California was chosen as the unit's final destination for its sunny weather,[2] and to avoid the constraints of the "Edison Trust" (i.e., The Motion Picture Patents Company or MPPC) operating in Chicago and New York.

The Dwan westerns gave the Flying A the ability to mount large advertising campaigns, create additional films, and become a player in the motion picture industry.

[5] American formally closed the La Mesa studio in July 1912 and moved north to Santa Barbara, beginning production there in August.

Among the directors and writers that worked for American were Frank Beal, John Francis Dillon, Allan Dwan, B. Reeves Eason, Lorimer Johnston, Arthur Maude, Harry A. Pollard, Tom Ricketts, Edward Sloman, and William Desmond Taylor.

[7] The company's roster of actors included May Allison, Constance Crawley, Dot Farley, Margarita Fischer, Neva Gerber, Winifred Greenwood, Mary Miles Minter, Vivian Rich, Art Acord, Richard Bennett, Frank Borzage (who also directed for American, including films starring himself), J. Warren Kerrigan, Harold Lockwood, George Periolat, William Russell, and William Stowell.