The History of Filmmaking

The earliest use of moving pictures was an outcome of simple optical devices such as magic lanterns which display still images in a rapid sequence. Such device includes the projection zoetrope and the projection praxinoscope. Such early motion projection devices were demonstrated as early as the 1860′s. Reel-based film projection was not established until the late 1880′s, with much advancement contributed by Thomas Alva Edison. By the early 20th century, films such as The Great Train Robbery innovated on the art of film-making.

By using pictures that were mainly similar, but with slight differences, the presenter could communicate the effect of motion to the viewer. Naturally, the images used in these devices need to be warily designed to attain the desired effect. The underlying principle remains the basis for the cinematic genre known as animation. With the development of photography, and principally of celluloid film, it became possible to directly capture motion in the real world. Previous methods sometimes required individuals to look into a special device to perceive the pictures, but translucent film made it feasible to use a projection system to display images for an entire audience. These “moving picture shows” came to be known colloquially as movies.

The cinema was firstly purely a visual art, and many silent films were created. Presenters soon found it functional to give a commentator who could narrate the action and fill in dialogue between characters. Within a few years, films began to comprise subtitles that could display dialogue when the actors on screen “spoke.” This rendered the function of a commentator largely unnecessary.

In the 1990s and 2000s, blockbusters and franchise films have become an important part of the film industry. Cross-promotions with fast food chains and toy manufacturers, as well as international distribution, have made movies like “Titanic” and “Jurassic Park” the ambition of most major studios, signaling a move away from small, character-driven movies. The technological advances in extraordinary effects and 3-D cameras have also allowed for more opportunities for this type of work. As time passes by, filmmaking is getting advance. So, there is nothing to wonder about.