Name a hallmark of a silent film.

A hallmark of silent film is the absence of synchronized sound or dialogue. Silent films, which were prevalent from the late 19th century until the late 1920s, relied on visual storytelling techniques, intertitles, and music played in the background to convey emotion and narrative. This medium drew heavily on visual cues, physical acting, and expressive gestures to communicate ideas and emotions, as there was no synchronized audio to support the dialogue or sound effects typically present in later talkies.

The use of synchronized sound or dialogue emerged with the advent of sound films in the late 1920s, marking a significant technological advancement that transformed the film industry. Similarly, color cinematography became more widespread in the 1930s, well after silent films had begun to decline in popularity. While rapid editing techniques are a feature that can be found in both silent and sound films, they do not exclusively define the silent film era. Thus, the defining characteristic of silent films is indeed the absence of synchronized sound or dialogue.