Movies

The world of cinema, since its inception, has undergone centuries of change to reach its present social, economic and technological status. Included among its evolution is the period of early cinema from 1890-1910. This period witnessed some of the most remarkable achievements in cinema history contributing greatly to the present global position that cinema occupies in modern world. Included among these accomplishments are the twin-development of Kinetograph and Kinetoscope, first time use of stop-motion and hand-drawn animation and making of the world first feature film.
   
Among the most crucial accomplishments of early cinema is the twin-development and introduction of Kinetograph and Kinetoscope. Work on Kinetograph started prior to 1890 but the machine was completed in November 1890. Kinetograph was invented by Dickson. It was the first motion picture camera. The camera was powered by an electric motor to move the film through sprocket holes in the camera. Its invention is associated with the introduction of motion picture itself. Synchronized shutter and pocket systems enabled the camera to capture moving pictures. This camera used 35 mm films and was the sole camera used for shooting American films till 1896. It was formally introduced in 1892 and influences the construction of motion picture cameras used in cinema till date. Films shot using Kinetograph required a peep-show device for viewing as they could not be projected. This device, also created by Dickson, was called a Kinetoscope. The first motion picture made in US, Monkeyshines No. 1, was filmed as a trial for Kinetoscope. First public demonstration of motion pictures also involved the use of Kinetoscope. Kinetoscope was marketed by Edison Studios or Edison Manufacturing Company, in 1894. This device paved the way for construction of film projectors.
   
A combination of three factors highlights the worth of these inventions in early cinema. Firstly, the popularity of Kinetoscope films demonstrated the practicality of motion pictures and their widespread public demand. Secondly, these inventions highlighted the commercial potential of motion pictures as a form of popular entertainment novelty. This aspect encouraged hundreds and thousands of people to take interest in cinema and film-making facilitating its evolution and growth. Thirdly, the two inventions opened an array of manufacturing opportunities for Edison Manufacturing Company. Post their development, the company began production of films to be used in combination with Kinetoscope. Worlds first film production studio, namely Black Maria or Kinetographic Theater was built on Edison laboratories in New Jersey to make these film strips. It was constructed for the purpose of making film strips for the Kinetoscope. This studio was also the first movie studio in US. In fact, the manufacturing of these films is primarily responsible for the name change from Edison Studios to Edison Manufacturing Company. Kinetoscope is still considered to be among the greatest technical inventions of cinema and greatly contributed to its evolution.
   
J. Stuart Blackton became the first person to use stop motion and hand-drawn animation in his film Humorous Phases of Funny Faces, 1906, a vital improvement in the field of movie animation. This film is considered worlds first true animation film, making Stuart worlds first true animator. It depicted how a man smoking a cigarette and drinking wine could be made to change his facial expressions through the use of stop-motion. This involved single-frame exposures of each slight variation. Still images were carefully revealed one at a time to create motion. This film truly implemented the concept of frame by frame animation, still used in modern animation. The films use of special effects followed the development of trick effects such as dissolve, stop-motion photography and small and fast motion by Georges  HYPERLINK httpen.wikipedia.orgwikiGeorges_MC3A9liC3A8s o Georges Mlis Mlis. J. Stuart established for the first time how it was possible to manipulate a subject between exposures to create the illusion of motion. Stuarts earlier film The Enchanted Drawing facilitated achievement of true animation in Humorous Phases of Funny Faces. The latter attracted the worlds attention to movie animation, establishing it as a viable and aesthetic economic option outside the realm of live-action cinema. It served as a precursor for some of the greatest animation films, and marked the beginning of mainstream film animation.
   
A third major accomplishment of cinema in the period 1890-1910 was the development of the first feature-length film or first feature film. A feature film connotes a film shot in a movie studio made for initial distribution in theaters. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences along with American and British Film Institutes impose a length restriction of 40 minutes or more on a film to qualify as a feature film. The first feature film was made in 1906 and was titled Story of the Kelly Gang. The film was made in over six months. American film The Great American Train Robbery is sometimes mentioned as the worlds first feature film. This film, however, was only 20 minutes long failing the criterion set for feature films. Story of the Kelly Gang was about an hour long (Fell 1983, 88), justifying its position as the worlds first full-length feature film. First screening of this film was in the Athenaeum in Melbourne.
     
Story of the Kelly Gang marked a significant achievement for Australian cinema and the world of cinema at large, for multifarious reasons. Firstly, the film was a tremendous box office success with people labeling it as the most thrilling, greatest and sensational film ever made in the then motion picture history. From the perspective of production, acquiring resources to complete a massive film by early cinema standards, completing and releasing it marked a significant accomplishment. The film achieved through production what other filmmakers were aspiring to create in the 1900s. From the viewpoint of cinema, feature films established cinema as a major form of entertainment in society. Till date, feature films are considered the main attraction in theaters. The film created opportunities for other filmmakers to produce feature films, lessening the opposition they faced earlier and set examples for them to emulate. Story of the Kelly Gang enabled introduction of elaborated storylines and other storytelling techniques that could not be used in case of short length films. Further, it diverted the attention of a worlds greatest personalities towards film and cinema. For the movie viewer, it made available unlimited entertainment and a form of distraction from worldly problems. In terms of the economy, feature films have turned cinema into a major source of revenue and employment in society and made it a global phenomenon. None of these milestones would have been achieved if feature films were not introduced in cinema. Lastly, the film was an iconic landmark for Australian cinema, placing it atop the world of international cinema for some time. All these factors justify classification of the film as a major accomplishment of early cinema.
   
Despite the numerous other achievements of cinema between 1890 and 1910, the accomplishments of twin development of Kinetograph and Kinetoscope, use of stop-motion and hand-drawn animation and making of the first feature film, stand out in their value and significance to the world of cinema at large.