HUGO
By Cheyenne Smith
Film Technology
In the early 1900's, films were mainly black and white, and the only sound was music. The first film made in history was by the Lumière brothers, and when the Lumière brothers showed one of their films to the public, "The Arrival of a Train", the viewing scared the viewers since the train came right at them. In order for the film play, someone must be winding the crank on the movie projector.
The Arrival of a Train, by the Lumière Brothers
In the movie, Hugo and Isabelle discover that Isabelle's godfather, Papa Georges, is actually Georges Méliès, the famous filmmaker and magician. Just like Hugo, Georges enjoyed tinkering. After Georges visited one of the Lumière brothers movies, he wanted to be part of the film industry. Georges built his own camera, and thus his film making career started. Georges Méliès was a real person, and so was his career. One of his most popular films was "A Trip to the Moon", which I have added to the page for viewing.
A Trip to the Moon
Georges watching the man wind the movie projector.
Georges Méliès made hundreds of films in his lifetime. In Hugo, Georges is seen building his camera. He was an extraordinary filmmaker, with his special effects awing his viewers. Unfortunately the excitement for movies years later died, and Georges had to give up his career. Read more about Georges Méliès here!
Building his own camera
Early Movie Making Devices
The Cinématograph
Invented by the Lumiere Brothers
"Their Cinématographe combined a camera for recording the movement, a printer and, when connected to a magic lantern, a projector." - via earlycinema.com
The Kinetoscope
Invented by William Kennedy Dickson
"The Kinetoscope mechanism was driven by an electric motor...It comprised and upright wooden cabinet, four foot high with a peephole in the top." - via earlycinema.com
The Theatrograph
Invented by Robert William Paul
"...a 35-mm film projector called the Theatrograph, equipped with two seven-spoke Geneva drives and two toothed sprockets." - via Google Arts & Culture