Early Cinema
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Transcript of Early Cinema
Basic Terms
• Frame (2 senses)– Parameters of the image– One frame of a film strip
• Still image– A photograph; each frame is a still image– Production still vs. frame enlargement
• apparent motion and critical flicker fusion– 24 frames per second (current) vs. 16-20 frames per second (in early
cinema)• Sprockets• Gauge: film width (e.g. 35mm, 16mm, 8mm, 70mm)• Aspect ratio: until 1950s= 4:3 (width to height)
Early Cinema
1895 Beginning of cinema– three precursors• Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904)—multiple cameras to
capture motion• Étienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904)—invented
chronophotography in the 1880s (recorded several phases of movement on one photographic surface)
• Thomas Edison (inventor of the first kinetoscope 1891)
– Lumière brothers—responsible for the first public film screening in Paris on December 28th 1895 using the cinematograph (which functioned as a camera, projector, and printer—all in one)
Muybridge Link to UC Riverside Museum
• http://138.23.124.165/collections/permanent/object_genres/photographers/muybridge/
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 1:FROM THE SINGLE SHOTS TO MULTIPLE SHOTS,
FROM STILL CAMERA TO MOVING CAMERA
• Single shots– Actualities, direct address, “the fourth wall”• Ex: Lumière, Edison
• Moving camera– The “phantom” ride films• Ex: Lumière: “Leaving Jerusalem”;
– Multi-shot “phantom” ride• Ex: G.A. Smith: “The Kiss in the Tunnel”
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 2:• Multi-scene films– Shot transitions
• Dissolve– Ex: Méliès: “A Trip to the Moon” 1902
• Straight cut– Ex: Williamson: “Stop, Thief!” 1901
• Vertical wipe– Ex: G.A. Smith: “Mary Jane’s Mishap”
• Pull focus– Dream transition
» Ex: G.A. Smith: “Let me Dream Again” 1900
– Scene Dissection • Cut-in, insert, masking, point of view shots
– Ex: G.A. Smith: “Granma’s Reading Glass” 1900
• Camera repositioning and cut-in/insert– Ex: G.A. Smith: “The Sick Kitten” 1903– Ex: G.A. Smith: “Mary Jane’s Mishap” 1903
MULTI-SCENE FILMS 2: CUT-INS, MASKING, POINT-OF-VIEW [P.O.V] SHOTS:
G.A. SMITH, 1900: GRANDMA’S READING GLASS
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 3:• Multi-scene films (cont.)– Screen direction• Ex: Méliès: “A Trip to the Moon” 1902
– Mental subjectivity (rendering interiority)• Dreaming and visions
– Set within a set» Ex: Zecca: “History of a Crime” 1901
– Photographic superimposition» Ex: Porter: “Life of an American Fireman” 1903» Ex: “Mary Jane’s Mishap” 1903
– Perceptual subjectivity (creating ‘sensual impact’)• Ex: Hepworth: “How it feels to be run over” 1900
FORMAL INNOVATIONS 4
• Multi-scene films (cont.)– Tricks• Stop motion
– Ex: Méliès: “A trip to the moon”– Ex: Hepworth: motorist
• Ex: Williamson: “The Big Swallow”