A Brief History of Early Cinema An art form created by inventors not artists.

The Beginnings… 1872 Muybridge set up a 12 cameras at a track Photographer Eadweard Muybridge hired to solve a bet by the Gov. of CA. Do the hooves of a horse leave the ground simultaneously? Muybridge set up a 12 cameras at a track Trip wires activated as the horse went past.

Bet Won!

Muybridge 1881 Developed the “zoopraxiscope” – first movie projector It grew from there: more cameras and other subjects.

Thomas Edison 1891 Invented the Kinetoscope – peep-hole viewer Only one viewer at a time

Meanwhile, over in France. The Lumiere Bros. 1895 – created the Cinematographe capable of shooting, printing, and projecting Weighed sixteen pounds First footage recorded March 1895 (workers leaving a factory) – called “actualities” No longer confined to a studio

Lumiere’s Opposite: Melies Professional Magician turned filmmaker 1896-1914 made 531 films Utilized experimentation, special effects, double exposure Most famous work: “A Trip to the Moon”

Cinema Takes Off 1903 – “The Great Train Robbery” directed by Edwin S. Porter 10 mins. / 14 one shot scenes filmed in New Jersey Film Techniques Utilized: Cross-cutting, minor camera movement, and location shooting (Some versions have colored negatives.) First time (in film) anyone made someone dance by gunshot Shocking ending/Patrons ducked