Cinema Fundamentals: History, Theory, and Formats

Understanding Cinema and Film

Film, also called cinema, is the technique of capturing and projecting frames in rapid succession to create the impression of movement. The term also refers to the theaters where movies are shown.

The Dawn of Cinema

The history of cinema arguably begins on December 28, 1895, when the Lumière brothers publicly projected short films in Paris. These early works depicted scenes such as workers leaving a French factory in Lyon, the demolition of a wall, the arrival of a train, and a boat leaving a port.

Film Theory Essentials

Film theory is based on the principle of presenting sequences of photographs rapidly enough to create the illusion of continuous movement.

Classic vs. Modern Cinema Styles

Classic cinema typically features a style emphasizing continuity and comprehensibility. Characters are usually consistent, and the plot often has a clear resolution, frequently a happy ending. In contrast, modern cinema often rejects these conventions, experimenting with style and narrative structures. Directors employ a wide range of 'modern' stylistic variants.

Film Criticism Explained

Film criticism involves the analysis and evaluation of films, individually or collectively. It can generally be divided into two main types:

• Academic criticism: Conducted by film theory scholars.
• Journalistic criticism: Appearing regularly in newspapers, magazines, and online media.

Origins and Early Developments

Cinema emerged in the 19th century as a culmination of inventions related to capturing and displaying images. The fascination with projecting shadow figures or images from distant lands using magic lanterns combined with advancements in photography. While the Lumière brothers are often credited with the birth of cinema as a mass phenomenon, their work built upon earlier inventions like Thomas Alva Edison's Kinetoscope. Many other innovations focused on capturing and displaying motion.

Key Film Formats

Thomas Alva Edison also created the quintessential 35mm film format, initially using a cellulose nitrate base. While 35mm became the professional standard, other formats were also used by filmmakers and for television, including:

• 16mm
• 9.5mm
• Super 8

Understanding Film Genres

In film theory, genre refers to the classification of movies into groups based on shared similarities in narrative, themes, style, and staging.

Common Film Types and Concepts

• Trailers
• Animation Film
• Documentary Film
• Experimental Film
• Auteur Cinema