Motion Picture Photography

In 1891, William Dickson, a researcher at Thomas Edison’s firm, developed the Kinetograph, a motion picture camera that used Eastman Kodak’s new celluloid film. Almost immediately, an industry was born. The new artistic and technical discipline of motion picture photography matured as the film industry grew. From the beginnings of the movie camera, developments in film production and exhibition have been inextricably linked to the evolution of motion picture photography.
This work traces the history of motion picture photography from the late 19th century through the year 1960, when color photography became the accepted standard. Generously illustrated, it covers each decade’s cameras, lenses, cameramen, film processing methods, formats, studios, lighting techniques and major cinematographic developments. Each chapter concludes with examples of the decade’s outstanding cinematography.
Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

H. Mario Raimondo-Souto is an Uruguayan filmmaker.

H. Mario Raimondo-Souto
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 379
Bibliographic Info: 110 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2007
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2784-0
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8407-2
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

PART I—THE BEGINNINGS

1. Chronology of an Invention      3

2. The First Cameramen      8

3. Motion Picture Cameras and Lenses      19

4. The First Studios      32

5. Film Processing      38

6. Color and Film Formats      47

7. First Conflicts and Wars      51

PART II—THE TWENTIES

8. Cameras      54

9. Shooting Implements and Systems      73

10. Studios of the Twenties      87

11. The Work of the Studio Cameraman      92

12. The Mobile Camera      98

13. Lighting Techniques      102

14. The Silent Newsreel      107

15. The Cameraman in Exotic Lands      112

16. Motion Picture Laboratories      117

17. Trick Cinematography      125

18. Outstanding Cinematography      129

PART III—THE THIRTIES

19. Cameras      142

20. New Film Studios      163

21. All Talking Newsreels      178

22. New Lighting Techniques      187

23. Advances in Special Effects      198

24. New Color Systems      208

25. Progress and New Technology      219

26. Cinematographers      228

27. Outstanding Cinematography      233

PART IV—THE FORTIES

28. The Film Industry in the Forties      248

29. Cameras      252

30. The Combat Cameraman      267

31. Color in the Forties      272

32. Best Cinematography      276

PART V—THE FIFTIES

33. General View of the Decade      289

34. Cameras      293

35. New Screen Techniques      308

36. Mid-Century Technology      319

37. Cinematographers of the Fifties      335

Closing Words      347

Notes      349

Bibliography      359

Index      365