Monkeyshines, No. 1, 2, and 3.
Shot in late, 1890, these are the first known films shot in the U. S. A. William Kennedy Laurie Dickson and William Heise, both working in the Edison Laboratory, shot these experimental films.
In 1888, Thomas Edison became interested in the motion picture, spurred the activity of a number of inventors in the U. S. and in Europe. Edison wanted to combine the motion picture with his previous invention, the phonograph. In this way, he would be able to capture both the sound and visuals of a live event like an opera and show it to a captive audience.
Initially, Edison thought he could capture pictures on a wax cylinder, in the same way he captured sounds on his phonograph. In early 1889, he assigned one of his employees, William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, to begin working on the design. The cylinders did not work. It was impossible to reduce a picture to a pinpoints, the way sound was reduced.
Influenced by the work of European inventors including Etiennes-Jules Mary in France and William Friese-Greene, Edison was ultimately convinced to switch to a system that involved perforated film.
By the end of 1890, Dickson and his associate, William Heise, were able to shoot this experimental films. In these, a co-worker makes some broad movements. All that you can make out are just some kind of a weird shape moving. From these humble beginnings, a monolitihic industry would grow in a relatively short period of time.
Shot in late, 1890, these are the first known films shot in the U. S. A. William Kennedy Laurie Dickson and William Heise, both working in the Edison Laboratory, shot these experimental films.
In 1888, Thomas Edison became interested in the motion picture, spurred the activity of a number of inventors in the U. S. and in Europe. Edison wanted to combine the motion picture with his previous invention, the phonograph. In this way, he would be able to capture both the sound and visuals of a live event like an opera and show it to a captive audience.
Initially, Edison thought he could capture pictures on a wax cylinder, in the same way he captured sounds on his phonograph. In early 1889, he assigned one of his employees, William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, to begin working on the design. The cylinders did not work. It was impossible to reduce a picture to a pinpoints, the way sound was reduced.
Influenced by the work of European inventors including Etiennes-Jules Mary in France and William Friese-Greene, Edison was ultimately convinced to switch to a system that involved perforated film.
By the end of 1890, Dickson and his associate, William Heise, were able to shoot this experimental films. In these, a co-worker makes some broad movements. All that you can make out are just some kind of a weird shape moving. From these humble beginnings, a monolitihic industry would grow in a relatively short period of time.