Blog #5: Key Post - Motion Picture History and Impacts

Early History of Motion Picture

There is no single inventor of motion picture because many key innovators contributed to the development of cinema.

The history of motion picture starts in 1878 when Eadweard Muybridge was hired by California Governor Leland Stanford to win a bet that all four hooves of a race horse left the ground when it ran. To prove this, Muybridge took a series of still images by using multiple cameras triggered by tripwires. 

These images were shown in a rapid sequence to create the illusion of motion for the first time by using a zoopraxiscope invented by Muybridge, which is considered the first motion picture projector. This was the start of motion picture for all other inventors to eventually add on.

Another key figure in the development of motion picture is Louis Le Prince, who is often considered the “Father of Cinematography,” because he captured moving images on a single strip of paper film for the first time by using a single-lens camera in 1888. This motion picture film was called Roundhay Garden Scene. 

Thomas Edison and William Dickson started their journey working together to create the kinetograph, the
first functional motion picture camera, and the kinetoscope, a “peephole” that allowed one viewer to watch a short film through an eye piece. Eventually Edison and Dickson parted ways and began competing against each other. 

Edison is also known for his film The Kiss, which was the first case of censorship against film. The reason is caused censorship issues is because it showed two actors kissing, and many individuals believed that was too intimate to show on screen. 

Two brothers, Auguste Lumiere and Louis Lumiere, created the cinématographe. This invention is a device that was a camera, a printer, and a projector in one, which allowed for public screenings for the first time.

Edward S. Porter’s “The Great Train Robbery” is considered the world’s first blockbuster film. It changed how movies were made, and its success made it possible for theaters to continue opening across the United States. Porter and other filmmakers continued experimenting with many genres and narrative techniques, which opened the door for future filmmakers.

Evolvement of Motion Picture

In the 1920s and 1930s, filmmakers started experimenting with technicolor in films like Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. Movies also started transitioning from silent films to sound films. During this time period, there was a consistent standard frame rate of 24 frames per second. This is when Hollywood studios became dominant. 

Special effects helped introduce genres like scientific fiction, fantasy, action, and supernatural films in the 1940s and 1950s. Filmmakers were able to create unrealistic images that would not be possible to capture in real life. 

By the 60s and 70s, blockbuster films were becoming popular because there were many marketing and promotion techniques geared towards movies. Some blockbusters in this time were Jaws and Star Wars.

Franchise films and digital effects were huge economic and entertainment drivers from the 1980s to 2000s. Franchises brought in huge profits and digital effects were introduced with advanced computer-generated imagery. 

From the 2010s to now, streaming platforms are increasingly becoming more prominent in the movie
industry. Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and many more streaming platforms have their own shows and movies, which forces individuals to buy subscription to each platform if they want to watch specific movies. This is a major economic driver for these companies.

The Impacts of Motion Picture 

Film started as flickering images on a wall of a race horse, and became one of the most powerful ways we tell stories today. Film allowed for entertainment to go global. It did not matter what language individuals spoke or what background they came from. All individuals needed was a seat in the theater.

Films reflect who we are as individuals. Screenwriters, producers, and directors work together to tell stories that relate to current events and personal experiences people go through. Tough conversations including race, identity, sexuality, and power are brought up through film, driving conversations in new media. 

The film industry is also a massive economic driver. There are many jobs offered through film, films bring
in billions in revenue, and the industry is worldwide.

Film does not stop evolving, new technology, new platforms, and new opportunities are constantly being introduced. Cinema is not just movies and stories. Cinema is communication, art, and culture. Movies connect everyone, which is incredibly important in our society today.