Lumiere’s Legacy After five years their power would fade Established film size of 35 mm and silent film speed 16 frames per second

George Melies Pioneered narrative film French magician Utilized double exposures, mattes, fades, fast/slow motion, animation, and miniature models

Melies Takes Over 1896 Melies asks Lumieres for camera, they decline He goes to another inventor By spring he makes his first film –A GAME OF CARDS

By 1900 Melies supplies the world with films, Lumieres almost cease Production

A TRIP TO THE MOON Melies makes first science fiction film 1902 In this film he established many of the special effects still used today Still filmed indoors

England In England filmmakers –Worked outside –developed the film staple of the chase scene

Vaudeville Before 1902 films play in vaudeville houses as one part of the the show 1902 Thomas Talley Theater opens in L.A. Within a few years thousands of Nickelodeons open

The Early Film Industry

In the beginning Film industry originally centered around New York City and Chicago Eventually discovered Southern California –Variety of Scenery –Sunny Climate –Impressive Scenery

Colonel William Selig In 1907 Selig set up a studio in a rented building in L.A. In 1911 he builds the first permanent studio in L.A.

Motion Picture Patents Company 10 Companies form monopoly They control every aspect of filmmaking They regulated –film length (1-2 reels long, or minutes) –admission prices –film rental fees –salaries –standards of production

BIRTH OF A NATION Reels (1 reel =15 min.) Forced American filmmakers to go to longer format Extremely racist in content

D.W. Griffith’s BIRTH OF A NATION Introduced –Extreme wide angle shots –Close-ups –Variety of angles for a scene –Backlighting –Used recorded music

Griffith Attempts to Fight Image of Racism Releases INTOLERANCE in 1916 Releases BROKEN BLOSSOMS in 1919 INTOLERANCE

Mack Sennett Concentrated on slapstick comedy Gave us Keystone Kops Discovered Charlie Chaplin Keystone Kops with Fatty Arbuckle