The origins of film making

The cutting edge technology available today means that everyone can make films. If you want to make good ones on your HD DSLR or video camera, some knowledge of the background and rules of filmmaking will certainly help.

Originally, human stories and history were passed down by word of mouth; and then with painting, sculpture and the written word. That all changed in 1839, when the photographic process became available to everyone. The birth of film was in 1872, when Leland Stanford asked Eadweard Muybridge to photograph a horse galloping (below) using 24 stereoscopic cameras, therefore producing the first moving image. Then Robert W. Paul’s invention of the film projector allowed for the first public showing of moving images in 1895.

People soon realised the significance of this new spectacle. The Lumiere Brothers sent operators out all over the world to shoot with their Cinematographe device, and they created almost 2,000 films by 1903. These films reflected everyday life: trains pulling into stations, people leaving work at the factory. Known as ‘actualities’ or slice of life, they were the first documentaries.

Documentary film makers are dedicated to recording the present, and their work will be viewed as historical documents by generations to come. Whether it is made by people who dedicate their lives to such pursuits, such as David Attenborough, or amateur filmmakers who do it their spare time, all work is equally valid in representing the cultural and political mood of the day. This is most prevalent now, at the advent of the digital age, when the internet is such a portal for people to share knowledge instantaneously. No other age of man has been as documented this one, at all levels of society, allowing us all to be guardians of history regardless of social standing. This is an incredibly exciting time, with developments in equipment now accessible to all, especially with regard to cost.

And now you can also be part of this new chapter that sees amateurs assisting professionals in pushing the boundaries. Think of it as in astronomy, wherein the amateurs now have the ability to document astronomical events, and quickly share the findings with professionals and the rest of the world. This initiative has become part of filmmaking too, with the likes of websites such as YouTube and Vimeo. So, in only a few steps, you could soon be making films, with equipment you already own, that will potentially last forever.