Ince's Modern Progeny

Thomas Ince was the grandfather of industrial filmmaking. Thomas Ince was found dead one day in the early 20's on William Randolph Hearst's yacht.

But first things first. Ince developed the modern style of industrial filmmaking, the process of making movies on an assemblyline with a strict division of labor and a pre-production process heavy on paper and words. He developed the system of division between writers, directors and editors, between camera crew, setbuilders, drivers and electricians. He developed the system that divided up duties to an absurd degree, to such a degree that movie end credits today seem to run sometimes nearly as long as they movies they credit.

We are not Ince's modern progeny, and that is why we call ourselves such. So many others are. What he did was break the early film tradition of making films collaboratively and sharing duties. Directors could act and could run the camera. Actors could pick their wardrobe and help with lighting. Ideas could be developed on the set with the cameras rolling, rather than planned out over a table and paper.

Before Ince you could go to a park and just make whatever movie happens to you. Now you have to go out of your way to do that.