History of Filmmaking: Part II - Narrative Films 

Full Text

【🎥 EMI X Communication】

History of Filmmaking: Part II - Narrative Films

Welcome again to the EMI X Communication series! In this series, we will explore the fascinating history of filmmaking, from the inception of motion pictures to their evolution into today's multi-billion-dollar film industry. This week, let’s dive into the development of narrative storytelling in cinema.

🎬 First Narrative Film

The films produced by the Lumière Brothers as well as other earlier films simply captured scenes from everyday life, but the need for actors and theatrical storylines soon became apparent. In 1903, “The Great Train Robbery” directed by Edwin Porter, was the first to feature a narrative storyline, making it the first narrative fictional film. 

🎬 Soviet Montage Theory

While American cinema was developing narrative films, Soviet filmmakers and researchers were simultaneously revolutionizing film editing and storytelling techniques.

Montage theory, developed by Soviet filmmakers including Sergei Eisenstein and Lev Kuleshov in the 1920s, suggests that placing independent shots in sequence can create new meanings and emotional impacts. This theory highlights how editing can shape the audience's perception and emotional response to a film. 

🎬 The Kuleshov Effect

The proof of the theory is found in what is known as the Kuleshov Effect. Kuleshov edited a film using a single shot of an expressionless actor, alternating it with shots of a woman in a coffin, a bowl of soup, and a reclining woman. Despite the same shot of the actor being used, audiences interpreted his expression differently each time, perceiving sadness, hunger, or lust. This experiment illustrated that the meaning of the shots came from their context and placement among other shots, not from the content of the shot alone. This effect has had a significant impact on film history and is still widely used in modern media and cinema. 💃⚰️🥣

References

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/first-narrative-fictional-film

https://www.videomaker.com/article/c1/18352-soviet-montage-theory-everything-old-is-new-again/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_montage_theory