Yorkshire Film Studios TL

[DAv]

Here's something that's been going around in my mind now for a while. I may or may not continue it depending upon reaction.

Yorkshire Film Studios

1911:
Eugene Augustin Lauste returns from America with his dreams ending in disappointment. Despite great strides in integrating sound and film, very few people are willing to invest in his work. However, a week after he returns to Brixton, he receives a letter from Andrew Pelham-Holles, the Duke of Newcastle. Holles, having a great interest in the new technology, had researched Lauste’s work and admired the man’s advances. He offered Lauste a very generous sum of money to continue his research along with a studio and a staff to aid him.

Throughout the year, Lauste worked upon the process of integrating sound with film and by was given numerous help from Andrew himself. Andrew was 25 at this time, sandy coloured hair, a strapping physique and notably handsome features. Having had an interest (yet know in depth technical knowledge) in the new science, Andrew hoped to start the process of starting his own studio like the Frenchman Meliere had done.

In December 1911, Lauste had developed the Andrographe, named after the Duke himself. Working upon the design of his Sound – Grate, Lauste found an almost perfect way to link sound to imagery. The Duke was delighted when Lauste sent him a recording of his youngest child reading The Walrus and the Carpenter, a poem that was a favourite of Holles.

Holles immediately set to work and offered Lauste a deal, in return for working with Holles by developing better cameras and recording techniques, Lauste would get a share of any profits that their films might make. Lauste agreed and he and Holles set up a company to record and distribute motion films. Though unnamed as of yet, Holles immediately through himself into making a film that would make his company famous. As he was quoted as saying to Lauste “Impress people? No my dear fellow. We have to amaze people.”

1912:
By February, Holles had decided upon his first major project. The previous December, one of Lauste’s children had sent him a copy of Peter and Wendy and Holles had devoured the book. Contacting J.M Barrie in January, the two men agreed upon the format of the film. By March, Holles, Barrie and Lauste had agreed upon the final output of the movie with Lauste displaying the improved Andrographe, which would allow for 10 minutes worth of recording with dialogue at the most.

Prior to filming Lauste had patented and sold various Andrographes throughout Europe and America. Though only limited amounts were sold, it allowed the film to be shown while other studios started to copy and work upon the design. They were still far behind as the production of Peter and Wendy began.

Filming took place in a specially designed set at York. Casting had brought forth 14 year old Matthew Parks as peter and 14 year old Alice Brideson as Wendy. The production went smoothly and Holles was delighted with the end product, as was Barrie. The film was first shown in a cinema in London. The nine minute production astounded and delighted the initial audience with many coming to see the film many times over.

With the film a huge hit and many copies being sold abroad, Holles decided to set up a permanent studio. Despite offers coming in from all over Britain (including a very tempting one from Berkshire) Holles remained loyal to Yorkshire and set up his studio there. The newly christened Yorkshire Film Studios (Or York Studio for short) was given a special gift by Barrie himself, the logo for the new studio. Based off a scene from the film itself, it showed the silhouettes Peter and Wendy holding hands, surrounded by stars with the letters YS in white just below them.

With the new logo and money still coming in from Peter and Wendy, Holles set upon a course of improving the films York studios were to become the forefront of filming technology with Lauste now head of the technical department. Holles also decided to make three more talking films by the end of the year along the same length of the previous film.

The three films were factual rather than fiction. The first was entitled Lauste’s Andrographe which was Lauste briefly explaining the technical details of the Andrographe. The second was an interview with the First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill was surprised to b asked for an interview but granted it on the basis the questions would reflect upon his literary career rather than politics. The interview led to Holles and Churchill striking up a friendship due to the two of them having an interest in history and both having a taste for the dramatic. This friendship would become very important for the two of them in later years.

The final film was a full 10 minute segment of a circus act run by Fred Karno. The segment was personally overseen by Holles himself and focused upon the capers of Karno’s most famous clown, Charles Spencer Chaplin. Showing a comedic style that was a cut above the rest of the clowns, Holles offered Chaplin a lucrative contract to appear in various movies made by YS until 1915. Chaplin signed the contract on the agreement that he would have creative control. Circus of Karno when released in November was unsurprisingly the most successful of the three films with its hilarious clown routines and use of exciting circus music.

By the end of the year, Yorkshire Film Studios were expanding into a large business. Lauste was making new strides in making the integrated audio and image films last longer while Holles and Chaplin were laying the groundwork for his new comedic films. However, several film studios in France and America had by this time managed to duplicate the Andrographe and were working upon their own talking films. The next few years would test the Yorkshire Studios prosperity with rigorous competition.

Peter and Wendy:
Length – 9:23 minutes

Plot – Taken from the scene when Peter and Wendy first meet, the film deviates from the book by adding the ‘moonlight ballet’ that used many technical features used in the theatrical production of the play. The film ended with Peter escorting Wendy back to her bed and promising to return the following night.

Trivia – The film which made Yorkshire Film Studios famous was a much beloved interpretation of the 1911 book Peter and Wendy. It’s most famous scene was the ‘moonlight ballet’ where by using wires, highly developed sets and well written music, it did appear that Peter and Wendy were dancing a ballet in the sky. Both of the young actors had training in ballet dancing before hand and the scene became one of the most beloved in cinema history
The film is rather notorious for a casting oversight in the form of the young boy playing Peter Pan, Matthew Perks. Whereas the young co – star Alice Brideson was hired from London and spoke ‘King’s English’ Matthew was actually hired from an audition where he had travelled from Newcastle to get there. His Geordie accent became one of the best loved bloopers in cinema history and the quote “Ha’way Tinkerbell man!” Became ingrained into the British psyche.
On a more sinister note, the development of the film gave rise to rumours about Holles’s personal life some time later. Though he was married, many later detractors pointed out the ‘special attention’ he gave Matthew Perks as a sign of darker motives. Though these theories are widely derided, a noticeable pattern would emerge where young boys that worked upon a YS Film would get more attention than necessary from Holles.

[Thande]

Ooh, continue!

[DAv]

1913:
As the New Year beckoned, Lauste announced to the YS that his new camera, the Hollagraphe was ready. This camera was far more portable, cheap, efficient and allowed to record deep colours (Though they would show up on film only as extremely pale shades) With money still coming in from Peter and Wendy and Fred Karno’s Circus, Holles instantly started to think about having an extravaganza opera as Yorkshire Studio’s next film though he was convinced by Chaplin to instead test the water with colour films by allowing Chaplin to produce his first film.

The title of the next film that was made by Yorkshire Film Studios was entitled The Two Clowns and starred not only Chaplin but his understudy, Arthur Stanley Jefferson (Who changed his name to Arthur Stanley, for the film and would later use this alias throughout his tenure as a YS star) Chaplin and Jefferson had got on well together while working at Karno’s circus and Chaplin convinced him to team up with him on this newest film. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The Two Clowns opened up in March of 1913 to great acclaim and the two stars of YS were confirmed in the forms of Charlie Chaplin and Arthur Stanley who became overnight favourites of in Britain. The film was also compounded by Stanley signing a contract that gave him the same rights over any individual films that Chaplin had while for their duo films, they would get equal creative control.

Throughout the year the ‘Chaplin and Stanley’ franchise would bloom as three other films entitled Circus Caper, Lion-ing Around and Clown Serenade would each become hugely successful and further promote the fame of Yorkshire Studios. These were not the only projects of the year though as a recording of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Richard III opened to great critical and financial acclaim.

These successes only furthered the prestige of Yorkshire Studios across the globe as cinemas opened all across Europe and America with the Andrographe to show YS films specifically. The success of YS soon became evident when other studios began to use their own versions of the Andrographe to record films. The new Mississippi Film Studios (Started by the Cajun Louis Remy) were the most noticeable to do this as Remy also had his own scientific department to further the technical aspects of cinema. The MFS was soon to become major competitor of YFS on North America.

During the end of the year, Holles wrote to the many ruling houses of Europe, hoping to be able to record the families on royal business and show the general public the lives of the ruling families. Several rejected including Spain and Germany. But the royalty of Britain, Italy and Austro-Hungary all responded favourably. The dates organised were a review of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth for King George, a service attended by the Pope in Rome and a recording of Prince Franz Ferdinand of Austro-Hungary opening a museum in Sarajevo in June of 1914.

The Two Clowns:
Length – 15.48 minutes

Plot – Starring Charles Chaplin and Arthur Stanley, this film was seen as the very beginning of the comedy genre of films. The story centred around how two clowns debate over who has the better act and to determine that, they each perform a series of embarrassing tricks on the hapless ring master, played by the aging yet still very competent actor George Alexander. The story culminated with the final trick going awry and the whole circus collapsing on top of the clowns, leaving them to the mercy of their furious colleagues.

Trivia – The Two Clowns was the first and most famous of the Chaplin and Stanley films. Playing as their famous clown roles, Onzlo and Pato, the film saw the first of many motifs of their later films including the ‘build up’ where a provocative action (usually performed by Stanley) would be met and retaliated by Chaplin. The actions would then become so extreme, the sheer ridiculousness of the situation would become comedy gold.

Both Chaplin and Stanley brought their own talents to their films including an understanding that slapstick humour needed a degree of intelligence behind it in order to work, incredible comedic talents and brilliant characterisation. Though the partnership between the two would sometimes become strained (As Chaplin sometimes preferred to work on his own) it would prove to be a long lasting and fruitful one.

The Two Clowns has been acknowledged as the first ever film to be recorded in colour (Rather than painting the colour in at a later date) and although the colours were pale and hard to really identify, it broke new grounds in technical aspects of film and soon, studios all over the World began to investigate how colour was applied. The MFS was the first to see this and subsequently, their first film of 1914 was in clear, distinct colours.

[Thande]

Nice work!

Given how thanks to Hollywood a lot of non-Americans now think of a Californian accent as 'basic American', I wonder if this will result in non-Britons thinking of a Yorkshire accent as 'basic English'...

[ljofa]

It's entirely possible. However, when the BBC was instituted back in the 1920s, wasn't it written somewhere that the only voices to be heard could speak in RP? Would the same happen here?

[Thande]

Originally Posted by ljofa

It's entirely possible. However, when the BBC was instituted back in the 1920s, wasn't it written somewhere that the only voices to be heard could speak in RP? Would the same happen here?

That's a good point.

[ljofa]

Certainly in British cinema, all the studios were based around London so working class people naturally spoke with cockney accents. Hence all the dreadful US imitations of British accents always attempting to speak cockney. A Yorkshire studio might encourage a drawing on the local talentpool of actors thus working class people might have a Yorkshire accent instead of cockney.

[DAv]

Originally Posted by Thande

Nice work!

Given how thanks to Hollywood a lot of non-Americans now think of a Californian accent as 'basic American', I wonder if this will result in non-Britons thinking of a Yorkshire accent as 'basic English'...

Thanks and you make an interesting point about the languages I hadn't yet considered. Should make for an interesting idea...

[ljofa]

Originally Posted by DAv

Thanks and you make an interesting point about the languages I hadn't yet considered. Should make for an interesting idea...

You might want to consider the impact on television - certainly the British were the early pioneers in this field and it might spark a faster invention of said device. The BBC might also come into being sooner and radio might be more of a passing fad than an institution.

[ljofa]

Another point you may wish to consider or think about is the fact that the Hollises owned huge chunks of land in and around Nottingham, including Nottingham Castle. It's not inconceivable that a satellite studio - along the lines of Central Studios might be set up around there. Nottingham at the time was quite an important city - it lost it's influence as the 20th century progressed - and had a major theater base from which to draw actors from.

[Jason]

What a thread that does not involve millions dying! About time!!


Very interesting-how do you think this will effect the rest of the British film industry at the time (eg Hepworth in Surrey)? Strengthen? Weaken? Cause it to relocate northwards?

[DAv]

What a thread that does not involve millions dying! About time!!

Not yet anyway... Let's just say that World War 1 is going to be somewhat different in style but not ending and there's still the bugger that is World War 2...

You might want to consider the impact on television

Wait till you see this TL's Star Trek (AKA Brits in Space...)

[Max Sinister]

TTL's Star Trek might be more oriented on British colonial "adventures" than American settlement.

[ljofa]

If Britain has a greater cinematic presence than in OTL, might this possibly help provide a stronger Empire/Commonwealth? With more films being produced by Britain portraying the Empire/Commonwealth in a positive light, would more people choose to migrate to the colonies ahead of America? Negative depictions of life in dirty, overcrowded New York ahead of the wide, open spaces of the Australian Outback or South African plains could swing interest away from the States.

Might the Great Depression somehow benefit Britain looking at migration patterns in the 1920s and 1930s? Could the break up of the Empire take place in a radically different format with new nations preferring stronger ties to the "motherland"?

Imagine a less populous USA but a strengthened Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. This could have important repercussions for the future.

If television were to be invented sooner and become widespread, there's no way Roosevelt would be elected to the office of President given the lengths the White House went to in covering-up his disability. Would Churchill have been elected if the British electorate watched this old bulldog shuffle around making speeches on newsreels?

[DAv]

TTL's Star Trek might be more oriented on British colonial "adventures" than American settlement.

Think more along the lines of the famous line not being "I canna do it captain!" but "I can not do it sahib!"

If Britain has a greater cinematic presence than in OTL, might this possibly help provide a stronger Empire/Commonwealth?

*Hands ljofa a cookie*

Would Churchill have been elected if the British electorate watched this old bulldog shuffle around making speeches on newsreels?

Technically, he was never elected in the first place

[Darkest]

Awesome timeline, I'd love to throw this segment into my own early 20th century TL, as I currently don't have any diverges for Britain and it would be a welcome change.

[DAv]

Originally Posted by Darkest

Awesome timeline, I'd love to throw this segment into my own early 20th century TL, as I currently don't have any diverges for Britain and it would be a welcome change.

So long as you give me due credit, feel free. I also reserve the right to steal any extra ideas you might have

[DAv]

I'm gonna get lynched for this...

1914:
The year 1914 started with a shock for Holles and the YFS with the release of the MFS film, Looking Over the Mississippi, a film which had perfect sound and image integration and filmed entirely in bright and easy to see colours. The film was groundbreaking in several terms for its day but failed to do much business outside of America due to the social satire involved went over the heads of many who had little knowledge about American life, the Yorkshire Film Studios, for now, was secure in its European supremacy.

Holles reacted to the shock of the MFS film by investing more of his money into the technical department of YFS and setting up a studio in his family estates in Nottingham. The latter move was to get access to more British acting talent while also opening up a much more varied use of terrain for filming. Holles also started to consider buying land and properties in India and Africa for the same purpose. The Nottingham Studios move turned out to be an excellent move as fresh talent was brought in through that area and Holles gained permission to use various historical sights to start the long and famous Robin Hood film series a few years later.

Lauste by April of 1914 had also made enough adjustments to the Hollagraphe that films with integration of sound, images and colour can now last an hour. This breakthrough allowed much more freedom when developing and making a film though stars such as Chaplin and Stanley still made films around 20 minutes due to creative constraints. The full use of potential of the adjusted Hollagraphe wasn’t shown until September 1914, by which time, the interest usually generated by such a breakthrough was taken by another event.

When the filming of Prince Franz Ferdinand began in June, few could predict the way in which events would turn out. Holles and a group of British technicians arrived in Sarajevo to film the Prince and his motorcade pass through the city. Having made such a good impression with the Price, Holles was invited to share a seat in the Prince’s own car where the two men discussed the YS and trialism. When the first assassination attempt was made with a bomb, Holles was shaken but insisted on staying with the Prince and his wife, and also insisted that the filming continue.

As the day passed, events had seemed to have gone back to normal though the Prince’s change of plans on visiting the hospital cause some consideration. The greatest shock came however when the final assassin of the conspiracy made himself known and fired three shots at the Prince’s car. One bullet hit the Prince’s wife in the abdomen, killing her, the second bullet hit Holles in the chest as he tried to protect Franz Ferdinand and the third bullet hit the Prince in the throat, killing him as well.

All three were taken to hospital with only Holles surviving the attack only through the skin of his teeth. When the British public heard of the attack and the injury gained by Holles, there was a tremendous outcry against Serbia and several politicians also saw the attack on a British citizen as disgraceful (With Holles’s friend Churchill leading the condemnation)

Subsequently, when Austria sent their demands to Serbia (Same as OTL) the British public fully supported the measures though Parliament and Cabinet kept quiet on the matter. As the war escalated (And Holles returned to England for treatment) the Asquith government was torn between preventing Germany from completely dominating Europe and public support for Austria regarding Serbia. With the invasion of Belgium however, the British government was left with little choice and declared war on Germany.

This action was followed by a huge backlash against the government by the general public and many refused to enlist for the armed forces. Realising the a joint front with France against Germany would be political suicide, the Asquith government instead concentrated on colonial and naval warfare along with a blockade of Germany and huge amounts of aid towards France and Russia.

From the attack on Holles onwards, the YS had practically been run by Lauste who oversaw four more Chaplin and Stanley film along with the first ever hour long production from YS with a screen adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes tale A Scandal in Bohemia. Holles finally resumed control in December as Europe plunged into war.

Looking over the Mississippi:
Studio – Mississippi Film Studios

Length – 42.56 minutes

Plot – A biting social satire of Southern America, the first major film of the MFS released outside of the US focused upon Jud Nates, a farmer who helps a family of black people from being evicted off their land by a rich land baron. Concentrating upon the plight of poor people facing a huge company, the film is seen as a metaphor as how big business would destroy anything for their greed. The film ends with the black family keeping their land and Jud Nates making an impassioned speech about helping those unable to help themselves.

Trivia – Widely regarded as a masterpiece when first released Looking Over the Mississippi was later deemed as racist due to the stereotypical portrayal of black people being simple and child like compared to the intelligent whites. Admittedly though, this can be seen as a more positive portrayal of black people than usual in the early days of American cinema.

Many people reflected on the message of the film (And the speech against the harm big businesses can do) and compared it to the fate of the MFS after its founder, Louis Remy died. The Studio would go onto become one of the ‘Big Three’ Studios who held a monopoly over film output (allegedly) using underhand means in order to do so right up until the 1980’s when the resurge in Japanese and Brazilian cinema destroyed the stranglehold.

[Darkest]

Continues to be a very interesting, unique, promising timeline, my friend! The implications of a different war in Europe are especially fascinating. The Central Powers probability of claiming victory are especially high. Remember Italy and Romania. They could join either side, depending on the prospects.

[ljofa]

I like it but one of the reasons WW1 broke out is because most of Europe were on holiday between June and July 1914 - none of the great powers particularly gave a tuppence-fig that FF was shot in Sarajevo until it was too late. If Britain took an interest from day one, that would force the rest of the crowned heads of Europe to sit up and take notice. They might have colluded in a massive conference to sort out the diplomatic mess.

I'm not saying that WW1 would definitely NOT have broken out but if you're having Britain sit up and take notice of the assassination - there would be definite pan-European repercussions. Britain did try the last minute diplomacy bit in late July but by then it was too late. Part of the problem was that half of the cabinet was on holiday.

Not a lynching but a request to think about a revision. Britain would be a bit more jingoistic about protecting the Belgians - British paranoia about the Germans seizing the Channel Ports was still quite high because of the naval arms race. The siege of Liege was particularly successful in turning the opinions of many Brits as the brave but undermanned Belgians stalled the entire German Army for 4 crucial days.