Origins and Growth of the Hollywood Motion-Picture Industry: The First Three Decades

Abstract This chapter analyses the forces that prompted a relocation in the early 20th century of the US film industry from New York to Hollywood. First, even though there were many other conceivable locations, Southern California was a suitable location for film production in the winter months due to the climate and the scenic landscape. Second, an unfavorable institutional set-up — particularly for independent motion producers — fostered a growing accumulation of movie production facilities in Hollywood. That led to various experiments, entry and exit, and created a sufficient agglomeration of activity (‘critical mass’) for take-off. Third, a new business model was invented. Thomas Ince, who arrived in 1911 in Southern California, established a new studio and re-organized the production process.