Development of Motion Picture
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Who invented your technology?
If we are talking about early motion pictures, there are 3 inventions we need to focus on: The zoopraxiscope, the kinetoscope, and the cinématographe.
The zoopraxiscope was an early motion picture device created by Eadweard Muybridge that displayed images that appeared to be moving. It used a series of multiple pictures taken at different points in motion, combining them on a circular picture disc, and shown in quick succession. The first notable short using a zoopraxiscope (also referred to as the first film ever) is called "The Horse in Motion." We're still waiting for the sequel.
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The kinetoscope was invented by Thomas Edison and William Dickson. It was a film that ran between a light bulb and a lens with a little hole on top the viewer would look through to see the movie/ photo.
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The cinématographe was invented by Louis and Auguste Lumière, manufacturers of photographic materials in Lyon, France. It became the founding instrument of distant cinemas in Russia, Australia, and Japan. It could not only show films and pictures, but it could process them too! The user could capture the film and showcase it to multiple people using the same device. These developments in cameras launched the Cinema Verite movement, a type of cinema involving fictional real situations and simple stories. One of my favorite movies of all time is the French movie "Breathless."
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What were the circumstances?/What problem were they trying to solve?
The Industrial Revolution made engineers and scientists want to create technological advances that would benefit everyday people. More people were working, so more people wanted fun things to do when they weren't. Theatrical performances, circuses, and various other traveling shows were on the rise, especially in urban areas. The invention of cinema solved the issue of wanting to make pictures come to life. The combination of science and a desire for entertainment helped deliver modern-day motion pictures. This furthermore opened up a completely new medium for storytelling, education, and preserving memories.
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How did the invention change our world?
It created the film industry! Early examples were the rise in vaudeville with films like Trip to the Moon. Vaudeville's influence on early cinema showed how visual storytelling and live performances (plays/theater were popular) could merge into something new. Early filmmakers took inspiration from vaudeville's format, and short films started being shown between live acts, eventually becoming their own unique form of entertainment. Movements like the French New Wave in productions like Breathless which I previously mentioned took stories out of the theater and into the real world. Directors in this movement experimented with editing techniques, angles, and all-around different stylistic approaches. This paved the way for a more artistic style of filmmaking. Directors began creating more captivating stories that rendered emotions that were easily captured on stage.
Skipping a few years, we arrive at a more modern-day Hollywood with films like Whiplash, where the craft of filmmaking has evolved into an art form with an international audience. Whiplash is turning 10 on September 20th, but remains one of the most intense films I have ever seen. Films today integrate technology, artistry, and storytelling in ways that wouldn't have been possible without those early innovations sparked by the Industrial Revolution.
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How did it change communication?
Over time, motion pictures evolved into television and digital media, continuing to shape how we consume information and entertainment. Visual storytelling evokes emotion beyond what spoken word can. A scene with no words, just emotion and possibly some noise can convey far more than written/ spoken word can. Calling back to Whiplash, the last scene of that film is one of the best examples of this I can think of. The looks that Andrew and Fletcher exchanged ties the entire movie together. You don't even need the context from the rest of the movie to notice the intensity. Click the picture below to see the scene i'm referring to!
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Did it have any negative effects?
Digital media in general allows misinformation to be spread, becomes a distraction, and reinforces racial stereotypes in its early years. Early working conditions were awful; actors and individuals working on the films weren't under the same laws they are today. Parents also often worry about their kids thinking violence in films would lead to their kids acting out. We know today that this isn't directly correlated, but it is understandable why that would be a concern.
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