Early Cinema: Film History

Описание: Our group has chosen the three most favorite filmmakers in early cinema. Those are Thomas Edison, George Melies, and Alice Guy-Blache.

Thomas Edison is one of the early American inventor and filmmakers that have his own studio call 'Black Maria'. His film usually staged with a pitch-black background wall. His film is also famous for being bizarre and unusual content such as 'Electrocuting the Elephant' (1903). At that time, Thomas Edison want to do such a thing to attract the audience to watch his film. We pick him as our favorite filmmaker because his film is simply straightforward in a creative way. Actually, it is difficult to present a silent film that easy to understand in that era. From that, we decided to create our own style call 'Punch! Punch!' that inserts black background and fighting element into it.

Georges Melies is a French illusionist who is trying to make himself famous by filming extraordinary magic. His film such as 'The Vanishing Lady' (1896) inspired us to create our own version of his film call 'Puff! Disappear!'. Our own version put the same special effects like Georges Melies to make our magician disappear.

We choose Alice Guy-Blache because uniquely, she is the first woman filmmaker. She usually brings a fantasy such as angel and devil, and comedy element in her film. Our version of her film call 'Devilmaker' is about a devil who is disturbing two men that are performing his prayer. This shows a little fantasy element but more to comedy film.

Conclusion, we as a cinematography student should appreciate how hard work and attempted these filmmakers are because it is difficult for them to create and innovate this device such as kinetoscope, vitascope, cinematograph, with a pure and intelligence content of filmmaking. This success proves that if we determine to show people how great is our invention, it will be successful and people will remember it as a great history in the film industry.

Music:    • Maple Leaf Rag Played by Scott Joplin