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Introduction of the Phenakistoscope
Joseph Plateu and sons produce the first Phenakistoscope. Similar to many of the other toys of its kind, the Phenakistoscope was one of the more successful illusion toys. Pictures were placed inside discs and viewed while spun, creating the image of the pictures moving. -
Creation of the Zoetrope
An illusionary toy created by William George Horner. Rather than using discs like the phenakistoscope, the Zoetrope used a drum that housed both the pictures and slots. They were widely sold in 1867. -
Creation of the Thaumatrope
Created by John Aryton in Paris in 1862, the thaumatrope was a round card attached to a string. On one side there was a horse while the other side had a rider sitting in a riding position. When spun, this created the image of the rider riding on the back of the horse. -
The First Motion Picture Ever Made
Eadweard Muybridge experimented on capturing moving objects by setting up twelve cameras on a horse racing track. Originally this was a bet he'd made with several others on the terms that a horse would have all four hooves off the ground when it galloped at full speed, placing $25,000 on whether or not he was right. When the pictures were lined up next to each other, they created the optical illusion of the horse moving, and spear headed Muybridge's creation of the Zoopraxiscope. -
Invention of Film
George Eastman and William H. Walker developed the very first reel of film. At the time, film was made up of sensitized paper created with a gelatin emulsion. However a year later it was replaced with celluloid. -
First Public Exhibitions of Motion Pictures
Utilizing his projecting Praxinoscope, Charles-Émile Reynaud holds the very first public exhibitions of motion pictures. The device itself was successful, making use of long strips of hand-painted frames to tell a stroy. Sadly the effects provided by the Praxinoscope were both slow and jerky. -
Edison and Dickson's Studio
Edison and Dickson create a studio on the land of Edison's laboratories in New Jersey. From there they produced films for their kietoscope, including the famous The Black Maria. This further added onto Edison's monopolization of the film industry. -
Arrival of the Mutoscope
Created and patented by Herman Casler, the Mutoscope was a film device that utilized a flip-card device to provide moving picture. The device itself was rather similar to the Kinetoscope, having arrived in the same autumn of 1894. This also sparked the creation of the American Mutoscope Company. -
Kinetoscope Debut in London
In October of 1894 the Kinetoscope made by Edison makes its first debut in London. Due to Edison not patenting his invention outside of the United States, R.W. Paul was able to sell copies of the Kinetoscope to people without reprecussions. This lead to Paul creating his own camera to go with the duplicate machines. -
Cinématographe's First Film
Shot in March, La Sortie de l'usine Lumière a Lyon (Workers leaving the Lumière factory at Lyon) was the first film to be taken with the Cinématographe. It was later shown in public during the same month of that year. This viewing took place at a meeting of the Societe d'Encouragement a l'industrie Nationale in Paris. -
Famous Film Screenings
Within the Grand Cafe in Paris, one of the most famous screenings in history took place. Customers were required to pay one Franc to view a 25 minute programme consisted of ten Lumière films. Such films as The Waterer Watered and A View of the Sea were featured.
