Short History Of Films and Television.
To quote Wikipedia's 'The History of Film Technology' page, "the history of film technology traces the development of film technology from the initial development of "moving pictures" at the end of 19th century to the present time. Motion pictures were initially exhibited as a fairground novelty and developed into one of the most important tools of communication and entertainment in the 20th century. Major developments in motion picture technology have included the adoption of synchronised motion picture sound, colour motion picture film, and the adoption of digital film technologies to replace physical film stock at both ends of the production chain by digital image sensors and projectors.
The first motion picture camera was invented by the Frenchman Louis Le Prince in the 1880s, while working in Leeds, England. Le Prince had been inspired by Muybridge's pioneering experiments, and he patented his first invention, a 16-lensed camera, in 1887. The first eight lenses would be triggered in rapid succession by an electromagnetic shutter on the sensitive film; the film would then be moved forward, allowing the other eight lenses to operate on the film.
Although the camera was capable of 'capturing' motion, it was not a complete success because each lens photographed the subject from a slightly different viewpoint, with the result that foreground elements in the projected scene wove about relative to each other and to the background.
The most successful motion picture company in the United States, with the largest production until 1900, was the American Mutoscope company. This was initially set up to exploit peep-show type films using designs made by W.K.L. Dickson after he left the Edison company in 1895.His equipment used 70 mm wide film, and each frame was printed separately onto paper sheets for insertion into their viewing machine, called the Mutoscope. The image sheets stood out from the periphery of a rotating drum, and flipped into view in succession.
The Mutoscope basically works like a flip-book. By passing a series of images over a back light it creates an animation effect.
THE RISE OF THE FILM INDUSTRY
By 1914, several national film industries were established. Europe, Russia and Scandinavia were as important as America. Films became longer, and storytelling, or narrative, became the dominant form. As more people paid to see movies, the industry which grew around them was prepared to invest more money in their production, distribution and exhibition, so large studios were established and special cinemas built. The First World War greatly limited the film industry in Europe, and the American industry grew in relative importance. The first 30 years of cinema were characterised by the growth and consolidation of an industrial base, the establishment of the narrative form, and refinement of technology.
CINEMA’S GOLDEN AGE
By the early 1930s, nearly all feature-length movies were presented with synchronised sound and, by the mid-1930s, some were in full colour too. The advent of sound secured the dominant role of the American industry and gave rise to the ‘Golden Age of Hollywood’. During the 1930s and 1940s, cinema was the principal form of popular entertainment, with people often attending cinemas twice weekly. In Britain the highest attendances occurred in 1946, with over 31 million visits to the cinema each week.
THE ASPECT RATIO
Thomas Edison had used perforated 35mm film in the Kinetoscope, and in 1909 this was adopted as the industry standard. The picture had a height-to-width relationship—known as the aspect ratio—of 3:4 or 1:1.33. With the advent of optical sound, the aspect ratio was adjusted to 1.37:1. Although there were many experiments with other formats, there were no major changes in screen ratios until the 1950s.
COMPETING WITH TELEVISION
The introduction of television in America prompted a number of technical experiments designed to maintain public interest in cinema. In 1952, the Cinerama process, using three projectors and a wide, deeply curved screen together with multi-track surround sound, was premiered. It gave audiences a sense of greater involvement and proved extremely popular. However, it was technically cumbersome, and widescreen cinema did not begin to be extensively used until the introduction of CinemaScope in 1953 and Todd-AO in 1955, both of which used single projectors. CinemaScope had optically squeezed images on 35mm film which were expanded laterally by the projector lens to fit the width of the screen; Todd-AO used film 70mm wide. By the end of the 1950s, the shape of the cinema screen had effectively changed, with aspect ratios of either 1:2.35 or 1:1.66 becoming standard. Specialist large-screen systems using 70mm film have also been developed. The most successful of these has been IMAX, which today has more than 1,000 screens worldwide. For many years IMAX cinemas have showed films specially made in its unique 2D or 3D formats, but they are increasingly showing versions of popular feature films which have been digitally remastered in the IMAX format, often with additional scenes or 3D effects. Stereo sound, which had been experimented with in the 1940s, also became part of the new widescreen experience.
CINEMA MAKES A COMEBACK
While cinemas had some success in fighting the competition of television, they never regained the position and influence they once held, and over the next 30 years audiences dwindled. By 1984 cinema attendances in Britain had sunk to one million a week. Since then, however, that figure has nearly trebled with the growth of out-of-town multiplex cinemas following the building of the first British multiplex at Milton Keynes in 1985. Although America still appears to be the most influential film industry, the reality is more complex. Many films are produced internationally—either made in various countries or financed by multinational companies that have interests across range of media. Today, most people see films on television (whether terrestrial or satellite or on video of some kind) and we are also moving towards a web-based means of delivery.
To quote Wikipedia's 'The History of Film Technology' page, "the history of film technology traces the development of film technology from the initial development of "moving pictures" at the end of 19th century to the present time. Motion pictures were initially exhibited as a fairground novelty and developed into one of the most important tools of communication and entertainment in the 20th century. Major developments in motion picture technology have included the adoption of synchronised motion picture sound, colour motion picture film, and the adoption of digital film technologies to replace physical film stock at both ends of the production chain by digital image sensors and projectors.
The first motion picture camera was invented by the Frenchman Louis Le Prince in the 1880s, while working in Leeds, England. Le Prince had been inspired by Muybridge's pioneering experiments, and he patented his first invention, a 16-lensed camera, in 1887. The first eight lenses would be triggered in rapid succession by an electromagnetic shutter on the sensitive film; the film would then be moved forward, allowing the other eight lenses to operate on the film.
Although the camera was capable of 'capturing' motion, it was not a complete success because each lens photographed the subject from a slightly different viewpoint, with the result that foreground elements in the projected scene wove about relative to each other and to the background.
The most successful motion picture company in the United States, with the largest production until 1900, was the American Mutoscope company. This was initially set up to exploit peep-show type films using designs made by W.K.L. Dickson after he left the Edison company in 1895.His equipment used 70 mm wide film, and each frame was printed separately onto paper sheets for insertion into their viewing machine, called the Mutoscope. The image sheets stood out from the periphery of a rotating drum, and flipped into view in succession.
The Mutoscope basically works like a flip-book. By passing a series of images over a back light it creates an animation effect.
THE RISE OF THE FILM INDUSTRY
By 1914, several national film industries were established. Europe, Russia and Scandinavia were as important as America. Films became longer, and storytelling, or narrative, became the dominant form. As more people paid to see movies, the industry which grew around them was prepared to invest more money in their production, distribution and exhibition, so large studios were established and special cinemas built. The First World War greatly limited the film industry in Europe, and the American industry grew in relative importance. The first 30 years of cinema were characterised by the growth and consolidation of an industrial base, the establishment of the narrative form, and refinement of technology.
CINEMA’S GOLDEN AGE
By the early 1930s, nearly all feature-length movies were presented with synchronised sound and, by the mid-1930s, some were in full colour too. The advent of sound secured the dominant role of the American industry and gave rise to the ‘Golden Age of Hollywood’. During the 1930s and 1940s, cinema was the principal form of popular entertainment, with people often attending cinemas twice weekly. In Britain the highest attendances occurred in 1946, with over 31 million visits to the cinema each week.
THE ASPECT RATIO
Thomas Edison had used perforated 35mm film in the Kinetoscope, and in 1909 this was adopted as the industry standard. The picture had a height-to-width relationship—known as the aspect ratio—of 3:4 or 1:1.33. With the advent of optical sound, the aspect ratio was adjusted to 1.37:1. Although there were many experiments with other formats, there were no major changes in screen ratios until the 1950s.
COMPETING WITH TELEVISION
The introduction of television in America prompted a number of technical experiments designed to maintain public interest in cinema. In 1952, the Cinerama process, using three projectors and a wide, deeply curved screen together with multi-track surround sound, was premiered. It gave audiences a sense of greater involvement and proved extremely popular. However, it was technically cumbersome, and widescreen cinema did not begin to be extensively used until the introduction of CinemaScope in 1953 and Todd-AO in 1955, both of which used single projectors. CinemaScope had optically squeezed images on 35mm film which were expanded laterally by the projector lens to fit the width of the screen; Todd-AO used film 70mm wide. By the end of the 1950s, the shape of the cinema screen had effectively changed, with aspect ratios of either 1:2.35 or 1:1.66 becoming standard. Specialist large-screen systems using 70mm film have also been developed. The most successful of these has been IMAX, which today has more than 1,000 screens worldwide. For many years IMAX cinemas have showed films specially made in its unique 2D or 3D formats, but they are increasingly showing versions of popular feature films which have been digitally remastered in the IMAX format, often with additional scenes or 3D effects. Stereo sound, which had been experimented with in the 1940s, also became part of the new widescreen experience.
CINEMA MAKES A COMEBACK
While cinemas had some success in fighting the competition of television, they never regained the position and influence they once held, and over the next 30 years audiences dwindled. By 1984 cinema attendances in Britain had sunk to one million a week. Since then, however, that figure has nearly trebled with the growth of out-of-town multiplex cinemas following the building of the first British multiplex at Milton Keynes in 1985. Although America still appears to be the most influential film industry, the reality is more complex. Many films are produced internationally—either made in various countries or financed by multinational companies that have interests across range of media. Today, most people see films on television (whether terrestrial or satellite or on video of some kind) and we are also moving towards a web-based means of delivery.
Summary
Silent Films
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, mime and title cards. Lumière Brothers used to film daily routines about people’s lives and works. But later, Georges Méliès used his imagination to make people’s dreams come true since they could watch and enjoy unreal and funny stories. This way, he invented the special effects. In silent films title cards were introduced in the middle of the scenes to explain the action or dialogues. Sometimes, we could hear a piano call to spice up the show.
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, mime and title cards. Lumière Brothers used to film daily routines about people’s lives and works. But later, Georges Méliès used his imagination to make people’s dreams come true since they could watch and enjoy unreal and funny stories. This way, he invented the special effects. In silent films title cards were introduced in the middle of the scenes to explain the action or dialogues. Sometimes, we could hear a piano call to spice up the show.
Sound Films
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before sound motion pictures were made commercially practical. It took place in 1923 and they were short motion pictures. So, the first real film with sound was released in October 1927 and it was called “The Jazz Singer”. The movie stars Al Jolson who performs 6 songs.
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before sound motion pictures were made commercially practical. It took place in 1923 and they were short motion pictures. So, the first real film with sound was released in October 1927 and it was called “The Jazz Singer”. The movie stars Al Jolson who performs 6 songs.
Colour Films
Colour filming was not seen until 1932. The first colour film was a cartoon produced by Walt Disney called “Flowers and Trees” (July 1932).
The first live action films were and they both were produced in 1934:
The Cat and the Fiddle.
The House of Rothschild.
Colour filming was not seen until 1932. The first colour film was a cartoon produced by Walt Disney called “Flowers and Trees” (July 1932).
The first live action films were and they both were produced in 1934:
The Cat and the Fiddle.
The House of Rothschild.
The first cinema ever
The first movie theatre in the world exclusively devoted to showing motion pictures was the Nickelodeon, which was opened on June 19th 1.905 in Pittsburg Pennsylvania (U.S.A.) It was invented by Harry Davis and John P. Harris who moved 96 seats into an empty store at 433-435 Smithfield Street, transforming it into the world’s first movie theatre.
The first movie theatre in the world exclusively devoted to showing motion pictures was the Nickelodeon, which was opened on June 19th 1.905 in Pittsburg Pennsylvania (U.S.A.) It was invented by Harry Davis and John P. Harris who moved 96 seats into an empty store at 433-435 Smithfield Street, transforming it into the world’s first movie theatre.