Birth of a Nation
From Dixiepedia: The PC-Free Encyclopedia
Production
The Birth of a Nation pioneered such techniques as deep focus, jump-cut, and facial close-up, which are now considered integral to the film industry. It also contains many new cinematic innovations, special effects, and artistic techniques, including a color sequence at the end. It shattered box office records at the time and was also the longest film to date. For these reasons, it was voted one of the "Top 100 American Films" (#44) by the American Film Institute in 1998.
Director D.W. Griffith based the script on the novel The Clansman by Thomas Dixon. He agreed to pay $10,000 for the rights, but ran out of money and could only afford $2,500 of the original option. For the balance, he offered Dixon 25 percent interest in the picture. Dixon reluctantly agreed. At the time, Dixon's proceeds were the largest sum any author received for a motion-picture story - several million dollars.
Although the film made use of some Black actors, some were played by Whites in blackface. In particular, any actor who was to come in contact with a white actress was played in blackface. For example, the Camerons' maid is both White and obviously male.
Griffith's budget started at $40,000, but the film ultimately cost $110,000 ($2,000,000 in 2006). As a result, Griffith constantly had to seek new sources of capital for his film. A ticket to the film cost a record $2 ($36 in 2006). However, it remained the most profitable film of all time until it was dethroned by Disney's 1937 film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs).
West Point engineers provided technical advice on the War Between the States battle scenes and provided Griffith with artillery.
