Thomas Edison ran a film lab where he invented the kinetographic camera and the kinetoscope. He also developed the 35mm film clip and he also developed the projector to play the films. this was the starting point for editing without kinetoscope we might not be at the point of editing that we are at yet.
Lumiere bros
It is known that there are two possible inventors of the camera, it was either the Lumiere brothers or Thomas Edison. the first film however was made the the Lumiere brothers, Sortie d'usine which was made in 1896. This had no editing in it and it was the simplest film ever made but it kicked off the film world.
George Melies
He was a magician who had seen the films that were made by the Lumiere brothers. Melies saw at once the possibilities of film more than just motion. He acquired a camera, built a studio, wrote scripts, designed sets, and he soon discovered and exploited the basics of using a camera. It is rumoured that he was the first to discover the art of stop motion by accident when his camera broke down for a split second. In 1986 he made a film called the vanishing lady using a technique known as in-camera editing. This was the first cut edit in film and this was the first step in editing. George Melies is one of the reasons we have editing now, he was the first person to edit a film and cut it. He also made a film in 1904 called "Voyage à Travers l'impossible" which was one of the first films with colour and this was a massive step for film because it meant films could be seen in colour and not just black and white and this helped future directors create films and help film and editing evolve even more.
Edwin S. Porter
Before he started creating films in the late 1890s he was an electrician. He made this film the great train robbery. This film was a breakthrough for film because it used several different shots. Thomas Edison wanted to make films longer so he went to Porter to edit them by cutting them and glueing them together. He also made the film , life of an American fireman. This film is significant because it was one of the first films to have a plot, action and a close up of a hand pulling a fire alarm. Also it is important because it is an example of early editing demonstrating continuity editing. This led on to be a mile stone for film making.
porter discovered that you didnt have to show the whole body when filming which led to close ups. Also he discovered splicing two shots together. there were key discoveries because they made all narrative motion pictures and TV possible.
Charles Pathe
he made the film the horse that bolted (1907) and Pathe introduces the first example of parallel editing with cutting between two story lines which were the horse and the delivery man. this impacted editing because he started the technique of cutting between two characters and story lines. This was a big step for film because it meant directors knew they can do more than one storyline in one film and it led onto the films we have today having cross story lines, this was a massive breakthrough for film making.
G.A. Smith
In 1898 he made the Miller and the sweep and this was one of the first films to have a plot even though it was a simple plot. This kickstarted films having plots to it and having an actual meaning. He pioneered the technique of using shots from different locations and developed filming making single films.
G.A Smith made a film in 1899 called the kiss in the tunnel and this used about three different shots and this film is known to be the beginnings of narrative editing.
G.A Smith pioneered the technique of using shots from different locations and developed film making from single shot films.
D.W Griffith
D.W Griffith was an early supporter of film editing and he made use of cross editing to show parallel action in different locations in the film. He was one of the first directors to use editing techniques in a feature film. His most known film and is known all over hollywood film for the wrong reasons, it is known to be the most controversial and racist films ever made. It was called "The birth of a nation" made in 1915. it was so controversial because it was about the black slaves and the KKK and it caused riots and hollywood. Even though this film is the most racist film ever made it is a big influence
These people are the main reason there is film editing the way it is and it shows how editing has changed throughout the years. Films started of simple, workers walking out of a factory being a minute film to a 3 hour full film with cut scenes. you can see each impact each director had to editing starting off with the no editing and just simple footage and then simple editing like cutting and then to having an actual plot, the impacts are very significant and without these people we may not have films like we do today.
