2015•Oxford University Press eBooksRequires access
2. The studio system
Peter Decherney
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Abstract
Carl Laemmle, Adolph Zukor, William Fox, and the other independents overthrew the Trust only to form their own closely linked group of industry power brokers. ‘The studio system’ describes how the independents moved to California and founded the Hollywood studios, including Universal, Paramount, and Fox. They brought in the stars system and created order through genres. Ever since, Hollywood has been dominated by around eight companies, although the ranks of the major studios have been shuffled many times. Much like the Trust, the Hollywood studios set out to standardize the industry through corporate control and risk management strategies. But Hollywood has proven to be more resilient than Edison and his partners.