Film Over Time

First Stop-Motion Film

Jun 19, 1878

Eadweard Muybridge made a film considered the first stop-motion film. It was called the Horse in Motion, and it settled the debate whether all four of the horse's hooves leave the ground while galloping.

Oldest Surviving Film

Oct 14, 1888

Louis Le Prince directed the oldest surviving film called Roundhay Garden Scene. It is a short silent film and shows the members of his family playing in a garden.

Invention of the Kinetoscope

May 9, 1893

The Edison Company demonstrated the Kinetoscope for the first time in public. Kinetoscope allows one person to view moving pictures.

Invention of the Cinematograph

Feb 13, 1895

The Lumiere brothers’ invention, the cinematograph, was patented. They used the cinematograph to make their first film.

The First Film Shown to the Public

Dec 28, 1895

The Lumiere brothers presented the first moving pictures shown to the public. Their film was called Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory.

One of the First Films in Color

1902

One of the first films was made in color. They added color by putting hand painted frames into the film. The film was called A Trip to the Moon and was directed by Georges Melies.

Invention of 3D Stop-Motion

1925

Willis O’Brien invented 3D stop-motion and used it in many of his films.

First Animated Film with Sound

Jul 29, 1928

Walt Disney made the first animated film with sound. His film was called Steamboat Willie. He recorded the sound and music separately and synchronized it with the animation.

First Three-Strip Technicolor Film

1935

The first three-strip technicolor feature-length film was Becky Sharp. It was directed by Rouben Mamoulian. Each strip of the three-strip technicolor recorded a different color and then was combined to create a full-color image. It also improved the accuracy of the color.