Quck answer
The first movie ever made was “Roundhay Garden Scene,” filmed in Leeds, England in 1888 by Louis Le Prince. The film is only 2.11 seconds long and shows Le Prince’s family walking and laughing in a garden. Although very short, it is considered the first motion picture because it captured and reproduced continuous movement. Le Prince’s invention paved the way for the film industry we know today.
Isn’t it exciting to visit the cinema? Besides enjoying a large tub of delicious buttery popcorn, there’s nothing quite like witnessing your favorite movie stars illuminate the silver screen.
Nowadays, movie theaters offer an exceptional cinematic experience. Watching a film on a screen that is 100 times larger than an average television is mind-blowing for most viewers. And if you get the opportunity to watch a movie in 3-D, it’s even more impressive because the action seems to leap out of the screen towards you.
We often take the technology behind movies for granted. After all, most of us have grown up in a world where movie special effects have always existed. Seeing a talking dog in a film? No big deal! We see them all the time!
However, movie technology has not always been as advanced as it is today. If we delve into the history of films, we will discover that the earliest movies did not even have sound! It may be difficult for us to imagine enjoying a film without sound, but those first movies were revolutionary.
Just think about it. Imagine living over a century ago, during a time when photographs were not very common. Taking a photograph required expensive and specialized equipment. Now try to imagine witnessing that photograph come to life and actually move! The concept of moving pictures was difficult for many people to comprehend.
Several pioneers of photography technology began experimenting in the late 19th century. It took a considerable amount of time to develop even the most basic techniques that would make a picture appear to move. The first moving picture was not intended for entertainment; instead, it was created to answer a scientific query.
In 1878, an Englishman named Eadweard Muybridge produced a brief moving picture called The Horse In Motion. Leland Stanford, a California senator who was also a railroad tycoon, racehorse owner, and the eventual founder of Stanford University, asked Muybridge to use technology to settle a question that was debated by horse owners: when a horse runs, do all four hooves leave the ground simultaneously?
Muybridge used multiple cameras to film a horse in motion. He then took the individual photographs and compiled them into a stop-motion film that conclusively proved that when a horse runs, there is a split-second where all four hooves are off the ground simultaneously.
Most of the early films that followed Muybridge’s brief demonstration of the possibilities of motion-picture technology were short, silent films. Many of these films were only a few seconds long. The earliest films created for entertainment purposes were only a few minutes in duration.
Over the next few decades, motion-picture technology advanced rapidly with the invention of the first motion-picture cameras. As technology improved, film production companies started making movies, and entrepreneurs opened cinemas to exhibit these films.
In the 1920s, film production companies began incorporating sound into films. In 1927, The Jazz Singer became the first full-length feature film to feature synchronized dialogue with the picture, creating a true “talking” film.
Give It a Try
We trust that today’s Wonder of the Day provided you with a broader understanding of the history of movies! Enjoy these activities with a friend or family member:
- Wondering what the greatest movies of all time are? One way to compile a list of the best movies ever is to consider all the films that have won an Oscar for Best Picture throughout the years. You can visit the Internet Movie Database to access such a list. Take a look and make note of the movies that have received this prestigious award in the past 10-20 years. How many of these films have you already seen? Which ones would you like to watch?
- Curious about how movies have evolved during your lifetime? Let’s find out! You’ll need to select a movie from the year you were born and another movie from the current year. You can rent these movies from a video store or borrow them from the library. Alternatively, you may find them online or in the personal collection of a friend or family member. Compare and contrast the two films. In what ways are they similar? How do they differ? How have special effects progressed over the years? Enjoy discovering just how much movies have advanced in recent years!
- Ready for a challenge? Why not create your own movie! Naturally, you’ll need a story. You’ll also require actors, shooting locations, and a video camera of some sort. Develop a storyline and then assemble your cast. Grab a camera (a smartphone with video capabilities works perfectly!) and start filming your scenes. You can make your movie as short or as long as you desire. If you have a friend or family member skilled in video editing software, ask them for assistance in making your movie appear as professional as possible. Have fun crafting your own movie. You never know when this could be the start of your Hollywood career!
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