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Kinetoscope Publicly Unveiled
Early film camera invented by William Dickinson and Thomas Edison, in collaboration with Eadweard Muybridge. First movie to be filmed in the U.S. called Monkeyshines No.1 was shot on the Kinetoscope. -
Cinematograph
Early film camera and projector kit invented and used by the Lumiere brothers. -
First Known Color-Film "Our King and Queen in India"
This 1912 silent documentary is the first known film to be shot in color, predating Wizard of Oz. -
Birth of a Nation Released
D.W. Griffith's monumental (and monumentally racist) early film epic releases in theaters, becoming a goal post for filmmaking technique. Large battle sequences, fade-ins, close-ups, become pioneered here. -
Earliest Known 3-D Movie
The film The Power of Love releases as the first known 3-D film. -
Montage Style Editing Pioneered
The 1925 release of the Soviet film "Battleship Potemkin" featured revolutionary the new technique in film editing called montage, which would become the most vital aspect of Russian cinema. -
First Feature Sound Film
The Jazz Singer released as the first feature-length sound film, or "talkie" in the U.S. -
Technicolor
The release of The Wizard of Oz further popularizes color movies with a new, more detailed coloring process called "Technicolor." Though considered too expensive for most films, Technicolor would become a staple of big Hollywood blockbusters. -
Citizen Kane Released
Orson Wells' "Citizen Kane" becomes a landmark film, demonstrating a plethora of film techniques in a single movie. Became the gold standard for fiction filmmaking, even up to today. -
Super 8
The Kodak Super-8mm Camera is the first consumer grade, portable film camera to reach 24fps. -
First Portable Video Recorder Released
The Sony Portapak was the first "portable" video recorder, though it still required being plugged into a wall or power source. -
First Use of 3D CGI in Film
Futureworld featured the first sequence of computer-generated imagery in film. This technology becomes gradually more prevalent in movies and eventually turns into a mainstay of most Hollywood films. -
First Consumer Grade Camcorder
The Betamovie BMC-100p is released. Allows anyone to shoot their own Betamax tapes. -
First Digital, High-Definition Movie
Julia and Julia is the first all digitally recorded HD film (making it technically a video). -
First Feature-Length CGI Film
Toy Story releases as the first full-length CGI film, forever opening new avenues for animated film. -
Iphone Launch
The Iphone becomes the first mainstream smartphone to incorporate a built-in camera. Legions of amateur filmmakers have followed since.