History Mid

Louis Le Prince

An early filmmaker credited with the oldest surviving film, predating mainstream cinema.

Kinescope

An early motion picture exhibition device that allowed individual viewing by looking through a scope.

Lumiere Brothers

French filmmakers who invented the motion picture projector, allowing shared film-viewing experiences.

Alice Guy

One of the first female directors in film history, known for directing over a thousand short films.

George Melies

A pioneering filmmaker recognized for his innovation in storytelling and visual effects, notable for 'A Trip to the Moon'.

Motion Picture Patent Company (MPPC)

A group formed by early filmmakers to control film production and restrict independent filmmakers.

Cecil B. DeMille

A director who was among the first to make feature films in Hollywood.

D.W. Griffith

A controversial filmmaker known for his influence on narrative films and techniques, but also for his racially insensitive works.

Max Sennett

A Canadian filmmaker who brought comedy to prominence in early film, launching stars like Charlie Chaplin.

United Artists

A film studio founded by Chaplin, Pickford, Fairbanks, and Griffith as a rebellion against the MPPC.

Sergei Eisenstein

A Soviet filmmaker known for developing montage theory, which revolutionized film editing and storytelling.

German Expressionism

A film movement emphasizing emotional experience through exaggerated visuals and performances.

The Jazz Singer

The first feature film to include synchronized sound, marking the transition to sound films.

Florence Lawrence

The first actress to receive screen credit, known as Biograph Girl before becoming a star.

Synchronized sound

The process of having audio match the visual in films, significant for the development of talking pictures.

Montage theory

A filmmaking technique popularized by Eisenstein, emphasizing the importance of editing in storytelling.

Buster Keaton

A silent film actor and director known for his physical comedy and innovative filmmaking techniques.

Metropolis

A silent film directed by Fritz Lang, representing a pinnacle of German Expressionist cinema.

Sunrise

An influential silent film by F.W. Murnau that won one of the first Best Picture Oscars.

Nickelodeons

Early theaters that featured films, typically offering short films for a nickel.