For the past 70+ years, cinema and Non-Linear editing systems have improved incredibly, as the equipment has become more efficient and the techniques used too. You can see this in cinema for example; as people would have to draw the pictures individually, to make a moving image. To show the illusion, they used a Mutoscope. The Mutoscope is one of the first animated T.V’s, which help the illusion work, by flipping from one picture to the other. Furthermore, some of the creators that developed these are; George Melies, D.W.Griffiths, Edwin Porter and the Lumiere brothers.
D.W.GRIFFITH
D.W.Griffiths or also known as the ‘Father of film’ was born on January 22, 1875, and was the writer of the American blockbuster, the Birth of a nation. During his much younger years, Griffith pursued many film-related jobs, which ranged from acting and screenwriting before settling down as a film director.
In 1903, David worked for the companies, Edison, and Biograph, which give him the chance produce hundreds of short movies. Then, from working there, he would be influenced in directing his own. While there he would also star behind Lionel Barrymore, Mary Pickford, and the Gish sisters.
Later on, in his life when David started his career in directing movies, he would invent several filmmaking techniques. These techniques are Utilizing cross-cutting, close-up shots, and fade outs.
The Utilizing cross-cutting effect –
The Close-up shot –
As you might already see in the image on the right, a close-up image is where you can just see a person's face for example, without seeing anything else. This type of shot can be very distinctive and can show more emotion than other camera shots.
The Fade out -
A fade-out effect signifies the crossing of two images or clips, which can, for example, show two different moments in time. This tool can be used, in Premiere Pro.
When the year 1914 slowly came along, Griffiths decided he wanted to move on with his life and end his career with Edison and Biograph. When ending his career, he started the production of his American blockbuster a birth of a nation and was then released the year after in 1915. This movie was influenced as one of the modernist movies ever in the history of the film industry.
Other movies of D.W.Griffiths – WITHOUT SOUND
- Down East (1920)
- Orphans of the storm (1921)
- America (1924)
D.W.Griffiths movie – WITH SOUND
- Abraham Lincoln (1930)
- · The Struggle (1931)
After retiring from filmmaking, David spent the majority of his remaining says stuck in hotel room and then in 1948, he sadly passed away (HollywoodCalifornia, January 22, 1875 - July 23, 1948).
GEORGE MELIES
Maries George Jean Melies or George Melies was boring in 1861 in Paris, France. At the much younger years of his life, George had many different hobbies and interest, which ranged from; Stage design and puppetry. From these interest, would leave George into the filmmaking business.
In 1884, George was requested by his parent to move to London, England, so he could learn the English language and work at his fathers shoe factory. After spending numerous years there, George earned enough money to open up his own business where an old theatre used to be. Living in London, Melies was very interested in attending one of the Lumiere brothers movies. When in the audience of the movie, he would notice the type of equipment that the brothers used and was very intrigued in them. This integument led him to try and buy these, but in the process would get turned down.
During his career as a filmmaker George made hundreds of movies, which did not contain any sound. Most of these movies where created by illustrated images - Also can be known as 'Animation.' George would also star in his films alongside dealing with; Financing, directing and photography.
Some of George Melies movies;
- Card Party (1896)
- A trip to the moon / Le Voyage Dans la lune (1902)
- The delilish tenant (1909)
George died in 1938 after making around five hundred films and being one of the first most famous filmmaker in the world.
The conventions of editing: continuity, jump cuts, the 180-degree rule, dissolves (uses of), shot-reverse-shot, cutting to a soundtrack
