THE HISTORY OF CINEMA

Film Literature

THINK ABOUT…• Film is a reflection of the hopes and fears of

society.

• The hero & villain archetypes in film often imitate the social climate of the time.

• One way society evaluates its morals & values is through film

• How has film evolved over time?

• How does film reflect society?

• How does society influence film?

• What roles do people play in society, and how does film capture this?

• How are actors a reflection of the values of society?

What is Film?• How is film different from

other narrative art forms?

• How is being a filmmaker different than being a novelist or painter?

• What are the choices a filmmaker makes in creating his or her art?

• If you were filming this class right now, what choices would be at your disposal? Brainstorm and discuss.

What do these images have in common?

What does this have to do with movies?

An Optical Illusion• Film consists of still

images, 24 of which are projected per second.

• Our brains interpret this as movement and ignore the lines between each frame

• The brain provides a “mental bridge” between each frame.

Persistence of Vision• The human brain has

a threshold below which separate images exposed to it will appear continuous.

• The speed at which film is projected (24 fps), is below that threshold.

• Example

• Animation Pioneers

A Concise History of the Origins of Cinema• Video (25:57)

• Please take notes

• In addition to video, you will have a reading assignment from Ch. 10 in your textbook.

• You will have an assignment over the video & ch. 10.

Early Films• Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (1895)

• The Kiss (1896)

• A Trip to the Moon (1902)

• The Great Train Robbery (1903)

• The Birth of a Nation (1915)

• Battleship Potemkin (1925)

• The Jazz Singer (1927)

Film Pioneers• Thomas Edison

• LumiereBrothers

• D.W. Griffith

• Sergei Eisenstein & Montage

• The Jazz Singer (1927)

THINK ABOUT…• Film is a reflection of the hopes and fears of

society.

• The hero & villain archetypes in film often imitate the social climate of the time.

• One way society evaluates its morals & values is through film

• How has film evolved over time?

• How does film reflect society?

• How does society influence film?

• What roles do people play in society, and how does film capture this?

• How are actors a reflection of the values of society?

Assignment• Research the information on the Film Pioneers

• Read the designated pages/Take notes in Corrigan & White textbook, Ch. 10

• Answer the questions

• Screen the film Hugo directed by Martin Scorsese, and starring Asa Butterfield & Chloe Grace Moretz; winner of the 2011 Academy Award for Cinematography