The Sounds of Early Cinema in Britain

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The Sounds of Early Cinema in Britain Network will provide a mechanism for consolidating research and practical activity on sonic and musical practices in the exhibition of early and 'silent' cinema in Britain, and across the variety of traditions considered forerunners to early cinema, through to the transition to synchronized sound in the late 1920s, as well as its adjunct, non-synchronised role into the 1950s and beyond. The first decades of film exhibition in the UK were characterized by flux and experimentation. This is true of the technologies under development and the location in which exhibitions/performances took place, which included churches, music halls, fairgrounds, theatres and, later, purpose-built venues. Musical and sonic practices were often improvisatory. The consumption of film was also more heterogeneous during this period. Elements of performativity and contingency continued well into the sound era given that in many cinemas live musical performance long remained a key part of film exhibition. Although colleagues in other countries, notably the United States, have begun to excavate this history, in the United Kingdom this history remains largely buried but for a handful of otherwise excellent publications. This Network seeks not only to provide a scholarly rallying point for relevant research in the UK, but to contribute towards a new understanding and appreciation of the performative dimension of film exhibition. It will consider not only historically conscious perspectives but also contemporary practices: silent films are now often re-imagined by live performers in contemporary styles, in what might be described as a post-modern appropriation of film's historically performative mode. Understanding early film's sonic and performative dimensions thus remains a vital part of contemporary British musico-cinematic practice.The Network seeks to foster understanding of both historical and (post)modern accompanying trends and to influence future strategy in major exhibition spaces by involving not only individual researchers and performers, but also pre-eminent venues and festivals that feature silent and early film screenings: Nottingham Silent Film Festival and London's Barbican Centre. The Network also seeks to foster an appreciation of the material heritage of music's role in early film exhibition in the UK by involving members of organisations such as the Cinema Organ Society and the British Film Institute. The potential interactions between those in the academy and a broad spectrum of policy-makers, practitioners and other stakeholders will be of unprecedented significance and value.Our application for an international research network in this field is distinguished by its prioritisation of three key elements:- bringing together individuals researching the wide variety of cultural practices involving some form of projected images prior to the development and adoption of synchronized sound in the late 1920s in order to assess the role of music and/or sound in these practices. - bringing together individuals whose work in relation to these materials includes (but is not limited to) scholarly research, historically-informed performance practice (i.e. performing/restoring existent scores, and/or improvising), the development of new performing traditions for these materials, archivists, curators, and restorers, and the many enthusiasts and collectors who undertake research outside of the academy. Here, 'materials' may include the films, scores, instruments/equipment, and forms of documentation of the industry or of the experience of film exhibition.- bringing to the UK a select body of key individuals whose work has provided a full and rich picture of the US situation in this period, to share their knowledge and expertise and to assist members of the network to foster the further development of research in music and sound practices in film exhibition during this period in the UK.