CIN201Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Vitagraph Studios, The Teddy Bears, Car Chase
Document Summary
Q: how and why did cinema emerge at the end of 19th c. Cultural: 19th c modernity"s changes to conceptions of time and space. Technological: proliferation of innovations required for cinema. Economic: entrepreneurs capitalizing on public"s desire for visual entertainment. Early film style as an ex. of the cinema of attraction. Should be appreciated for its distinct attributes. Thinking it"s a mistake (judging at the past with present as base) distorts/diminish its unique identity and suggests a teleological approach. (avoid having this approach) Editing used to highlight the novelty of new view. (not used to shape action) Static, long-shot, shallow-planed compositions pronounced a degree of frontally. (flatness) all features of early film style. Painted backdrop, painted props. (no depth with mise en scene) Action plays out across the width of a shallow space actions that are important are not always centralized in shot: ex.
