Module 1 Blog: Pre-Cinema and The Silent Era

Pre-Cinema

George Eastman

George Eastman, the inventor of roll film in the 1800s, created a significant impact by making photography widely accessible. The film stock in his invention would later make it possible to capture moving images, which gave early filmmakers the material needed to develop early cinema (Lewis 6)

Persistence of vision

Persistence of vision is essentially the idea that our eyes can hold onto an image for about a fraction of a second after it goes away. This effect makes still images feel smoother, and it’s in a continuous movement when shown in a quick sequence (Lewis 6).

Eadweard Muybridge

Eadweard Muybridge showed that it is possible to capture motion through a sequence of images. This was proved in his Horse in Motion experiment, where he shows how still photographs can show details that’s invisible to the naked eye, which influenced the creation of motion pictures (Lewis 6-7).

Thomas Edison (and the Kinetograph and Kinetoscope)

Thomas Edison invented the Kinetograph, which was one of the first motion picture cameras, along with the kinetoscope, which is essentially a box used for viewing individual films. Edison's studio created a few of the first short films, which led to the establishment of the American film industry (Lewis 9).

Lumière Brothers (and The Workers Leaving the Factory)

Auguste and Lois Lumière created the cinematograph, which was designed to show films to large audiences. The Workers Leaving the Factory is widely known as the first motion picture (Lewis 11). Audiences were impressed by this as it showed their everyday lives on the screen.

An American film Industry

Biograph

The Biograph company competed with Edison, which led to the creation of some of the most important early films. The company hired D.W. Griffith, who played an important role by experimenting with editing and narrative films, which led to him shaping the art of cinematic storytelling (Lewis 18).

MPPC

Thomas Edison created the Motion Picture Patents Company, or MPPC, as a way of limiting independent filmmakers. Independent filmmakers would eventually move west, where Hollywood began to become the center of film production (Lewis 25-29).

Major Filmmakers in Early American Cinema

Edwin Porter

Edwin Porter showed some of the earliest editing innovations to show that films have the ability to tell complex stories in creative ways. Porter’s Life of an American Fireman was one of the first to use continuity editing, while The Great Train Robbery used cross-cutting and close-ups (Lewis 28).

D.W. Griffith

The Birth of a Nation by Griffith was another film famous for its usage of closeups and crosscutting, but also its use of long shots. However, there was much controversy over the racist themes presented in the film (Lewis 29-32).

Alice Guy and Gene Gauntier

Alice Guy is known as one of the first female directors. Gene Gauntier was a screenwriter and actress, and their early contributions to film paved the way for women to feel like an essential part of filmmaking (Lewis 39).

The Silent Era

A Studio Industry is Born

Irving Thalberg

Irving Thalberg was known as the “boy wonder” and ran MGM. He was in charge of large productions and turned the studio into one of Hollywood's most successful companies during this period (Lewis 47).

Douglas Fairbanks

Fairbanks was known as the swashbuckling star in famous films such as Robin Hood and The Mark of Zorro (Lewis 48-52).

MPPDA and The Hays Office

After many scandals in the 1920s, Hollywood hired Will Hayes to be in charge of the MPPDA. This ensured that moral guidelines were being followed, which eventually led to the self-regulation in Hollywood (Lewis 53).

Moviemaking and Moviemakers

Cecil B. DeMille

Demille is mostly known for his famous films such as The Ten Commandments. His films incorporated moral teachings with risqué themes (Lewis 58).

Erich Von Stroheim

In films like Greed, Erich Von Stroheim aimed for realism and extravagant details. He is widely known for his artistic productions however the high costs were often a conflict between him and companies that funded him (Lewis 61).

F.W. Murnau

Murnau is a German director who introduced expressionist techniques to filmmaking primarily through his film, Sunrise. He turned silent films into a form of art through his creative usage of lighting and camera movements (Lewis 66)

Mauritz Stiller and Greta Garbo

Stiller found Swedish actor Greta Garbo and introduced her to the MGM company in 1925. Garbo eventually became Hollywood's most glamorous star (Lewis 67).

Josef von Stenberg and Marlene Dietrich

Stenberg and Dietrich both created films that were icons of glamour and mystery. Dietrich became an international star as their films combined Hollywood with European filmmaking style (Lewis 67).

Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin is most famous for his Tramp character, which turned him into a global icon. His silent films, such as City Lights, incorporated comedy to show that silent films could be entertaining and meaningful (Lewis 78-80).

Buster Keaton

Buster Keaton is famously known not only for his comedy but also for his stunts. His style and usage of machines made him one of the most famous voices in the silent film industry (Lewis 83).

Works Cited

Lewis, Jon. American Film: A History. 2nd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2019.