Tuesday, January 30, 2018

The Birth of Film & Film Inventors

Period 1:

BLOG POST/COMMENT:

In the COMMENT section below, please answer the following questions (answer in the same post please):
  • Generally, how do you watch films? Do you stream films online? Do you watch primarily Youtube videos and not full-length films? Do you pay to see films at first run cinemas like Tinseltown or Regal or Lowes? Do you watch films in second run theaters like Cinemark in Brighton (Brighton Movies 10)? Do you go to small independent theaters like The Cinema or The Little Theater or the Dryden Theater? Do you watch DVD's, BlueRay, or VHS tapes? Do you use a network service like ROKU or HULU or Amazon Prime? Do you watch films on demand or from a cable or satellite dish network? Do you just have to imagine a film from what others tell you about it?
  • How important is watching/viewing films in your life or the life of your family? Is it a rare treat, or a daily activity, or somewhere in between? Do you generally watch films alone, with a friend, with a relative, or with a group of people? 
  • What was the last film you saw (include where you saw it) and why did you see it? [The name, perhaps the year of the film, or when you last saw the film (yesterday, last weekend, 3 months ago, etc.?) and why you saw it: homework project, for school, to avoid schoolwork, as a social activity with friends, as a promise to your sibling, as a babysitter while waiting for a parent to come home, as a time killer, as an interested student of film or art, as a date, etc.]
Short Film: Please watch and take notes on key or important points made:


LAB ACTIVITY: In the lab answer the questions on the handout using this website and the article (part 1 & 2) by Tim Dirks. The next page (part 2) is found on the bottom of the screen. Follow the arrows to the right to advance the page. Complete Part One and Two by answering the questions. Turn in your answers by the end of our lab time on Friday, Feb. 2 for participation credit.

Period 2: Early Film Inventions: Let's play around with a few visual toys and learn about the early, early days of film. These are just some of the important events, inventions, and inventors that helped create the film industry. You should be familiar with them. Take notes on the following terms/ideas.
Persistence of Vision: the optical illusion that allows the human mind to blend various images together into a single image. Provides the "move" part of a "movie". 
Magic Lantern: Invented in the 17th century by Athanasius Kircher. The magic lantern projected pictures on a screen. It functioned like an overhead projector. Originally it used a candle as the light source.

Thaumatrope: Invented by Dr. John Ayrton Paris in 1824; utilized the theory of “persistence of vision”: Persistence of vision is the optical illusion where multiple images blend into a single image in the human mind. Without it, we would not be entertained by film as it wouldn't appear to "move"--hence, no "movies".

Fantascope, Phenakistiscope (“spindle viewer”), Fanatoscope: invented by Belgian inventor Joseph Plateau. Daedalum (Horner 1834)/Zoetrope (Lincoln 1867)
Daguerreotype: Invented in 1839 by Louis-Jacques-Monde Daguerre. The process of capturing images on silvered, copper metal plates - the beginning of photography.

Celluloid: Invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt. Strips of thin film which could be developed with pictures.

Praxinoscope: Invented in 1877 by Charles Emile Reynaud. A film projector. This clip shows examples of Reynaud's animations
Light Bulb: Edison invented the long-lasting light bulb and secured the patent in 1879. Actually the light bulb predates this date. Edison patented the incandescent light bulb filament (specifically). 
The Photographic Gun: Often hailed as the "inventor of cinema" Etienne-Jules Marey invented his chronophotography or series photography, similar to Muybridge's attempts, which allowed for the taking of several photographs on the same "plate" in 1882.
Edweard Muybridge (1830-1904): Our first pioneer of the art of film is the photographer Edweard Muybridge. Muybridge was a photographer who became famous when former California Governor Leland Stanford contacted him to help settle a bet over whether all four hooves of a running horse left the ground. Muybridge began experimenting with an array of 12 cameras photographing a galloping horse in a sequence of shots. Between 1878 and 1884, Muybridge perfected his method, proving that horses do have all four hooves off the ground at some point during their running stride. Muybridge worked at the University of Pennsylvania between 1883 and 1886, producing thousands of photographs of humans and animals in motion. He published several books featuring his motion photographs and toured Europe and North America, presenting his photographic methods using a projection device he'd developed, the Zoopraxiscope.

Some other interesting bits about Muybridge: During a break from his photographic research, his wife, Flora, had an affair with Major Harry Larkyns, a drama critic. Believing that Larkyns had fathered the couple's recently born son, Muybridge tracked him down, shot, and killed him. At his trial for murder in 1875, several witnesses testified that Muybridge's personality had changed after he received a head injury in which he lost his ability to taste and smell. The jury didn't buy the insanity defense, but acquitted Muybridge on the grounds of "justifiable homicide." Muybridge died in 1904. His contributions to art and photography spurred the works of other film inventors, many of which we will study today.

Please watch the following two films, the first a documentary: Photographs of Motion
and the second, a series of Muybridge's photographs, sped up to show motion (persistence of vision!)

So what's the oldest film ever made? Interesting story:
The oldest surviving film in existence at this point is Louis Le Prince's Roundhay Garden Scene (1888). This sequence was recorded on an 1885 Eastman Kodak paper base photographic film through Le Prince's single-lens combi-camera-projector. It moved at 12 frames per second.

Le Prince's life was also interesting and there's a mystery (and some say conspiracy) attached to his death. Le Prince was never able to perform a planned public demonstration in the United States of his films because he mysteriously vanished from a train on 16 September 1890 --His body and luggage (including his film camera) were never found. Le Prince's disappearance allowed Thomas Edison to take credit for the invention of motion pictures in America, but now Le Prince has been heralded as 'The Father of Cinematography.'

Now: Watch these early films from the late 1890's and early 1900's. As you watch, take notes in your journal/notebook about the director(s) and the titles and content of the film. Summarize in a few words or a sentence or two what each film is about. At the end of the collection, answer the following:
  • What do you notice about the films? 
  • What subject matter do they deal with? 
  • What do you notice about the shots and camera work in these films?

Edison Kinetoscope films: (1894-1896)
Titles in this clip include: The Kiss, Serpentine Dances, Sandow the Strong Man, Comic Boxing, Cock  Fighting, The Barber Shop, Feeding the Chickens, Seminary Girls & Boxing Cats (the first cat film meme!)

Many of Edison's early films were shot by W.K.L. Dickson. Thomas Edison invented the idea of the Kinetoscope but it was Dickson who designed it between 1889-1892. His film studio was called the Black Maria. The first kinetoscope exhibition occurred in New York, NY in 1894.

Other Kinetoscope films:

At the same time, in France, the Lumiere Bros. were also working on the invention of film, particularly, a camera that could also project a film for the benefit of an audience. Learn more about The Lumiere Bros. (Documentary, 10 minutes).

HOMEWORK: Please read the chapter handout on Film Studies and watch the second Crash Course Film #2.  If you missed any of these films, please watch them. Check the links for more information on key topics. Notes for Parts 1 & 2 from Tim Dirk's website are due at the end of our lab time on Friday.

13 comments:

Tyler James said...

I usually stream films online. Seeing films isn’t a big part of my life or family life. The last film I saw was the latest Star Wars movie and I saw it because I enjoy the Star Wars series.

Kaneil said...

- Generally, how do you watch films?
Pretty much every way under the sun. Up until recently, I exclusively saw movies at the Regal theater at the Greece mall, but upon going to see an anime film at Tinseltown, I realized how much Regal sucked and now I just go to Tinseltown every time I want to see something in theaters. At home, I watch a lot of bad horror movies on Netflix because I love them. I also collect blu-rays, but that's mostly for anime films. If there's no way to watch a movie on Netflix then I'll just torrent it. I don't feel bad.
- How important is watching/viewing films in your life or the life of your family?
My mother, sister, and I go to the theater all the time. We see pretty much every Marvel movie opening weekend and then in between it's whatever we feel like. At home, my Mother will become a couch potato with her friends and use the Amazon Firestick to nonstop watch movies. I don't doubt that she's seen at least twice as much film as I have.
- What was the last film you saw (include where you saw it) and why did you see it?
I torrented Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice) a couple days ago. I watched it mainly to add to my minuscule repertoire of seen anime films, but also because a girl I know loves it do death.

Anonymous said...

I watch films online, for the most part. I was full length films. I wouldn't be able to watch part of a movie on YouTube. I don't go to the cinema as much as I used to, but yes I would pay to watch my films. Watching films isn't too important for me, or my family. When we see a good trailer, we're interested and want to go watch it, but we aren't too into it. I generally watch my films alone now. I don't remember the last film I saw, since I've seen a number of movies the past month. But I remember whatever I was watching was on Netflix.

Unknown said...

Justice

I mostly watch Youtube videos, but when I do watch full length films it is mostly at a cinema. This is only because I have a movie pass, and if you go to the theater once a month you make your money back. I'm apparently very high class because I like to go to the reclining chair movie theaters like AMC. I don't watch movies religiously, but I do see a couple a month. Sometimes it's with my family or a friend. The last film that I watched was Den of Thieves about two weeks ago, and I only went to go see it because my mom likes Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson.


FM said...

I watch films anyway I can. I usually use Netflix but if there is a movie that is coming out and I want to see it then I will go the regals. If there's a movie that I want to watch but it's not on Netflix or playing in the movies then I will try to find it on another website online. Movies/films aren't that important to my parents. My dad mostly likes Chinese and Japanese films. To the kids and I films aren't that important and but we like to watch any movie that we find interesting. We will sit down and find a movie on Netflix or plan a day to go to the movies. The last film I watched was What Happened to Monday. I watched it about a week or two ago with my siblings via Netflix. I watched it for entertainment and because I knew I would enjoy it.

Mariangelis Gonzalez said...

I like to watch films on weekends, mainly on fridays because it's the only free time that I have. I do watch more YouTube than long films because it takes less time to watch the shorter videos and I can do it between my work on my little breaks. I do not pay to see films in the first or second run. i prefer to see them at home with my family. I don't like going to theaters because what's the use of it if I can just wait a few more weeks and watch on online or on t.v. I watch DVD's, Blu-ray and VHS tapes. I love VHS tapes. I don't use a network service. I prefer DVD's or watching things on T.V. I watch my movies from a satellite dish network, which I love for all the channels it has. When others tell me about the new films that they went to the first and second runs of it, i do imagine it, so I know what to expect when I get the chance to see the movie. My family and I enjoy watching films. We usually save our Friday nights for it to spend a little time together. I usually watch films with my family. The last film that I saw and finished without falling asleep was "9.11." It was made in 2017. I saw it because I was looking for a movie, but didn't know what to pick and I had let my cousin choose which one we should watch. It was mainly a time killer, but it was really interesting.

Andrea said...

I usually go to the movie theater, Regal, and also Movies 10 sometimes to watch films. When I'm at home, I'm mostly on YouTube watching video. if there's a good movie on T.V., I'll try to watch it, but I never really watch the whole movie. I do have a lot of DVD's, but I watch them alone. I mostly go to the movies on the weekends with my family and sometimes with friends. This is usually the only time the family spends time together. The last film I saw was The Greatest Showman at Regal on Culver Ridge. I saw the movie because I heard it was a good movie, so I decided to see it for myself. It was an amazing movie and I do recommend watching it.

Unknown said...

Generally I don't watch many films. I more so watch TV series instead. However, when I do watch them It's usually on Netflix. I tend to not watch new movies in theater that often, I could just watch them on demand. Unless the movie looks super promising then I'll go. Usually my family and I pick something new to watch every Sunday. The last film we watched together was Bright and watched it due to my parents hearing it was good.

Anonymous said...

I don't really watch films but when I do, I usually watch them on Netflix. My family isn't really big on movies but my younger siblings mostly just watch TV shows. I've only ever been to the movies twice and the first time was for a class trip in 9th grade to Tinseltown. The second time was to see an animated movie at Regal with my siblings. The last film I watched was a Bollywood film (Hum Saath Saath Hain) from the 90's with my mom. She's fluent in Hindi but I'm iffy so I had to read the subtitles for some of the time. I watched it last weekend and my mom and I usually watch Bollywood films at least once a week.

Unknown said...

Generally, how do you watch films?: Most of the time I watch them through Kodi, a streaming network but I wouldn't say I don't watch through other sources. So most of time while being at home I watch what I wanna watch by myself.

How important is watching/viewing films in your life or the life of your family?: it's honestly not important at all, sometimes we put one on to keep kids busy or to just pass some time,but... I actively try to avoid watching movies with my family due to (most) of them thinking if it's not a straight forward linear funny movie with a predicable plot or an all around blood bath it's "Foolishness";However, to my eldest sister we love watching movies together just to nit pick.

What was the last film you saw (include where you saw it) and why did you see it?: The last film I watched if I can really call it a film would be "The Room" at Angelo's house on his birthday. Of course since it was birthday party full of rowdy teens we decided the best thing to do is watch and rip on it. All around a lot of fun.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy watching movies, but i'm really more into TV shows. But when I do watch movies, I either watch them on Netflix or I watch them at the Regal theaters. When I do watch movies at home, I watch them by myself because that way no one is talking while the movie is playing. When I watch movies in theaters it's more uncomfortable and more work, but the big screen makes it enjoyable. The last movie I watched was the Greatest Showman last week with my friends. I ended up choosing to watch it because it had great reviews and it seemed like a good movie, and it was.

Unknown said...

I watch most films on my phone or on TV. I watch videos on Youtube and movies or shows on Netflix. If I want to watch new films I usually go to Regal cinemas or AMC. At my house we have plenty of movies especially Blu-Ray movies since we have PS3 and PS4.
2. Viewing films is very important to me. I think it is i between a rare treat and a daily activity. I usually watch movies on my free time or when none of the shows or sitcoms I like are on tv.
3. The last film I saw was yesterday on my phone. It was called Seoul Searching and it was on Netflix. I watched the film because I had tons on free time and I thought the film might be very interesting.

Raina Aubrey said...

1. I watch most films on Netflixs and on dvds that I either own or are borrowing from someone. I see some movies at the theater when they come out as well as some at the "second run cinemas". Sometimes I see movies at the Little if they are playing an older movie I like or to see an independent film.
2. I usually watch movies with my sister though I also watch some with my whole family but it's not ritual or anything. Sometimes my friends and I get together and binge movies. The only tradition esque movie thing I have with my family is the seeing Marvel movies in theaters when they come out.
3. Not going to lie the last movie I saw was a Barbie movie a week ago. A bunch of my friends and I gathered to watch ten Barbie movies back to back because that's the kind of good life choices we make.

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