California note
Culver City's film history spins in seven downtown zoetropes
Moving Pictures turns Culver City's studio past into seven public artworks that show how still images can appear to move.
Culver City’s movie history is not locked behind a studio gate. Moving Pictures puts seven zoetropes in and around the downtown Town Plaza.
A zoetrope is an early motion-picture device. A ring of still images sits inside a drum. When the drum turns and you look through its slots, the separate pictures appear to move. These larger public pieces use that old trick to connect downtown with the city’s film past.
The location makes sense. Culver City says studios formed an early base for its economy, and film production became part of the city’s identity. The zoetropes turn that large story into something small enough to watch with your own eyes.
Look for all seven rather than stopping at the first one. Together they make a short film-history walk, and they give the words “Heart of Screenland” a physical place in the center of town.
Where to see it
In and around Town Plaza at 9540 Culver Boulevard. The pieces are spread through the downtown public space.
Sources
Sources for this story
Reviewed July 27, 2026
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