Got a spare 15 minutes to learn some history?

FantasyFilmProductions

FantasyFilmProductions

Last night, I was looking for inspiration to write. I had my script open on my laptop, the tune from "cloud Atlas" coming through the headphones, and no ideas coming forth...so I took a detour off my intended research and googled what the first film ever was. The answer it seems could not be answered, but I did find record of a film in 1910 I think it was, the first film made in Hollywood, that was about 15 minutes long. It was black and white, and silent...I had to see it, I just had to, but no, the internet being the big film tease that it is, had plenty of information on it, but no copy that I could watch. I was to say the least, gutted.

I then went on to read about how Independent film came to be. For those that enjoy such trips into the world of interesting facts, I do recommend going and googling this. I wouldn't want to deprive you of the story by shortening it here but I will say that it is a story of hope, of true film enthusiasts, and more importantly, a can do attitude that I think as film makers today we should still foster.
 
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You should check out the recent TV series "The Story of Film". The first episode in particular about how the medium of film came about and some of the really early stuff. Actually the whole series is great.
There were films well before 1910 in Europe, perhaps you found the first Hollywood feature narrative?
The first feature length film is believed to have been made in Australia, called "The Story of the Kelly Gang" (1906). Sadly it only exists in deteriorated fragments these days, though Mick Jagger and Heath Ledger have both starred in more recent versions. :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8ibRrWYNJ8
 
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Yea I will look into that. Yes it was the Hollywood 1910 that I found...I will look at this series with interest. If I find any actual footage I will slap it up on this post also :)

lol i love how quaint that clip is...can almost feel the work of some poor bugger having to crank that film through. I wonder what they thought of being filmed. Probably thought the guy was mad.
 
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it's sad all these old films are lost. I like to think the preserved classics such as City Lights will live on for the duration of civilization.
 
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sfoster said:
it's sad all these old films are lost. I like to think the preserved classics such as City Lights will live on for the duration of civilization.
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Thats how I feel too. These guys filming this stuff were dancing with the dawn of cinematography, whether they knew it or not, that would change the world. For these things to not be put up online to be preserved on the hardrives of people worldwide forever seems to me to be just as much a loss as if the pyramids were torn down. Its history, and its a beautiful piece of history where people were pushing the boundaries of what was possible. They were playing with very temperamental technology to capture picture in motion. Surely, as indie film buffs, we can understand the concept of working with what you have to try to make something good. Indietalk should build up a film archive of old footage like this stuff. Its incredible for me, imagining what it may have been like filming some of that stuff.
 
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Personally I really enjoy having a wealth of films to watch and learn from. These guys had nothing. Maybe that is exciting to you but consider it was also a big pita without camera mobility, youtube videos, distribution networks, etc
 
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