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A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio ) is a major entertainment company that makes films . Today, they are mostly financing and distribution entities. Additionally, they may also have their own privately owned studio facility or facilities; however, most firms in the entertainment industry have never owned their own studios, but have rented space from other companies. The day-to-day filming operations are generally handled by their production company subsidiary.

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95-765: The Culver Studios is a film studio in Culver City, California . Originally created by silent movie pioneer Thomas H. Ince , classics from Hollywood's Golden Age were filmed there. It was purchased, in 2014, by Hackman Capital Partners, which completely modernized the lot over the next four years, while preserving the site's historic structures. The studios have operated under a multitude of names: Ince Studio (1918-1925), De Mille Studios (1925–1928), Pathé Studios (1928–1931), RKO-Pathé Studios (1931–1935), Selznick International Pictures (1935–1956), Desilu-Culver Studios (1956–1970), Culver City Studios (1970–1977), and Laird International Studios (1977–1986). Through all these name changes,

190-404: A security guard . The sound stage is the central component of a studio lot. Most studios have several; small studios may have as few as one, and large studios have as many as 20 to 30. Movie studios also provide office space for studio executives and production companies, and makeup rooms and rehearsal rooms for talent. If space allows, a studio may have an outside backlot . Finally, there

285-562: A distance of two miles and a half, the first ones of the war. The shelling of Atlanta continued from July 20 until August 25. In addition to the cannons the Union forces had with them, four 4 1/2-inch siege cannons were brought by rail from Chattanooga. These four cannons began firing on the city on August 10. In total, these four cannons fired over 4,500 rounds on Atlanta. On August 9, 1864, General Sherman reported that: Maj. Gen. II. W. HALLECK, Washington, D. C.: Schofield developed

380-613: A faster recovery, contributing to the increasing dominance of Hollywood over New York City. The Big 5 By the mid-1920s, the evolution of a handful of American production companies into wealthy motion picture industry conglomerates that owned their own studios, distribution divisions , and theaters , and contracted with performers and other filmmaking personnel led to the sometimes confusing equation of studio with production company in industry slang. Five large companies: RKO Radio Pictures , 20th Century Fox , Paramount Pictures , Warner Bros. , and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer came to be known as

475-531: A flag of truce to surrender the city of Atlanta to the Union Army. The mayor encountered Col. John Coburn and formally surrendered the city to him. When General Slocum received word that the Confederates had evacuated Atlanta, he moved forward seven brigades to occupy Atlanta. ... On the 2d of September, at 6 a. m., under orders from Brigadier-General Ward, I marched on a reconnaissance from Turners Ferry to find

570-449: A flag of truce. He surrendered the city to me, saying he only asked protection for persons and property. This was at 11 a. m. I asked him if the rebel cavalry was yet in the city. He replied that Ferguson's brigade was there, but on the point of leaving. I replied that my force was moving into the city and that unless that force retired there would be a fight in which neither person nor property would be safe, and that if necessary I would burn

665-470: A force of 2,500 cavalry to cut the rail line linking Atlanta with Montgomery, Alabama . On July 16, Gen. Rousseau's men cut about 25 miles of the rail line, west of Opelika, Alabama , as well as three miles of the branch toward Columbus, Georgia , and two miles towards West Point, Georgia . Gen. Rousseau's cavalry force then joined General Sherman in Marietta, Georgia , on July 22. Union cavalry forces under

760-644: A growing proportion of Hollywood movie revenue, with approximately 70% of total movie revenue coming from international ticket sales; and the Chinese domestic box-office revenue is projected to outpace those of US in 2020. The growth of film studios and filmmaking outside of Hollywood and the US has produced popular international film studio locations such as Hollywood North ( Vancouver and Toronto in Canada ), Bollywood ( Mumbai , India ), and Nollywood ( Lagos , Nigeria ). As

855-505: A mile (1.6 km) out from the center of town. These would be interlinked with a series of earthworks and trenches, along with rows of abatis and other impediments to enemy troops. Construction on the extensive defensive works began in August 1863. They were bounded on the north by high ground (the present location of the Fox Theatre ), the west by Ashby Street, the south by McDonough Drive and

950-578: A motion picture of their own because they are not entertainment companies or motion picture companies; they are companies who sell only studio space. In 1893, Thomas Edison built the first movie studio in the United States when he constructed the Black Maria , a tarpaper-covered structure near his laboratories in West Orange , New Jersey , and asked circus, vaudeville, and dramatic actors to perform for

1045-406: A night attack on Atlanta by General Slocum or the blowing up of the enemy s magazines. Nevertheless at daybreak, on finding the enemy gone from his lines at Jonesborough, I ordered a general pursuit south, General Thomas following to the left of the railroad, General Howard on its right, and General Schofield keeping off about two miles to the east. We overtook the enemy again near Lovejoy's Station in

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1140-408: A perimeter "between 10 and 12 miles in extent". Gilmer gave Grant the approval to develop a plan to ring Atlanta with forts and earthworks along the key approaches to the city. Gilmer advised that the earthen forts should be connected by a line of rifle pits, with ditches, felled timbers or other obstruction to impede an infantry charge. Gilmer also suggested that the perimeter should be "far enough from

1235-621: A powerful Union Army approached from Union-held Tennessee . The fall of Atlanta was a critical point in the Civil War, giving the North more confidence, and (along with the victories at Mobile Bay and Winchester ) leading to the re-election of President Abraham Lincoln and the eventual dissolution of the Confederacy. The capture of the "Gate City of the South" was especially important for Lincoln as he

1330-565: A residential space for Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh during filming of Gone With the Wind . Other bungalows have been connected to Olivia de Havilland , Lucille Ball , Gloria Swanson and Orson Welles . As part of the expansion project undertaken by Hackman Capital Partners, the bungalows were moved to the front of the lot, behind the mansion house. They are used as production spaces and offices for writers, producers, production staff, and talent. Built by producer Cecil B. DeMille in 1927 when he owned

1425-458: A stake in the studio as well as filmmakers Cecil B. DeMille and David O. Selznick . The Culver Studios was founded in 1918 by silent movie actor, director, and producer Thomas H. Ince after he acquired land from real estate developer Harry Culver . The Thomas H. Ince Studio, as it was originally known, was designed and constructed by the architectural firm of Meyer & Holler . Ince had grand ambitions to create his own studio unique from all

1520-749: A strong intrenched position, with his flanks well protected behind a branch of Walnut Creek to the right and a confluent of the Flint River to his left. We pushed close up and reconnoitered the ground and found he had evidently halted to cover his communication with the McDonough and Fayetteville road. On September 2, Major General Slocum , in command of the XX Corp near the Chattahoochee River , sent reconnaissance parties towards Atlanta. Mayor James M. Calhoun and several prominent citizens rode out Marietta St. under

1615-640: A tram tour of the backlot where films such as Psycho and Back to the Future were once shot. In fall 2019, movie mogul Tyler Perry opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta . The studio lot is claimed to be larger than any movie-studio lot in Hollywood. In the 1980s and 1990s, as the cost of professional 16mm film equipment decreased, along with the emergence of non-film innovations such as S-VHS and Mini-DV cameras, many young filmmakers began to make films outside

1710-581: A triangular plot of land a few blocks from the main lot. It was initially leased from landowner Harry Culver during Cecil B. DeMille's tenure and was continuously used to build the plantation Tara, the Atlanta Depot, and other Atlanta buildings in Gone With the Wind . The Back Forty also provided the backdrop for several television shows broadcast during the 1960s, including Hogan's Heroes , The Andy Griffith Show , Star Trek , and Bonanza . The land

1805-407: Is a secure compound enclosed by a tall perimeter wall. This is necessary to protect filmmaking operations from unwanted interference from paparazzi and crazed fans of leading movie stars . Movement in and out of the studio lot is normally limited to specific gates (often capped with grand decorative arches), where visitors must stop at a boom barrier and explain the purpose of their visit to

1900-733: Is a studio "commissary", which is the traditional term in the movie industry for what other industries call a company cafeteria . In addition to these basic components, the largest film studios are full-service enterprises offering the entire range of production and post-production services necessary to create a motion picture, including costumes, props, cameras, sound recording, crafts, sets, lighting, special effects , cutting, editing, mixing, scoring, automated dialogue replacement (ADR), re-recording, and foley . Independent suppliers of all these services and more (e.g., photographic processing labs) are often found in clusters in close proximity to film studios. Nitrate film , manufactured until 1951,

1995-418: Is below Utoy Creek. I will intrench it and the flanks and study time ground a little more before adopting a new plan. We have had considerable rain, but on the whole the weather is healthy. Colonel Capron, of Stoneman's command, with several squads of men are in at Marietta, and will reduce his loss below 1,000. W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General. There are no official records of the number of people killed by

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2090-511: Is no longer connected to the Culver Studios and currently serves as an office park. Culver Studios helped spawn the career of numerous movie and television stars. In the lot's earlier days, the site was used to film Hollywood classics like Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945) before a plethora of television shows began to lease the stages in the 1950s to create programs like The Andy Griffith Show and Hogan's Heroes . In more recent decades,

2185-490: Is the centerpiece of the Culver Studios lot and has landmark status. It is a classic example of 1920s Colonial Revival architecture and was the first building to go up on the site shortly after Thomas H. Ince's acquisition of the land in 1918. Modeled after George Washington's home at Mount Vernon, Virginia, it serves as the main administrative building on the lot. Famous producers including Ince, Cecil B. DeMille, and David O. Selznick once had offices there. One long corridor runs

2280-469: The Atlanta and West Point Railroad . On July 20, 1864, Battery H, First Illinois Light Artillery commanded by Capt. Francis De Gress, came into battery near the Troup Hurt Home. De Gress opened fire on downtown Atlanta from this point. He reported that: Advanced on the 20th, taking up position several times during the day and engaging rebel batteries. At 1 o'clock fired three shells into Atlanta at

2375-592: The Chattahoochee River while the remainder of the Union forces marched south of Atlanta to attack the Macon & Western Railroad . On August 31 – September 1, the Confederate forces once again failed to stop the Union troops at the Battle of Jonesboro . With all of his supply lines cut, General Hood abandoned Atlanta. On the night of September 1, his troops marched out of the city to Lovejoy, Georgia . General Hood ordered that

2470-529: The Chattahoochee River , a broad waterway that offered some protection from a northern approach. Grant complied, and after a thorough investigation and survey, explained that the fortification of Atlanta would involve "an expenditure second only to the defense of Richmond" . Captain Grant planned "a cordon of enclosed works, within supporting distance of each other", with twelve to fifteen strong forts sited specially for artillery and connected by infantry entrenchments in

2565-735: The Confederate States of America armies operating in the Western Theater . Some of the major manufacturing facilities supporting the Confederate war effort were: In addition to the transportation and manufacturing facilities, there were several hospitals in Atlanta. On July 5, 1864, General Joseph E. Johnston issued orders that all hospitals and munitions works in Atlanta be evacuated. On July 7, Colonel Josiah Georgas, ordnance chief in Richmond , issued orders to Colonel M. H. Wright, commanding

2660-621: The arsenal in Atlanta: "Send the bulk of machinery & stores to Augusta and to Columbia, S.C. , send workmen in same direction when it becomes necessary." A number of newspapers flourished in Atlanta during the Civil War. Among the more prominent ones were the Atlanta Southern Confederacy and the Daily Intelligencer , both of which moved to Macon, Georgia , during the Union occupation in 1864. The Daily Intelligencer

2755-454: The patents relevant to movie production at the time. Early movie producers relocated to Southern California to escape patent enforcement, thanks to more lenient local courts and physical distance from company detectives and mob allies. (Edison's patents expired in 1913.) The first movie studio in the Hollywood area was Nestor Studios , opened in 1911 by Al Christie for David Horsley . In

2850-407: The vertically integrated structure of the movie industry constituted an illegal monopoly . This decision, reached after twelve years of litigation, hastened the end of the studio system and Hollywood's "Golden Age". By the 1950s, the physical components of a typical movie studio had become standardized. Since then, a movie studio has usually been housed on a "studio lot." Physically, a studio lot

2945-517: The 14-acre campus - increasing its total footprint to more than 720,000 square feet. Plans included two parking structures, with total accommodations for 1,930 vehicles. Amazon announced its move to The Culver Studios in late 2017. In addition, it leased the entirety of the adjacent Culver Steps development, also being built by Hackman Capital Partners. The combined 600,000 square feet of space houses Amazon subsidiaries Amazon MGM Studios , IMDb , and Amazon Prime Video . The picturesque mansion house

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3040-612: The 81 rail cars filled with ammunition and other military supplies be destroyed. The resulting fire and explosions were heard for miles. In his Official Report, General Sherman stated: ... About 2 o'clock that night the sounds of heavy explosions were heard in the direction of Atlanta, distant about twenty miles, with a succession of minor explosions and what seemed like the rapid firing of cannon and musketry. These continued about an hour, and again about 4 a.m. occurred another series of similar discharges apparently nearer us, and these sounds could be accounted for on no other hypothesis than of

3135-630: The Big Five, the majors, or the Studios in trade publications such as Variety , and their management structures and practices collectively came to be known as the studio system . The Little 3 Although they owned few or no theaters to guarantee sales of their films, Universal Pictures , Columbia Pictures , and United Artists also fell under these rubrics, making a total of eight generally recognized major studios. United Artists, although its controlling partners owned not one but two production studios during

3230-428: The Confederate lines looking for weak spots. Even though no frontal assault was ever made on Atlanta there was a constant skirmishing between the lines and casualties occurred on both sides. On August 20, the Atlanta and West Point Railroad was cut near Red Oak Station. On August 25, the Union forces withdrew from their entrenchments around Atlanta. Part of the Union forces pulled back to prepare defensive positions at

3325-562: The Golden Age, had an often-tenuous hold on the title of major and operated mainly as a backer and distributor of independently produced films. Smaller studios operated simultaneously with the majors. These included operations such as Republic Pictures , active from 1935, which produced films that occasionally matched the scale and ambition of the larger studio, and Monogram Pictures , which specialized in series and genre releases. Together with smaller outfits such as PRC TKO and Grand National,

3420-440: The Union advance on Atlanta on July 19, 1864. Special Order No. 39. The whole army will move on Atlanta by the most direct roads tomorrow, July 20, beginning at 5 a. m., as follows: I. Major-General Thomas from the direction of Buck Head, his left to connect with General Schofields right about two miles northeast of Atlanta, about lot 15, near the houses marked as Hu. and Col. Hoo. II. Major-General Schofield by

3515-626: The Union forces from Atlanta was the Chattahoochee River . By July 9, the Federal forces had secured three good crossings over the Chattahoochee: one at Powers' Ferry, a second at the mouth of Soap Creek and a third at the shallow ford near Roswell, Georgia . The federal forces rested and moved troops around to prepare for their advance on the city of Atlanta beginning on July 16. On July 10, Maj. Gen. Sherman sent orders via telegraph to Gen. Lovell H. Rousseau then stationed at Decatur, Alabama , with

3610-491: The Union forces were victorious in the Battle of Ezra Church, the Union forces failed to cut the rail line supplying Atlanta from West Point. The Union forces continued to move south on the west side of Atlanta, but the Confederates were able to extend their lines to match these movements. The two sides once again clashed on August 4–7, at Utoy Creek . The Union forces were repulsed with heavy losses and failed in an attempt to break

3705-562: The Union right at Peachtree Creek on July 20, 1864. The Confederate advance was repulsed at the Battle of Peach Tree Creek . The Confederates then launched a second attack on July 22, this time against the Union left, east of Atlanta near the Augusta railroad. The Confederates were again repulsed with heavy losses at the Battle of Atlanta . During the Battle of Atlanta Union General James B. McPherson and Confederate General William H. T. Walker were killed. General Sherman had now cut two of

3800-434: The Wind (1939) and entire abandoned sets on the backlot were set ablaze early in its production schedule to recreate the burning of Atlanta scenes. After 1946, RKO-Pathé resumed operation of the site and leased the space to David O. Selznick's new Vanguard Films Inc., as well as a variety of other independent production companies. Tycoon and movie producer Howard Hughes bought the studio in 1950 and continued to lease out

3895-402: The bombardment of Atlanta. During the early part of August, several attempts were made to cut the two remaining rail lines to Atlanta using cavalry. Even though the Union cavalry successfully tore up sections of the rail line, they were not able to do sufficient damage to prevent the Confederate forces from easily repairing the affected sections of railroad. Union forces also continued to probe

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3990-613: The camera. He distributed these movies at vaudeville theaters, penny arcades, wax museums, and fairgrounds. The first film serial , What Happened to Mary , was released by the Edison company in 1912. The pioneering Thanhouser movie studio was founded in New Rochelle, New York in 1909 by American theatrical impresario Edwin Thanhouser . The company produced and released 1,086 movies between 1910 and 1917, successfully distributing them around

4085-625: The changing needs of the movie industry. The major works took place between 1918 and 1946, during the tenures of Thomas H. Ince , Cecil B. DeMille , RKO Pictures , and David O. Selznick . Ince built the original studio, now known as The Culver Studios, on a 14-acre site. When the lot was bought by Cecil B. DeMille in 1925, large scale site renovations began. He reoriented the existing stages and moved numerous office bungalows and production service buildings. To match production needs, Stage 2 (now known as Stages 2/3/4), four new double-barrelled projection rooms, and seven new cutting rooms were added to

4180-602: The city by my command. General Slocum came at once to the city. Immediately preceding him came a portion of the First and Second Divisions of the Twentieth Corps. General Ward directed a portion of my brigade to move up from Turners Ferry, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Bloodgood, Twenty-second Wisconsin, which reached Atlanta about sunset, and the remainder, under Major Miller, the next morning. Soon after General Slocum's arrival he directed me to move my command, which then occupied

4275-539: The command of Brig. Gen. Kenner Garrard supported by a brigade of infantry cut the Georgia Railroad that connected Atlanta with Augusta, Georgia , near the town of Stone Mountain, GA , on July 18, 1864. On July 18, 1864, General Joseph E. Johnston was relieved of command of the Confederate forces. General John Bell Hood was given command of the Army of Tennessee. General Sherman issued Special Order 39, detailing

4370-406: The earth-works recently abandoned by us near Atlanta. Here, after a short delay, occasioned by a slight skirmish with a few mounted men and sentinels, we proceeded through the lines of the enemy's works, finding them abandoned. A brigade of the enemy's cavalry was found to be in the city and we advanced cautiously. I was met in the suburbs by Mr. Calhoun, the mayor, with a committee of citizens bearing

4465-516: The east by what is today known as Grant Park . Gilmer inspected the completed work in December 1863 and gave his approval. Because of how the subsequent campaign unfolded, most of these fortifications were never really put to the test. By late October Captain Grant had nearly completed his encirclement of Atlanta and the number of forts had risen to seventeen. Of the seventeen planned forts, thirteen had been completed. Due to topographical features of

4560-413: The enemy's position to below East Point. His line is well fortified, embracing Atlanta and East Point, and his re-doubts and lines seem well filled. Cavalry is on his flanks. Our forces, too, are spread for ten miles. So Hood intends to stand his ground. I threw into Atlanta about 3,000 solid shot and shell to-day, and have got from Chattanooga four 4-1/2 Inch rifled guns, and will try their effect. Our right

4655-717: The film industry had once hoped—movie studios were increasingly being used to produce programming for the burgeoning medium. Some midsize film companies, such as Republic Pictures , eventually sold their studios to TV production concerns , which were eventually bought by larger studios, such as the American Broadcasting Company which was purchased by Disney in 1996. With the growing diversification of studios into such fields as video games , television stations , broadcast syndication , television , theme parks , home video and publishing , they have become multi-national corporations. International markets account for

4750-473: The following year, his widow sold the property to Cecil B. DeMille, who renamed it DeMille Studios. DeMille ran the lot for two years, during which time the site underwent several large-scale expansions and renovations, including the construction of the DeMille theater and a replica of the streets of Jerusalem for his film The King of Kings (1927). Despite a couple of major box office hits, DeMille failed to make

4845-450: The forts or buildings of Atlanta no consideration must be paid to the fact that they are occupied by families, but the place must be cannonaded without the formality of a demand. The general-in-chief will be with the center of the army, viz, with or near General Schofield. By order of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman: L. M. DAYTON, aide-de-Camp. With the Union forces spread out over such a wide front, General Hood launched an attack against

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4940-425: The four rail lines leading into Atlanta. In an effort to cut the Confederate supply lines between West Point, GA , and Atlanta, General Sherman moved forces along the west side of Atlanta. General Hood sent two of his corps to protect his supply lines. Expecting an attack, the Union forces entrenched near Ezra Church. The Confederates attacked on July 28, and were repulsed in the Battle of Ezra Church . Even though

5035-475: The front. Direct Captain Grant to apply to the Engineer Bureau for all necessary funds. If needed a reasonable supply of intrenching tools, axes, &c., can be sent him on his application, but I hope you have sufficient from the battle-field of Chickamauga . I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain Grant planned a series of 17 redoubts forming a 10-mile (16 km) circle over

5130-408: The houses of citizens to dislodge the enemy; that I did not otherwise intend to injure persons or property of the citizens unless used against us. I ordered my skirmishers to advance, and they proceeded through the city, the cavalry rapidly evacuating the place. I at once sent dispatches to Brigadier-General Ward, at Turners Ferry, and to Major-General Slocum, at the railroad bridge, of the occupation of

5225-480: The land and the manning requirements for the fortifications, Grant's design had, by necessity, left Atlanta within artillery range. The section of the line protecting the north west approach to Atlanta was inside the city limits. To help protect this area, an additional string of forts was constructed further out from the city. A report from Captain Grant to Gen. Wright places the length of the fortifications at 10 ½ miles and requiring about 55,000 troops to fully man

5320-492: The length of the 15,000 square foot structure, which has eight two-story high grand white columns. The facade looks out onto a manicured lawn. There is a common misconception that the mansion house was used as the site of Tara , the home of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind . The building was seen in the film credits but Tara was a separate building constructed on the Forty Acres backlot by art director Lyle Wheeler , where

5415-570: The line linked up with the Western Railway of Alabama , thus connecting Atlanta with Montgomery to its west. A series of roads radiated out from the city in all directions, connecting Atlanta with neighboring towns and states. Thought to be relatively safe from Union forces early in the war, Atlanta rapidly became a concentration point for the Confederate quartermasters and logistics experts; warehouses were filled with food, forage, supplies, ammunition, clothing and other materiel critical to

5510-441: The line. In addition to the fortifications surrounding Atlanta, the local militia was reorganized by Brig. Gen. M. J. Wright during March 1864. The militia was "composed exclusively of detailed soldiers and exempts, all those liable to conscription". The total strength was 534 men. In 1864, as feared by Jeremy F. Gilmer , Atlanta did indeed become the target of a major Union invasion. The area now covered by metropolitan Atlanta

5605-444: The lines for a distance of, say, 900 to 1,000 cubic yards, and the cutting should be continuous. The true rule should be to clear away as far as our own guns can (command the ground, well and no farther, as the ranges of the enemy's artillery are generally greater than ours. The work ought to be commenced at once, as it will require some time to complete it; the forest in front of the batteries to be cleared away first. In all cases have

5700-574: The local proprietors to select a second, to make the appraisements and report the same to the engineer officer (Captain Grant) for transmission to the Engineer Bureau. That office will have the appraisement examined and make such indorsements thereon as may be thought just and proper, and then forward them to the Attorney-General, whose duty it is by law to examine them, and, if the claims be well founded, to ask Congress to appropriate for their payment. Should

5795-483: The lot would be replaced by condominiums, HCP CEO Michael Hackman debunked those claims. However, Hackman said that the studio will be renovated to take advantage of modern technology, as well as adding extra parking and production space. The Culver Studios formerly had 13 sound stages, on-site offices, a screening theatre, fitness facility, medical services, and parking. Throughout its history, Culver Studios continued to undergo numerous expansions and adaptations to meet

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5890-408: The lot. Sets were also used in the original version of King Kong (1933). RKO rented out the lot for virtually the entirety of its ownership and seldom used the space to shoot its own productions. From 1935 to 1946, the site was leased to Selznick International Pictures , owned by David O. Selznick, and it underwent more renovations. Selznick is best remembered for being the producer of Gone With

5985-468: The minor studios filled the demand for B movies and are sometimes collectively referred to as Poverty Row . The Big Five's ownership of movie theaters was eventually opposed by eight independent producers, including Samuel Goldwyn , David O. Selznick , Walt Disney , Hal Roach , and Walter Wanger . In 1948, the federal government won a case against Paramount in the Supreme Court , which ruled that

6080-487: The others. The first building to go up on the lot was "The Mansion" - a picturesque Colonial-styled administrative building with a white facade and grand columns overlooking manicured lawns. It was modeled after George Washington's home at Mount Vernon, Virginia . The studio became the second major motion picture concern in Culver City acquired by Amazon Studios . Ince operated the studio until his early death in 1924, and

6175-817: The position of the enemy toward Atlanta. I had under my command 900 infantry, composed of 500 men of my brigade, commanded by Captain Crawford, Eighty-fifth Indiana; Captain Baldwin, Nineteenth Michigan; Captain May, Twenty-second Wisconsin, and Lieutenant Freeland, Thirty-third Indiana, and 400 of the Third Brigade, under command of Major Wickham, Fifty-fifth Ohio, together with 40 mounted men under Captain Scott, Seventieth Indiana. Two hundred and forty men were thrown forward as skirmishers and flankers, and so advanced without opposition until we reached

6270-448: The road leading from Doctor Powell's to Atlanta. III. Major-General McPherson will follow one or more roads direct from Decatur to Atlanta, following substantially the railroad. Each army commander will accept battle on anything like fair terms, but if the army reach within cannon-range of the city without receiving artillery or musketry fire he will halt, form a strong line, with batteries in position, and await orders. If fired on from

6365-540: The same year, another 15 independents settled in Hollywood. Other production companies eventually settled in the Los Angeles area in places such as Culver City , Burbank , and what would soon become known as Studio City in the San Fernando Valley . The stronger early public health response to the 1918 flu epidemic by Los Angeles compared to other American cities reduced the number of cases there and resulted in

6460-427: The scene depicting the burning of Atlanta was filmed. At the southern end of Culver Studios sat a collection of four bungalows, dating back to the 1920s and 1930s. They were occupied by a host of celebrated writers and actors over the years and are now considered locally significant structures. Alfred Hitchcock used one of the one-story buildings as his office for years. Another bungalow was built in 1935 and used as

6555-455: The site has again become the setting for movies including The Matrix , Armageddon and I Am Legend while providing a home to popular television shows such as Arrested Development and Cougar Town . In 1992, Michael Jackson used the Stage to rehearse for his upcoming Dangerous Tour (1992-1993). Film studio There are also independently owned studio facilities, who have never produced

6650-578: The site was also commonly called "40 Acres" by entertainment industry insiders, although it was never actually 40 acres (16 hectares) in size. Many classics from Hollywood's Golden Age were filmed there, including Gone with the Wind (1939), A Star is Born (1937), Intermezzo (1939) and Rebecca (1940). The Culver Studios was also used for television shows such as The Andy Griffith Show , Lassie , Batman , The Nanny and, more recently, Scrubs , Arrested Development and Cougar Town . Eccentric businessman Howard Hughes once had

6745-509: The space to production companies until he sold RKO Pictures to General Tire . Desilu Productions , owned by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz , purchased the lot from General Tire for $ 6 million in 1957 (approximately $ 62 million in 2022 when adjusted for inflation) and television soon became the primary business conducted on the site. Perfect Film & Chemical Corporation purchased Desilu Studios from Gulf+Western in 1968, only to sell it to OSF Industries in 1969. In 1970, Desilu Studios

6840-672: The spring of 1864, the Confederate Army of Tennessee , commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston , was entrenched near the city of Dalton, Georgia . In early May, 1864, Union forces under the command of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman began the Atlanta Campaign . By early July the Confederate forces had been forced back to the outskirts of Atlanta. Both the Union and Confederate forces used the Western & Atlantic Railroad to supply their troops. The last remaining natural obstacle separating

6935-413: The streets many of the citizens ran gladly out to meet us, welcoming us as deliverers from the despotism of the Confederacy; others regarded us with apprehension and begged to be spared from robbery. I assured them they would be safe from this. Many of the buildings were found to be much injured by our artillery, but such as will be needed for public use can be taken at once with slight repairs. My command on

7030-593: The studio financially sustainable and merged his company with Pathé Exchange Inc. in 1928. DeMille signed a three-picture deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and the lot remained under the ownership of a conglomerate of companies. Another merger took place in 1932, when RKO (Radio-Keith-Orpheum) Pictures bought Pathé. To distinguish it from its Hollywood property, the site operated under the name RKO-Pathé studios. Further improvements took place and stars Bette Davis , Robert Mitchum , Cary Grant , and Katharine Hepburn all saw their careers continue to blossom while filming on

7125-429: The studio site. In 1930, under the ownership of Pathé Exchange , the area was again renovated and redesigned. The arrival of talking pictures brought a massive new growth to Hollywood and an increased demand for movies. RKO-Pathé Studios built two large stage facilities (stages 7/8/9 and 11/12/14) and several production service buildings. It was not until David O. Selznick 's time at the helm, from 1935 to 1946, that

7220-569: The studio system. Filmmakers and producers such as Mike Judge , Adam Sandler , Jim Jarmusch , Robert Rodriguez , Steven Soderbergh , Quentin Tarantino , Kevin Smith and Richard Linklater made films that pushed boundaries in ways the studios were then reluctant to do. In response to these films, many distributed by mini-studios like Miramax , the majors created their own in-house mini-studios meant to focus on edgier, independent content. Focus Features

7315-450: The studio, the theater is adjacent to the mansion house. It was dedicated to DeMille in 1984 and available for special screenings, fundraisers, and production daily viewings. The theater has 70 seats, a 24 ft x 11 ft screen, and digital and 35mm projectors. As the Culver Studios grew in size and stature, a 28.5-acre (11.5 ha) backlot was used to build full-scale outdoor sets. The Back Forty, also known as Forty Acres , sat on

7410-422: The studios became fully built out and included new on-site bungalows. A final stage facility was built (stages 15/16) and the main studio site was developed to closely resemble the current layout. In late 2018, Hackman Capital Partners broke ground on a $ 620-million expansion of The Culver Studios, which has become the new home of Amazon Studios . The expansion project added 413,000 square feet of rentable space to

7505-595: The studios increased in size they began to rely on production companies like J. J. Abrams ' Bad Robot to handle many of the creative and physical production details of their feature films. Instead, the studios transformed into financing and distribution entities for their films (generally made by their affiliated production companies). With the decreasing cost of CGI and visual effects , many studios sold large chunks of their once-massive studio spaces or backlots to private real-estate developers. Century City in Los Angeles

7600-463: The town to prevent the enemy coming within bombarding distance" General Gilmer knew that the construction of the Atlanta Fortification would, by its scope, impact private property. He advised Col. M. J. Wright: Col. M. J. WRIGHT Commanding, Atlanta, Ga.: COLONEL: In order to make the works constructed for the defense of Atlanta effective, the timber must be cut down in front of

7695-401: The trees thrown from the lines and the branches that stand up from the felled trees cut off so that they may offer no cover. The stumps ought not to be high. As to damages for putting up works on private lands and cutting timber, they should be assessed by impartial and intelligent persons. A good plan (one that we have resorted to in previous cases) is to appoint an officer of good judgment and

7790-413: The two appraisers fail to agree they must choose a third as umpire. In each case the property damaged should be described with care. I would like to have the indorsements of yourself and Captain Grant on the appraisements before they are forwarded to the Engineer Bureau. It is not necessary to apply to Richmond concerning the exterior lines. If you have the labor, press them forward at once, particularly on

7885-433: The works and burned with the train of cars. The ammunition abandoned had been fired in the night and continued to explode with loud reports after we had entered the city in the forts and among the ruins of the burning shops and buildings where it had been deposited. The works of the enemy were left almost perfect, and there seemed to have been no attempt at destruction of anything but of the material of war. As we passed through

7980-497: The works of the enemy on the southeastern part of the city, to the right of the Augusta railroad. This was done, and General Knipe's brigade was posted on the left of the road in single line, deployed at intervals of three paces. Here the brigade has remained in camp until this date. The command captured 123 prisoners, including those in hospital. Some 200 small-arms were found in the City Hall, and about 16 pieces of artillery abandoned in

8075-568: The world. In the early 1900s, companies started moving to Los Angeles, California . Although electric lights were by then widely available, none were yet powerful enough to adequately expose film; the best source of illumination for motion picture production was natural sunlight. Some movies were shot on the roofs of buildings in Downtown Los Angeles . Edison's Motion Picture Patents Company , based in New York City, controlled almost all

8170-555: The zero-mile post. In 1860, Atlanta was a relatively small city ranking 99th in the United States in size with a population of 9,554 according to the 1860 United States (U.S.) Census . However, it was the 13th-largest city in what became the Confederate States of America . A large number of machine shops, foundries and other industrial concerns were soon established in Atlanta. The population swelled to nearly 22,000 as workers arrived for these new factories and warehouses. The city

8265-665: Was a vital transportation and logistics center, with several major railroads in the area. The Western & Atlantic Railroad connected the city with Chattanooga, Tennessee , 138 miles to the north. The Georgia Railway connected the city with Augusta to the east and the Confederate Powderworks on the Savannah River . The Macon & Western connected Atlanta to Macon and Savannah to its south. The fourth line, Atlanta and West Point Railroad , completed in 1854, connected Atlanta with West Point, Georgia . At West Point

8360-446: Was bought by a private investment group called Studio City Los Angeles for $ 125 million. It included Lehman Brothers , Pacific Coast Capital, and Pacifica Ventures. In honor of its original owner, Thomas H. Ince, the street running through the middle of the studio has been named Ince Boulevard. In March 2014, the Culver Studios was purchased by another private investment group, Hackman Capital Partners (HCP). When rumors persisted that

8455-517: Was created by Universal Pictures and Fox Searchlight was created by 20th Century Fox for this purpose. Burning of Atlanta The city of Atlanta, Georgia , in Fulton County , was an important rail and commercial center during the American Civil War . Although relatively small in population, the city became a critical point of contention during the Atlanta Campaign in 1864 when

8550-435: Was highly flammable, and sets and backlots were and still are very flammable, which is why film studios built in the early-to-mid 20th century have water towers to facilitate firefighting . Water towers "somewhat inexplicably" evolved into "a most potent symbol ... of movie studios in general." Halfway through the 1950s, with television proving to be a lucrative enterprise not destined to disappear any time soon—as many in

8645-471: Was in a contentious election campaign against the Democratic opponent George B. McClellan . The city that would become Atlanta began as the endpoint of the Western and Atlantic Railroad (aptly named Terminus) in 1837. Atlanta grew quickly with the completion of The Georgia Railway in 1845 and the Macon & Western in 1846. The city was incorporated in 1847 and extended 1 mile in all directions from

8740-399: Was once part of the 20th Century Fox backlot, which was among the largest and most famous of the studio lots. In most cases, portions of the backlots were retained and are available for rental by various film and television productions. Some studios offer tours of their backlots , while Universal Pictures allows visitors to its adjacent Universal Studios Hollywood theme park to take

8835-576: Was renamed The Culver City Studios. In 1977, the studio was renamed Laird International Studios, which was a rental facility. In a Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 1986, the studio was purchased by GTG Entertainment, a joint venture between Grant Tinker and the Gannett Company for $ 24 million. GTG remodeled the studio and renamed the lot to The Culver Studios, which was acquired by Sony Pictures for $ 80 million in June 1991. In April 2004, The Culver Studios

8930-680: Was the only Atlanta paper to survive the war and resume publication from Atlanta after Union forces began their "March to the Sea" . Concerned after the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, that Atlanta would be a logical target for future Union Army attacks, Jeremy F. Gilmer , Chief of the Confederate Engineer Bureau, contacted Captain Lemuel P. Grant , Chief Engineer of the Department of Georgia, and asked him to survey possible enemy crossings of

9025-400: Was the scene of several fiercely contested battles, including the Battle of Peachtree Creek , the Battle of Atlanta , Battle of Ezra Church and the Battle of Jonesboro . On September 1, 1864, Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood evacuated Atlanta, after a five-week siege mounted by Union Gen. William Sherman , and ordered all public buildings and possible Confederate assets destroyed. In

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