The first use of film: Lumiere Brothers
The first ever camera made for film was invented by the Lumiere Brothers on 13th of February 1895, they called it the "cinematograph". These two brothers were able to shoot the first ever footage to be recorded in history and filmed on the 19th of March 1895. The two began to film whatever they thought they could film, just so they could show the public their new invention. The cinematograph filmed with no sound, no color and had a very small screen ratio. The first thing the brothers filmed was of workers leaving the Lumiere factory. This was the first ever time the public experienced of a piece of film.The second thing that the brothers filmed was a train coming to a station, which surprised a lot of people when presented and it frightened the audience and made them jump back as they were unsure of it and some felt what was shown on screen was actually happening in the room with them.
This was a huge milestone for the Lumiere Brothers as it was the first ever time that there was a piece of technology that was able to show what was happening in the real world and could be presented on a screen for the public to view. They were able to record two pieces of film both done in one single shot of less than a minute, lasting 46 and 49 seconds, it was a massive achievement as it was the first time any thing like had been done and made a huge impact on film history, these two pieces of film started history for millions of film makers for the near future.
Before Editing
Beginning of Film Stories: George Albert Smith
In 1897 George Albert Smith became the first man that was able to use film to tell a story to an audience. Just like before the film that was shot is still using one single long shot, but the action that they chose to film was like how you would watch it in a theater, however done from just one position. At the time the audience did not mind the fact that it was simply just one shot since they were not really used to seeing many shots in the first place. George Albert Smith made a short film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZFo8XXLoM that lasted 35 seconds, in that 35 seconds the audience were able to witness a story between two men fighting which would have captured the audiences interest watch.
This was a very big milestone in the film history, since it was a new way film makers found to entertain the audience, before they just showed whatever they could film just because they can film and capture something happening at that moment in time to view later, but now they have people acting and telling a story to really give a good show to the audience. This milestone led the way for film makers to be able to film scenes of acting and follow the footsteps of George Albert Smith making millions of films with stories to come to the public eye.
In-camera editing
First use of multiple shots: Robert W. Paul
Robert W. Paul's 1898 "Come Along Do!" was the first film to use more then one shot when filming whilst telling a story, he was the first person to use film editing that involved the action of moving from one sequence to another, he also established continuity. Although the film was short it told a story of an elderly couple sitting on a bench outside an art exhibition. Even though there was no sound Robert had signs up with arrows ('Art Section') telling the viewer what was through the doors to the actors right. it showed the couple sharing their lunch before entering the 'art section'. He then cut to the next scene where he used two still photo's instead of continuing to film, of the couple looking at the art displayed and then ended his short film.
This was a milestone for films because it was the first time that the audience could actually see the title of the film, it was also the first time that the audience could see what happens after the shot, this was also the first time where there was actually a second shot in a film. This milestone has lead other film makers to get the idea to get more than one shot in a film, and show the audience the title and everything that happens in the shots.
Cutting between shots: George Albert
This is a milestone as it was the first time in a film where there was a point of view shot done with a telescope, you can see on 0.13 in George Albert's "as seen through the telescope" he used this technique, the audience found this very fascinating to watch as it was something they haven't seen in a film before, it made people wonder how the shot was actually created. This short film also told a cheeky story, again like previous films without having any sound.
Multiple points of view
Beginning to establish rules: James Williamson
1900 was the year where James Williamson made a film called "Attack on a China Mission Station". The first shot in this film contained a gate for the mission station from the outside being attacked and was busted open by the Chinese boxer rebels. Right after they show the gate being attacked there was a cut to the mission station's garden where there was armed part of British sailors who arrived and defeated the Chinese boxers.
This is a milestone because this was the first ever film to use the 180 degree rule, also known as the "reverse angle", it was also the first ever film to use match on action in it. The techniques that were used in this film has helped the film makers to be able to tell a story by using the camera. The way this film is made seemed very similar to films that we see today, and this film has lead to so many film makers in the future to use the same techniques when making their films.
DW Griffiths
In 1915 DW Griffiths made a very long film titled "The Birth of A Nation" which is a very famous movie, because before this film was made films made the audience members pay to see a star, and that they would want to see the whole person, who is the main star. DW Griffiths though that if he moved the camera a bit closer to the subject and used a close up, there would be more details to reveal about the subjects face, so that the audience can see a characters exact expression, with a lot more detail, and it helped tell the audience how to feel when a certain scene is going on.
This is a very big milestone because of how long the film was. This was the first ever film to be nearly 2 hours long and ran for 1 hour and 53 minutes, and at the time this was the longest ever film. This film used cross cutting to show multiple things happening at the same time and it showed flash backs and the scale and issue, which had not been done before at the time.
Manipulation of diegetic time and space
Establishing use of montage: Sergei Einstein
Establishing use of montage: Sergei Einstein
Sergei Einstein made "Battleship Potemskin" in 1925 where he described the Odessa Steps sequence as a "Rhythmic Montage" and he cut to a certain beat in a film,m he gave a methodical impression of the scene. Since Einstein was a director he pointed out the beat of the drum with the marching of the solders constantly come in off beat. Einstein created a sensation that is something that is not right and has things that are not how they should be. The choice of rhythm in the scene was transferred from the solders to a baby in a carriage, by showing it it made the audience feel sympathy for the baby in the carriage
This film was a very big milestone since it was the first ever film to use a montage, which helped create the editing pace. By using a montage they picked out the most important parts of the scene, and placed them all together to show the audience. The use of montage helped inspire many film and video makers in the future to make trailers and music videos.
Analogue (AKA linear) Editing
Moviola editing: Iwan Serrurier
In 1917 Iwan Surrurier's made their original concept for the Moviola, and was a home movie projector, and was sold to the public. This machine was very expensive since it costed $600 in 1920, which was equivalent to $20,000 in the 2000s, because of this reason very few of them were sold, since not that many people could afford to buy it. In 1994 the first ever moviola was sold to Douglas Fairbanks, and 94 years later he had a framed copy of the original receipt, for the moviola. With the moviola all editing was done by just cutting a film and them pasted it, and mixing the film together by hand, it seemed to be a very long process, but the moviola sped up that process, by magnifying the shots and them speeded up the cutting process. In just a decade the moviola was the main industry for editing videos.
https://vimeo.com/117756839
This is a mile stone because it was the first time were there was voice and sound in films, and it was the first time when film makers could rewind a shot, and it allowed the transitions to be easier. With all this it allowed the film makers of the future to make millions of films containing sound.
Film > video
Moving to digital formats
Film reels is what was typically used for all films, but they were very tricky to use and they consumed a lot of time to edit. In every film made before 2001 they all used film reels, even every film made in Hollywood. Now film is already digested so the editing does not consume so much time with the new technology. Until the development of high quality digital video, definition for videos was not better than VHS, so it was unsuitable to use for the making of a professional film. The first film that had a big budget was shot and released in HD was "Robert Rodriguez's Once Upon A Time In Mexico"
This is a milestone because it was the first time where films were shot on a film reel, and it was the first time where film makers were able to use CGI effects in their films, the films were also shot entirely on video tapes, and some were even entirely filmed on iPhone's. Because of this milestone this lead to so many films in the future to use CGI and being able to use film reels to make their films.
Digital (AKA Non-Linear) Editing
A slow progression
Non linear editing and digital editing are both developed from the 70's onwards. It involved using a computer software app, instead of using a moviola to assemble the footage. This is also known as non destructive editing, where the original film is preserved, instead of being cut up during the editing. Non linear editing started with computer effects. even though these computers were used for some elements, they were still edited traditionally with a moviola. Editing like this continues well into the 90's, and was very successful with films. The first film that was edited using just digital methods was "Lets Kill All The Lawyers" which was made in 1992.
This is a milestone because it was the first time where film was edited on a computer, and set the standards for today's digital edited movies. Not that many film makers chose analogue editing methods, while it may not have been noticeable, digital editing revolutionized what time it took to make films, and revolutionized the quality of special effects in films, which lead to millions of films in the future to look even more professionally made and that made millions of audiences to enjoy the film even more.
This film was a very big milestone since it was the first ever film to use a montage, which helped create the editing pace. By using a montage they picked out the most important parts of the scene, and placed them all together to show the audience. The use of montage helped inspire many film and video makers in the future to make trailers and music videos.
Analogue (AKA linear) Editing
Moviola editing: Iwan Serrurier
In 1917 Iwan Surrurier's made their original concept for the Moviola, and was a home movie projector, and was sold to the public. This machine was very expensive since it costed $600 in 1920, which was equivalent to $20,000 in the 2000s, because of this reason very few of them were sold, since not that many people could afford to buy it. In 1994 the first ever moviola was sold to Douglas Fairbanks, and 94 years later he had a framed copy of the original receipt, for the moviola. With the moviola all editing was done by just cutting a film and them pasted it, and mixing the film together by hand, it seemed to be a very long process, but the moviola sped up that process, by magnifying the shots and them speeded up the cutting process. In just a decade the moviola was the main industry for editing videos.
https://vimeo.com/117756839
This is a mile stone because it was the first time were there was voice and sound in films, and it was the first time when film makers could rewind a shot, and it allowed the transitions to be easier. With all this it allowed the film makers of the future to make millions of films containing sound.
Film > video
Moving to digital formats
Film reels is what was typically used for all films, but they were very tricky to use and they consumed a lot of time to edit. In every film made before 2001 they all used film reels, even every film made in Hollywood. Now film is already digested so the editing does not consume so much time with the new technology. Until the development of high quality digital video, definition for videos was not better than VHS, so it was unsuitable to use for the making of a professional film. The first film that had a big budget was shot and released in HD was "Robert Rodriguez's Once Upon A Time In Mexico"
This is a milestone because it was the first time where films were shot on a film reel, and it was the first time where film makers were able to use CGI effects in their films, the films were also shot entirely on video tapes, and some were even entirely filmed on iPhone's. Because of this milestone this lead to so many films in the future to use CGI and being able to use film reels to make their films.
Digital (AKA Non-Linear) Editing
A slow progression
Non linear editing and digital editing are both developed from the 70's onwards. It involved using a computer software app, instead of using a moviola to assemble the footage. This is also known as non destructive editing, where the original film is preserved, instead of being cut up during the editing. Non linear editing started with computer effects. even though these computers were used for some elements, they were still edited traditionally with a moviola. Editing like this continues well into the 90's, and was very successful with films. The first film that was edited using just digital methods was "Lets Kill All The Lawyers" which was made in 1992.
This is a milestone because it was the first time where film was edited on a computer, and set the standards for today's digital edited movies. Not that many film makers chose analogue editing methods, while it may not have been noticeable, digital editing revolutionized what time it took to make films, and revolutionized the quality of special effects in films, which lead to millions of films in the future to look even more professionally made and that made millions of audiences to enjoy the film even more.
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