The Attempt of Bluebird Photoplays: Its Historical Transition and 3 Female Directors

Abstract

At the beginning of 1916, a new subsidiary of Universal named Bluebird Photoplays was established. Bluebird’s policy was to produce and distribute a 5-reel feature film a week while focusing on the quality of the film. In the late 1910’s the American film industry had realized the potential of feature length films and Bluebird was an attempt of Universal, which was successful in producing shorts and serials, to respond to the increasing public demand for feature films.

This unique company was often thought to be just one of the many branches of Universal and had long been neglected in American film history. Thanks to an influx of feminist scholarship, it is revealed lately that Bluebird produced a number of films directed by females.

However, the details of Bluebird’s operations or the influence of these female directors remain an under-researched area, which this paper seeks to address. In this paper I will focus on the historical transition of Bluebird and the three female directors, Lois Weber, Ida May Park and Elsie Jane Wilson.