"Before Hollywood"

"Before Hollywood" refers to the period before what we now know as the American film industry centered in Hollywood, California. It encompasses the early days of motion picture production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when filmmaking was still experimental and geographically varied, with studios and film traditions developing across the United States and Europe. This era laid the groundwork for cinematic storytelling, pioneering techniques, and industry standards that would later define Hollywood’s dominance. It’s a foundational period that highlights the origins of filmmaking before Hollywood emerged as the global film capital.