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Period: to
Motion pictures
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The Beginning
Thomas Edison's assistant, W.K.L. Dickson, begins devoting himself to the "motion picture project. -
The peephole
A peephole-viewing machine is unveiled by Edison during a convention of the Federation of Women's Clubs. -
progress
Edison 's use of 1 1 / 2 - inch film in his vertical-feed motion picture camera establishes the basis for today's standard 35mm commercial film gauge. -
The Black Maria
Edison builds a film studio on the grounds of his laboratories in New Jersey to produce films for his kinetoscope machines. -
Profit
The Holland brothers open the first kinetoscope parlor in New York City on April 14. In one year they have gross receipts of over $16,000. -
Eidoloscope
Working with Eugene Lauste and W.K.L. Dickson, the Lathams build a film projector that they call an Eidoloscope (or Pantoptikon). -
Edison
Charles Raff and Frank Gammon buy the Jenkins-Armat phantoscope from Thomas Armat on behalf of Edison. They rename the projector Edison's Vitascope. -
Destruction
In Paris a catastrophic fire breaks out at the Bazar de la Charité's temporary cinema killing 121 people. -
Foreign Competition
Germany produces its first film. Wich makes a whole new market in filming. -
Biograph
Biograph introduces a new tripod head that allows quick, smooth panning of the camera. -
Edwin S. Porter
Edison hires Edwin S. Porter as a cameraman, and within a year promotes him to the position of Director of Production. -
All New
Edison introduces a new projector that can take up 1,000 feet of film on a single reel. -
The first theatre
In Los Angeles Thomas L. Tally's Electric Theatre becomes the first permanent movie theatre in the U.S. -
copyright
The courts rule that a film does not have to be copyrighted frame-by-frame, but rather that it can be covered in its entirety by one copyright submission. -
Standard
The 35mm-film width, and a projection speed of 16 frames per second, are now accepted as an industry standard. -
New Talent
Edison hires some of Biograph's most creative talent.The Edison Company commits to making more story films that are original and not mere copies of other company's films. -
Advantage
The shortage of American films opens up tremendous opportunities for foreign producers. -
New Companys
The Kalem Film Company and the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company are formed. -
D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith is hired to be a film director by Biograph. Between 1908 and 1913 Griffith will direct over 450 movies for Biograph. -
TAX's
Every theater showing films is required to pay $2 a week to the MPPC for a license. -
Pathècolor
"Pathècolor" process that uses a series of stencils to automatically add color tints to films.
