Note on the Co-dependence of Film and Advertising

In their "Note on the Shift from Live Acts to Filmed Entertainment," Daniel Brunjes and Evelyn Simental point out that from 1904 to 1920, films rose from being overshadowed by minstrel shows and plays to becoming the primary source of commercial entertainment in Columbia. It is also worth observing how greatly advertising influenced and enhanced this change. In 1910, certain live acts had to rely on souvenirs to get a crowd ("At the Lyric"). Motion pictures offered a new form of entertainment that people were ready to welcome with open arms. Crowds were noticeably diminishing in plays due to this. People were more taken by different forms of entertainment and also the combination of different entertainment types ("At the Theater"). Films allowed for people to be able to see stories in a different form of media. The films also offered different angles and special effects that live plays could not offer. By 1919, comedy films were popular among the people probably because they were seen as appropriate for families and offered a laugh ("At the Theater"). As early as 1904, comedies had been presented as familly friendly entertainment ("At the Theater"). Films became increasingly popular after 1904, until they became considered the norm. This change in entertainment was clearly seen in the The State, a form of advertising in and of itself. Over the span of 16 years (from 1904 to 1920) The State continuously and constantly advertised films and less and less frequently advertised live theater. By 1919, The film section of The State contained two full pages with solely film-related articles ("The State"). Numerous advertisements showed pictures of known film actors and actresses or their names in bold letters, but none showed actors and actresses from live theater. Within a few years of these advertisements, five new film venues opened in Columbia, whereas no new live theater venues did (City Directory 1922). Between 1904 and 1920 in Columbia advertising and new types of entertainment entered into a co-dependent relationship.