This Wikipedia article is an interesting read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Patents_Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Patents_C

This Wikipedia article is an interesting read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Patents_Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Patents_Company It describes a strong-armed patent consortium formed around the turn of the century which controlled filmmaking technology. Indie filmmakers reacted by establishing new operations in a little place called Hollywood.