods out there
karthi jeyan wouldn’t it be backsonville, or bhacksonville ig
what do you mean?
@@karthijeyan9643 Bollywood is Hollywood with a B
Backsonville is Jacksonville with a B
"A short 26 hour train ride..." I know everything is relative but still...
saxyrep1 a 1910 train ride that is, pretty short for the time lol
@@Kanadabalsam Yeah, I got that, hence the "everything's relative" part but still... 😉
I felt pretty absurd writing that, but that actually was a plus! Having been on a longer than 26 hour train ride though, it sounds horrible.
If you're curious, this is the article it's in. books.google.com/books?id=a3lJAQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA587&ots=iWBJ3UybvS&dq=motography%20%22the%20call%20of%20jacksonville%22&pg=PA587#v=onepage&q=motography%20%22the%20call%20of%20jacksonville%22&f=false
Actually in many countries around the world 26 hour train rides are pretty common. It sounds bizarre to you because the American train industry is not well developed.
Yeah, 26 hour train rides are pretty uncommon in the western world nowadays but long train rides are definitely still around. Like the 18 hour train to the Artic Circle from Stockholm, or the Paris to Moscow Express which takes 3 days. And in other parts of the world they're definitely still very common, like Russia, and Yes, North America.
An alternate universe with black movie heroes was not the twist ending I expected to hear about JAX.
Oddly there is a smaller film industry in Hollywood, Florida.
was. there was a smaller film industry. the only movie company here is prob the Seminole media on 441
Zarif Karim - maybe I’m wrong but years ago I p.a.-ed on a small movie there and I was told it was the same production company that did a “larger” movie.
Maybe they aren’t based there.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
We could’ve got Florida Man trilogy
Instead got baby bossu
_* _*_drrring drrrring_*_ *_
"Moshi moshi, Bossu!"
Naughtius Maximus *dies infinitely*
3:44 I didn't know Swastikas were used as decorative borders for newspaper ads
jonas1015119 It was a Buddhist symbol before, well you know
Meaning happiness*
Pre WWII
I think, if Florida would have won, both of some of the richest cities in The US (New York City, Los Angeles) would be on the east side of The US, and the west would probably not have a strong economy and tourist attraction for balance.
It’s not only the film industry that creates economic success for a region. For California it used to be gold, now it is trade with the world’s east like China. It’s access to trade routes.
California would still have the aircraft industry
LA’s economy is not really dependent on the film industry; it definitively helped “marketing” the city - and Southern California in general - to attract people to movie in. But LA’s size has much more to do with it being the US’s main gateway to the Pacific, its early oil boom, and the defense/aerospace manufacturing industry that took root during WWII, and not to mention its weather.
If Jacksonville film industry had weathered the negative press and remained there until the present day, it is much more likely that the “loosers” would be Miami and Orlando. As Jacksonville would have attracted some (or most of) Latin-American and Caribbean immigration and investment that went into Miami and the investment / development form the film industry that went into Orlando.
It is likely that Hollywood-less LA would still be bigger than film-capital Jacksonville. But LA will likely only be seen as a large industrial town (similar to Atlanta). Come to think about it, a very interesting urban corridor/triangle would likely spring up between Atlanta, Savannah and Jacksonville.
@@TheElizondo88 If Jacksonville took off at the expense of Miami, then perhaps Disney would have located his park in the far south of Florida, in which case Orlando may not have become a thing.
I think LA would still be the rich powerhouse it is today just more diversified
wOw, never knew that they supported black actors/actresses for filming. This could very well be a great opportunity for black filmmakers/animators to rebuild that part of Jacksonville and create our own film industry, just the historic wealth “Black Wall Street” in Greenwood, Tulsa, Oklahoma. 😎🌴
As a white guy from Jacksonville I support this plan 100%.
CA's palm trees are taller than FL's NOT because the world's tallest (as well first and oldest) trees planted are situated (in the Golden State). CA even has less and more seldom rain than FL.
Another awesome episode! Thank you so much to the whole team!
Imma put a movie studio in jacksonville fl 1 day
I'm down
“And asked them to vote for him. He’d bring in these film companies...
He lost.” 😂😂😂😂
I was working at Norman studio durring late 1978,
the studio still look untouched until sometime in 1980 when Mr. Hughes Smith owner of Electric Hughes company did some remodeling in attic and balcony. I still could find many metals films cases; the Generator on back of building seem to me at the time if we could find repair parts it would still run. There were some 1950 cars were still there. There were sense of sadness to see the building to me.
'Hollywouldn't'
Would that also mean Jacksonville Lakers?
anyone who knows jason mendoza knows that the jacksonville jaguars wouldnt allow it
@Lord Tripathy the thick headedness...
@@lmc3516 BORTLESSSSS
Maybe the Minneapolis Lakers still. The name made sense there in a place with lakes at least.
I live in Hollywood FL. I thought you were gonna start talking about my home town.
I was dead certain this was going to be about the city of Hollywood, Florida - yes, that’s a real place
This is what happened when people who felt the growing pains of a city, chose to not grow.
BINGO
A lot of those California palm trees came from the Pacific, brought in by developers to make California more desirable as a location to invest in and move to.
Also, a lot of movie studios at the time were like MASH units, ready to run, because Edison demanded a cut from all movie productions, which forced a lot of movie production underground. (The story was that Hollywood, California was named for a street in Chicago where the studio that first came over used to work. Not true because Hollywood was named in the 1880s but ..)
Now we need a movie 🎬 about Jacksonville's movies. Maybe as a documentary
Absolutely love this series, thank you
If Jacksonville became Hollywood, would you believe that the civil rights act will come earlier than it did in our timeline?
Love Vox for content such as this. Only a small amount of people ever would have known this without coverage like this!
That last part about Norman Studios got me 😢. I wish that they had made it big. It could have really had a butterfly effect on representation in the media throughout history.
Me, a Floridian: “Nah”
At least you have Florida Man.
@@tylerhackner9731 he is the florida man
Same lol
That's exactly what a Florida man would say
Remembered me of the movie Hugo
Vox is really the most interesting channel on UA-cam. Thank you for your amazing videos
Can we talk about how amazing the music is in this video.
...and Niles, CA (now a part of Fremont, CA) was Hollywood before Hollywood. Charlie Chaplin filmed here as did famous movie cowboy Bronco Billy. There is a silent film museum to visit.
Absolutely true-the Silicon Valley could have been Celluiod Valley
Film industry folk tried to make something out of New Port Richey, FL in Pasco County as well. Silent film star Gloria Swanson had a Spanish style mansion on the river, among others. Today the community theatre, Richey Suncoast, still remains, and you can see the old style of art deco decor when you visit. There is also a mural depicting some of the famous people from that era on a wall downtown. Some of the mansions are still on the Cotee River, but many were demolished unfortunately. Downtown NPR is making a comeback, in spite of an infamous town nick name: New Port Roxy :/. Anyway, just some fun silent era trivia. Great video! =)
Love your work! So much time goes into the research, always well presented! 💥💥💥
0:36 “Florida man Laboratories”
American who lived in France and studying in Ireland. Noticed that the academic systems (grading, curriculum, and others) are all drastically different and by a lot of standards, European curriculums tend to be better than America's. Why is this? (Maybe do a video? 😁)
(Edit: To clarify, I'm more talking about primary schools (K-12), not necessarily college/university since America does have some of the most prestigious universities in the world but from what I find, we lack in our highschools)
I’m also an American who just finished my graduate studies in France. Can not disagree more. I think elite American universities easily beat European (French) elite universities, not even close. There is a rigidity to European institutions that I don’t understand. I haven’t been to an Irish institution but I did visit Trinity in Dublin. Loved it. Wish I had gone there.
Blake Rogers I mean if you have been an established country for hundreds of years almost thousands, I mean probably close to a thousand your education should be pretty good. When you are a country that just started and still trying to figure out everything I’m sure you are going to have problems
@@Dotthel not neccesarily. In America. You need both undergrad years and grad years while in Europe, if you declare your occupation that necessitates grad school, you can graduate faster.
Traplover for which occupations and what countries? I’m living in France and learning more and more about its educational system
US bad, europe good
Norman Studios just received a $1 million budget from the city for restoration and museum construction!
Phil and Vox, there is a silent film collective in Jacksonville that performs live music to these films routinely. I was a member of this ensemble under the direction of Tony Steve, and composed music for it with him. You two should really talk, as Professor Steve of Jacksonville University has thousands of archives of the music for these films, as well as more info on Jacksonville’s Silent Film History. For those interested, on my UA-cam channel is a rough draft of my score to Ballet Mechanic, which was presented the same night as Trip to The Moon.
Music was awesome! Good job Laurent
Florida still has Creature from the Black Lagoon.
and ZAAT!
Your best video so far! Congratulations! Keep up the good work!
I live near Jacksonville so having Hollywood in my backyard would be sick
Let’s make more movies Florida 🎥🙂❤️
Fascinating as always!
I freaking live in Jacksonville, and I had NO IDEA!!!!
Nice! Floridian here, never knew about this.
Unfortunately Florida weather wasn't as stable as it is in Southern California. Back then you could plan your day around the weather but if you wanted a beachside sunset in Jacksonville then good luck.
This was a really neat video and I might just have to make a visit to that old movie studio when I'm in town.
This series has been really cool.
The editing style is awesome
ah yes the city of florida
Some of the inspired wood ,
Mollywood - malayalam movie industry
Kollywood -Tamil movie industry
Tollywood- Telugu movie industry
Sandalwood - kannada movie industry
All these are South Indian movies industries
I am Bloor, dictator of Uranus unfortunately sandalwood today is mostly Masala film with cheesy Dialogue and recycled Stories. Mollywood is amazing, Kollywood can be good or bad. Older Sandalwood is Better
You guys have different film capitals for each language?
WAKALIWOOD
Not really inspired, but a rip off.
Then there’s ofc Bollywood
I went to Norman Labs when I was in High School about 6 years ago and I live around the corner from there. It's probably never going to be completely restored because of where it's located.
Production companies moved out of Florida because Florida Man drove them out
Lived in Jacksonville for half a year, hated it. Small town in a big city. Not much going on.
“I’m so fancy, you already know. I’m in the fast lane, from Jacksonville to Havana”
Hollywood used to be in Jacksonville, the biggest city in the Sunshine State. If there were any hurricanes' destroying the film studios, the entertainment district would've immediately moved to Los Angeles, the biggest city in the Golden State.
Florida deserves its own movie..
Anybody knows the music's name? Its beautiful!
Periodicality by laurent dury you can find it on apmmusic. They credit the music at the end of the video
this is fascinating
what song is the staccato piano with strings?‽‽?
I want to know to
California's Hollywood: *Movie Capitol of the world*
Florida's Hollywood: *Exists*
Aspiring Florida Animator: *ALLOW US TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES.*
Thanks for showing JAX some love!
Is there any way to listen to the music that starts at the beginning on loop? Where can I find it?
Nice video 👍🏽 i didn’t know that
Respect for their research on old stuff like these :'0
Fleischer Studios moved their operations from Manhattan to Miami in 1938 and were there four years. While a tax break was offered in the beginning, it was not honored and Fleischer had to sue the city. When the studio became Famous Studios in May of 1942, it remained for another year until the facility was sold and the studio moved back to New York. The location was rather impractical and costly since film had to be shipped to New York and Hollywood for processing. Also music had to be recorded in New York since the musicians in Miami was not up to the standards of what was available from the Broadway talent pool.
the music in this one is really good
music by laurent dury
WHERE CAN I GET THIS MUSICS!?!?!?!? Not in Spotify
Proud to be a Floridian. God bless the peninsula.
As always, love your stories and the calm way you present them. And to respond to your question, definitely Hollywood, at least for the foreseeable future. They have too tight a grip on the industry (at this juncture). But others (Bolly, Colly, Molly, etc.) will start eating away at that kingdom because of sheer numbers.
WOAH that's my city (:
that's pretty cool. floridia has a super rich and wild history. more emphasis should be placed on exploring the history... thanks
Thank goodness it ended up in Hollywood and not Jacksonville
Almost landed Disneyworld too but the conservative politicians denied it , imagine that
I'm actually pretty happy about both these decisions. What good is growth if we end up like Orlando or L.A.?
Jacksonville fl. ♡
Perhaps one day Vox could do a kind of follow up on Kansas City’s “Film Row”
During the Golden Age of Cinema all the great studios might have 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑚𝑒𝑑 their pictures in 𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑦𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑲𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒔 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆.
IM FROM KANSAS CITY! ANYMORE INFO ON THIS? IM INTRIGUED
North bay Ontario is becoming (if you believe the politicians) Hollywood of the North! I mean... If you ignore Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.
If you watch a recent hallmark Christmas movie, there's a chance it was shot here... Christmas Inheritance is a Netflix original I think was shot here. TV shows hard rock Medical, Cardinal and Carter. But all the keys are brought in from down south with the rest of crew filled in with friends of people on crew. You know the phrase "it's about who you know, not what you know"?... It's like the producers heard that and thought it was manditory
Me clicking on this video knowing its my home city
We (Florida) were this close to greatness. This close
I like Jacksonville, it reminds me of Charlotte, which I love