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The Great Bet
Though the date is unknown, in 1866. Edward Mybridge made a 25,000 dollared bet with some of his friends that a horses feet all come up when they reach a fast enough speed. They alinded a bunch of cameras in a straight line. When they got the pictures, they noticed something.
He was right
and the pictures looked like they were moving. -
The Peephole Kinectoscope
Thomas Edison created a projector. Also known as the Peephole Kinectoscope. But shortly after making it, decieded to keep it to himself, thinking he'd make more money by making the people still pay for one per person.
(No specfic date.) -
Lumiere Brothers
Thomas Edison was wrong for holding back. Cause somewhere in France, The Lumiere Brothers, were making history. They'd also made a projector, AND had published it to the public. They soon were credited for the invention. They called it Cinematographe. -
A new start
One of the first places to see these moving images was made. -
The Very First 'Moive'
Most movies back then were up to one minute long. One of the very first ones, was a motion picture of a train coming straight for the screen. Many people were hurt trying to get away from the train.
Soon after releashing it, it was known as, The Epic Movie. -
Vauderville
Around this time, small theaters called Vaudervillie's became quite popular. They showed short shows, Comdy, Drama, Etc.To take up time between each act. They showed short films. -
Nicklodeons
As the 1900’s dawned, Vaudeville expanded into Nickelodeons. (They only payed a nickel)
Nickelodeons were small storefront- type theaters that featured films, along with one or two vaudeville acts. -
A real Epic Movie
It was an employee of Thomas, Edwin Porter, who in 1903, created the first U.S Narrative film, The Great Train Robbery.
This film had a real story line involving crosscutting between different narrative sequences and different camera positions and distances were all introduced. ~Porters film had 14 scenes and lasted 12 minutes , a real epic by the standers of that day -
Edison's Work
By 1910, Nickelodeon theaters were attracting 26 million viewers each week. Five years later, that number doubled. What better way to insure big profits than to try to create a monopoly in an attempt to control everything. Led by Thomas Edison. -
Motion Picture Patents
Several companies formed a trust called the Motion Picture Patents Company. Plan was to use their combined patents to control things such as the production of raw film stock, projection equipment, and film distribution, everything in the motion picture industry. -
Fighting Back
Independent film companies tried to compete- but at the considerable risk. MPPG people raided the independent studios that attempted to make films. Stuff was smashed and employees were threatened. -
Down in Mexico
Edison got a gang together to threanten other indepent film makers, destorying all their equipment. But what he didn't know, was that some of them were shipping their equipment down near the Mexcian Boarder. That way Mr. Edison couldn't get too it.
