The Research Blog

Historical Elements of a Film The Scene: The scene is a take of a completed action. Historically it is typified in films where the actors will act out a whole scene and then walk out and fade into the next scene. A scene would be one shot, one take. For example: A trip to the Moon (1902) - George Mélies George Mélies was a magician that owned the theater where he showed his own films. Between 1900's and 1910 he would make 10 to 12 minutes science fiction films. He made hundreds of these short films. As special effects (fx) he would use: -In-camera edits -Dissolves -Superimpositions -Animation (with live action) -Stop-motion photo -Match shots His 1902 film "A trip to the moon" was: 1. Very profitable 2. It was a narrative film, it told a story and thus was... 3. a drive towards longer films (10 to 30 minutes) 4. Editing appears. His films would be composed of scenes of completed actions connected by dissolves but with overlapping action and also prosc...

Beginnings of Cinema The Reel - Approximately 1890's to 1902 In the beginning there were reels of film. On reel would equal one film and there would be no editing, it would all be just one continuous shot.  The films would last 20 to 30 seconds. There was no illusion of continuity. Proscenium Arch Style (Theatrical view). Approximately the first ten years of the industry. This style of cinema was characterized by: - Long shots from around 12 to 15 feet away. - Long takes, takes would last a very long time. - Eye level. The camera would be at eye level with the action. - Stationary camera. The camera would not move at all during the shot. So called "firsts" films. The above films were typified in the so called "first" films which were: - Edison kinetoscopes (before 1896) and films - Lumiere brother "actualites" Edison kinetoscopes and films: -W.K.L. Dickson and the "invention" of motion pictures. - Kinetograph which was a ...