New Media History: Innovative Filmmakers
The term, “New Media” is a broad term that combines many aspects of traditional art and
innovative technology. New media involves creatively using devices to communicate ideas in
new and interesting ways, to advance society and shape culture. It is producing new technology
or new ways of using existing technology to produce new work. Since the late 1800’s, film has
become increasingly prominent as a technological advancement and as well as an artistic
medium. Countless filmmakers have changed the course of film and advanced cinema as an art
form. Starting with the history of film technology, leading to the development of cinema as an art
form, this paper will provide examples of five innovative and pioneering artists who greatly
contributed to the evolution of the film medium.
According to Tom Gunning, the starting period in film history is referred to as “The
Cinema of Attractions,” which lasted from 1895 to 1907. Beginning as an exhibitionist cinema,
film was used to show ordinary events. The attraction was the medium itself as the audience paid
to see moving pictures of everyday events (Gunning 57).
The first moving picture is credited to the Louis and Auguste Lumiere, two French
filmmakers who held the first moving picture screening in 1895. They showed ten short films,
including “Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory” and “Arrival of the Train.” “Arrival of the
Train” showed a train pulling onto the platform with passengers walking on and off the train, and
along the platform. This film allegedly caused a panic among the audience, as they were unable
to distinguish between the film and reality. “Arrival of the Train thus is not simply used as an
icon of cinema's birth, rather this one-minute film by Louis Lumière stands as a striking example
of the manipulative power allegedly inherent in cinema since its beginnings. It figures as the
founding myth of the medium, testifying to the power of film over its spectators” (Loiperdinger).
During the “Cinema of Attractions” period, the medium of film itself along with the new
technology was the attraction that drew audiences in. The Lumiere Brothers were able to use the
new medium of film to astonish the audience with the captivating and powerful technology.
Early audiences went to cinemas primarily to see machines and the film medium being
demonstrated, rather than to view the film.
Soon afterwards, was a period of innovation in narrative, the shift from documenting
reality to telling a story. Tom Gunning refers to this period from 1907 to 1913 as “Transitional
Cinema”. From being amazed by film technology, audiences shifted their focus to watching
films as fiction and visual art, used to evoke emotions and captivate the viewer. This period
shows the rise of the Hollywood classical narrative of the 3 act structure, which is still
predominant in Hollywood movies today.
D.W.Griffith (David Llewelyn Wark Griffit) was a pioneering American filmmaker who
“has been labeled as the beginning of film as an art form” (Gunning 336) and has been credited
with creating the first Classical Hollywood Narrative and crafting new film techniques. “There
was now a need for film techniques that could better articulate the narrative elements and involve
audiences in their unfolding” (Gunning 340). Parallel editing was invented, which was the
editing together of actions in different places occurring simultaneously. In Lonely Villa (1909) by
D.W. Griffith, parallel editing was used to generate suspense. “Griffith begins to place his edits
so that they interrupt the action at a crucial point, in the middle of a gesture. He builds suspense,
then, not only by cutting away from a dangerous situation, but also by placing his cut at a point
where the action is incomplete.” Another famous example is in A Corner in Wheat (1909.) “In
this film, Griffith cuts from the financial gain of the Wheat King to the suffering he causes
farmers and the poor. In this case the primary thrust of Griffiths editing is not simultaneity but
contrast” (Gunning, 341). Griffith pioneered parallel editing, to generate suspense and create a
contrast between social classes. Another technique that was invented was Three Point Lighting,
used to illuminate characters properly. This method used a key light to provide main
illumination, a fill light to lessen shadows, a back light to add volume and a provide sense of
depth. A distinguished difference was also established between high and low key lighting, used
to establish the mood of films.
Griffith's attention to continuity editing placement and lighting heightened the mood and
tension of his films. Griffith was the first to understand how these visual film techniques could
be used to create an expressive language to affect the viewer’s mood. Near the end of
Transitional Cinema, came the birth of Hollywood Classical Cinema in 1913. Film was no longer
merely about the technology that captivated audiences, but also as an art form to communicate
ideas and stories.
Fritz Lang was an Austrian born filmmaker who understood the powerful effects that film
could draw on the audience. His most acclaimed films include the silent film, Metropolis (1927)
and M (1931)., Metropolis premiered in January 1927 in Berlin, as the film which “Lang
envisioned as the costliest and most ambitious picture ever” and ultimately became a huge
success. The most prominent visual feature in Metropolis is perhaps the futuristic, expressionistic
set. “Clearly at work in Metropolis, is in the production design of the city particularly its
buildings and stylized skyline. The gigantic art deco structures in Metropolis combine the best of
the Machine Age with the stepped forms of earlier influences and cultures”(Kerr). Frtiz Lang
was integral to the emergence of the genre, film noir and influenced filmmakers abroad. “When
Lang emigrated to Hollywood, he helped introduce the studio system to expressionism. This laid
the foundation for Film Noir” (Kerr).
Once synchronized sound was introduced to the cinema, it soon dominated markets and
Lang quickly understood how to utilize sound to manipulate the audience’s emotions. “The first
movie to have a synchronized sound track was Fritz Lang's Siegfried in 1925, with a musical
score but no dialogue” (MOAH). With Metropolis being the most expensive silent film at the
time of its release (Kerr), Lang already had achieved fame and success in the silent film industry.
He then quickly mastered the art of sound film by experimenting with sound techniques,
including on-screen and off-screen sound, contrasting silences, and music. Lang used sound
sparingly, deliberately utilizing the silences to add tension and mystery. The lack of audio in
certain scenes added contrast and emphasis to the sound, providing symbolism to the silences.
Keeping the murderers face and identity hidden, the audience recognizes him by his whistling,
which added to the mystery and secrecy of this character. Lang’s experimenting with on-screen
and off-screen sound adds to the overall suspense and curiosity in the audience. This also created
tension, allowing the film to climax when the murderer was identified.
Fritz Lang is still thought of as one of the most influential filmmakers today. His
groundbreaking use of sound is evident in M, which later paved the way for future sound film.
He was a master in innovatively incorporating extravagant settings to enhance the film. Lang’s
innovative sound use in M, and expressionistic set of Metropolis were significant advancements
to film technique and style not only to European film, but also to Hollywood.
The French New Wave was a cultural film movement in the 1950s-60’s. Originating in
France, the New Wave was a reaction and response to the Classical Hollywood structure and
studio system. Jean-Luc Godard is often identified with the New Wave, as one of the most
radical and innovative filmmakers during this movement.
Godard was indifferent to conventional filmmaking rules and chose to challenge them as
he was making a statement about classical narrative film. “The jump cut is the most obvious
device that rendered Godard's first feature new and strange. The hand-held camera makes the
medium close-ups vibrate, the eyelines do not match, continuity editing is rejected in favor of
discontinuity, and the soundtrack is emphasized as an artificial construction” (Neupert). Godard
was not particular to lighting, often using one light to illuminate whole room, rather than the 3point lighting used in Hollywood films. In Breathless (1960), the plot doesn’t follow the threeact narrative structure that exists in Classical Hollywood Cinema. “Godard's single greatest
contribution had been his first film, which had all the central characteristics of a radical
conceptual innovation: Breathless was both a loving appropriation of narrative film and its
desecration in the name of youth and improvised revolt, so that all the conventional rules of
editing, lighting, screen-writing and direction were trashed, all the time-honored conventions
ignored” (Galenson and Kotin). Godard’s unconventional filmmaking led to an increase in art
films that defied traditional rules by experimenting with new techniques.
To this day, Godard is labeled as an auteur, a filmmaker who influenced film so much
that they are ranked as the author. His indifference to traditional film rules and techniques was a
critique of the classical Hollywood structure. He contributed to cinematic history by creating
nonconformist and truly unique films, rebelling against the popular Hollywood style.
New Hollywood refers to the period from the 1960s to the early 1980s when a new
generation of young filmmakers produced a new style of films and changed how the studios
approached filmmaking.
George Lucas is currently one of America’s most financially successful directors, most
popular for creating Star Wars (1977). With the rise of cable and satellite broadcasting, the
American film industry was able to market their films internationally and gain a large-scale
audience. Hollywood filmmakers and celebrities, such as Lucas, became recognized globally as
cultural icons and idols. “George Lucas's Star Wars spectacularly confirmed that a single film
could earn its studio hundreds of millions of dollars in profits, and convert a poor year into a
triumph. The place of movies within the Hollywood production system changed; increasingly the
focus was on high-cost, potentially highly lucrative special attractions” (Gomery). In the end of
the New Hollywood period, “blockbusters” came to rise as a way to generate more profit. Genre
became a popular way to market films to the audience and as a way to predict the profit
(Gomery). “Star Wars correctly anticipated a return to classic principles. Indeed the very basis of
the success of 'New' Hollywood was the regular production of genre films; those that could be
most easily packaged, and sold on a mass scale to audiences around the world”
(Gomery).However blockbusters were also treated as respectable, art films. “Ironically, in this
age of Hollywood hegemony, its films were increasingly treated as art. The influential New York
Times reviewed movies with a seriousness once reserved for dance and theatre, and specialist
magazines heralded a new age of American cinema.” (Gomery)
In addition to influencing the business, Lucas also significantly contributed to the art and
technological aspects of film. 20th Century Fox lacked the facilities to bring Lucas’ vision to life,
so he founded Industrial Light & Magic, which also produced effects for movies outside of the
Star Wars franchise. ILM allowed for more potential in special effects that other studios would
follow. Beginning in 1979 as “the Graphics Group,” a small subdivision of Lucasfilm (Lucas’
entertainment company), it eventually evolved into Pixar. In 1995, Toy Story was produced as
the first full-length computer animated movie by Pixar. With the launch of Star Wars, Lucas
prompted theatres to upgrade their projection and sound systems. The company THX was
founded by Lucas to provide a standard quality between theatres, to ensure that films were
screened on the same system in each cinema. As for artistic contributions, Lucas allowed science
fiction to become an acceptable and respectable genre in Hollywood. The success of Star Wars
triggered the relaunch of the Star Trek franchise, and allowed studios to greenlight many other
sci-fi projects, such as Alien (1979 )to be produced (Lambie).
By creating one of the most popular movie franchises in history, George Lucas changed
the course of cinema, film presentation and the studio industry. In addition to the impact of the
Star Wars movies themselves, Lucas has brought contributions to video technology, special
effects, the sci-fi genre, and modern culture in general.
In over a century, film has evolved immensely from the Lumiere Brothers’ short films
documenting reality to George Lucas’ revolutionary depiction a fictional universe. Film
technology constantly improves to astound audiences, and art evolves to challenge viewers. Film
has proved to be able to express ideas, evoke emotion and captivate audiences. Even though the
Lumiere Brothers, D.W. Griffith, Fritz Lang Jean-Luc Godard, and George Lucas produced
different genres and styles of film, they each contributed to the evolutionary course of cinema as
innovators of film. As technology progresses and art evolves with time, film illustrates the main
aspects of New Media, incorporating both art and technology, to communicate ideas, advance
society and shape culture.
Works Cited
Finlay Kerr, John. "The Cultural Architect of Metropolis." Atom (2008): 105-10. Web.
The article focuses on modernism and how Metropolis displays modernist aspects in its
setting and visual imagery. It also explains that Fritz Lang influenced American
filmmakers with his eccentric and unique style. The author notes the themes of
modernism in the film, Lang’s contribution to the film industry, and the depiction of art
architecture in the set.
Galenson, David W., and Joshua Kotin. "From the New Wave to the New Hollywood."
Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History 43.1 (2010):
29-44. Web.
This article provides detailed explanations of the styles of many directors, such as Woody
Allen, Stanley Kubrick, Jean-Luc Godard, Clint Eastwood, and George Lucas. He
compares and contrasts different styles, specifically from the periods: The French New
Wave and The New Hollywood. He also provides information on how directors were
influenced by each other and how their films relate. The author illustrates similarities and
differences between famous filmmakers.
Gomery, Douglas. "The New Hollywood." The Oxford History of World Cinema. Oxford:
Oxford UP, 1996. Print.
Gomery gives a detailed overview on the period of the New Hollywood. He explains the
changes that occurred and how filmmakers influenced this shift. The article provides
explanations of the origins of blockbusters and how films were marketed differently to a
global audience. It also provides information on the main directors who contributed to the
New Hollywood, such as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.
Gunning, Tom. "The Cinema of Attractions: Early Film, Its Spectator and the Avant-Garde."
Early Cinema (1990): 56-62.
This article explains how early cinema was focused on technology and the film medium.
It describes the origins of film and how it was a pure exhibitionist cinema, without a
central plot or a narrative. Gunning explains how audiences were drawn to the cinema
because of the new technology and machinery, rather than the films’ content.
Gunning, Tom. "Weaving a Narrative: Style and Economic Backgrounds in Griffith's Biograph
Films." Early Cinema (1990): 336-47.
This article explains how narrative film began after the period of The Cinema of
Attractions. The main example provided is D.W. Griffith’s innovations that allowed
cinema to become an art form. Gunning explains the techniques Griffith used to tell a
visual story effectively, especially parallel editing.
Lambie, Ryan. "What Did George Lucas Ever Do for Us?" Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing, 1
Nov. 2012. Web. <http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/23265/what-did-george-lucasever-do-for-us>.
This website offers information on the numerous contributions that George Lucas
provided, especially after the success of Star Wars. It lists the innovations that followed,
such as THX, Pixar, Photoshop, and special effects.
"Let's Go to the Movies - Technology and Development." Let's Go to the Movies: The
Mechanics of Moving Images. Museum of American Heritage, 17 Sept. 2001. Web.
<http://www.moah.org/exhibits/archives/movies/technology_development.html>.
This website describes the changes and innovations of film technology since the
beginning of cinema. In chronological order, it provides a list of information on different
technological advancements, such as cameras, projects sound, and colour.
Loiperdiner, Martin. "Lumière's Arrival of the Train: Cinema's Founding Myth." The Moving
Image 4.1 (2004): 89-118. Web.
This article provides a detailed summary of the first screening of the first moving image,
Arrival of a Trail. It retells the anecdote of a panicking audience who was unable to
distinguish the difference between reality and moving image. The article claims that this
alleged panic has not been supported with evidence; however, it is retold to testify the
power of cinema. The author claims that this story is constantly reiterated to prove the
effect film can have on its audience.
Neupert, Richard John. A History of the French New Wave Cinema. N.p.: University of
Wisconsin, 2007. N. pag. Print.
The author looks at the most well-known movies of the French New Wave and provides
insight into why they became popular. He also describes the unconventional and
experimental techniques New Wave filmmakers used which distinctly differentiated them
from Hollywood filmmakers.