The document outlines the historical evolution of film from the early 19th century to projected advancements in the 21st century, highlighting key inventions such as the first still photograph, motion picture cameras, and pivotal films that shaped the industry. It details the transition from silent to sound films, the advent of digital technology, and future innovations like augmented reality and AI-driven productions. The timeline also emphasizes the impact of technological advancements on film production, delivery, and audience interaction.

1. 1800’s 1820’s 1840’s 1860’s 1880’s 1900’s 1920’s 1940’s 1960’s 1980’s 2000’s 2010’s
1826
First still photograph taken,
using a glass plate technique
Joseph Nicéphore Niepce’s
photograph the View from
a Window at Le Gras took
nearly eight hours to expose.
1840
William Henry Fox Talbot
invents the negative.
1888–1889
First inventions of the
camera by Louis Le Prince’s.
For some people it was
William Friese-Greene’s.
1891
Thomas Edison’s research
laboratory invents the Kineto-
graph, the first motion picture
camera, and the Kinetoscope,
a peephole viewer.
1893
Edison and his staff begin
making movies in the Black
Maria, the first movie studio.
1895
Auguste and Louis Lumiėre
invent the Cinématographe, a
portable, hand-cranked device
that is a camera, processing
plant, and projector all in one.
The Arrival of a Train at La
Ciotat, an early projec-ted film
showing a train coming toward
the camera, is so life–like to
audiences that, according to
contemporary accounts, many
people are frigh-tened by it.
1896
Georges Mélies begins making
simple narrative films, often
quite fantastic (e.g., A Trip to
the Moon [Le Voyage dans la
lune], 1902), this establishing,
with the Lumiėre brothers, the
two basic types of filmmaking
(the realistic and the fantastic)
that have dominated
production ever since.
1925
Before and after Flaherty, a totally
different type of documentary
film–nonfiction film is a more correct
term–is being developed in Soviet
Russia, resulting in such important,
influential works as Sergei Eisen-
stein’s Battleship Potemkin, 1925,
Dziga Vertov’s The Man with the
Movie Camera, 1929.
1926–1927
The American film industry begins its
conversion from silent to sound mov-
ies and from black-and-white to color.
With this conversion also begins the
standardization and solidification of
the Hollywood studio system, which
reaches its high point, often known
as the “golden age,” in the 1930’s.
1927
The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson
is the first feature film with recorded
dialogue, using the Vitaphone system.
The Jazz Singer is also the first
musical film.
1929
On with the Show is the first
feature film in colour and with
sound.
1932
The Venice Film Festival
runs from 6–21 August, the
first film festival.
1939
Wizard of Oz, first Color Film
the using Technicolour.
1940
The Thief of Bagdad, the first
film to use a Blue-Screen effect.
1940
Walt Disney’s Fantasia is the
first film with surround sound,
using Disney’s Fantasound
system.
1946
First Film Festival
in Cannes.
1960
Breathless Jean-Luc Godard,
Perhaps the most famous
French New Wave film using
Lightweight/portable
filmming equipment.
1969
Digital single-lens reflex
cameras (DSLR), the move
from film and celluloid to
digital cameras. The ability to
record onto memory cards
and internal storage.
1970
Tiger Child, the first IMAX
film, was demonstrated at
Expo in Osaka, Japan.
1973
Computer–Generated
Imagery (CGI), the first use of
computer–generated imagery
in the film called Westworld.
1975
Steven Sasson invents the
digital camera.
1988
Tin Toy – First computer–
animated short film to win
an Oscar.
1990’s
The Internet.
1995
DVD technology was released.
1995
Toy Story revolutionise ani-
mated films industry, earning
$192 million at the box office.
1997
The introduction of HDCAM
recorders and 1920x1080
pixel digital professional
video cameras based on
CCD technology.
2001
Apple Introduces iTunes,
changing the digital music
and movie industry.
2002
Blue-Ray Disc was
officially announced.
2002
Russian Ark, the first film
in history in a single take,
96-min long shot, using
the steadicam.
2006
Disney buys Pixar for $7.4
billion; Steve Jobs joins
Disney’s board as its top
shareholder.
1982
The Compact Disc was
commercially released.
1986
The first permanent IMAX 3D
theatre was built in Vancouver,
British Columbia for
Transitions at Expo ‘86.
1986
For $10 million, Steve Jobs
buys the Graphics Group
division of Lucasfilm that
becomes Pixar Animation
Studios.
1908
The Assassination of the
Duke of Guise is the first
film to have a score
specifically written for it,
by French composer
Camille Saint-Saėns.
1907
The Dolly, is the placing
of the camera on wheels
that move along tracks,
allowing a smooth move-
ment while people walking
and talking or getting
sweeping opening shots,
especially when combined
with a crane.
1877
Edweard Muybridge
creates the first series
of still photographs of
continuous motion (a run-
ning horse), using a row of
cameras.
1879
Thomas Alva Edison’s
first public exhibition of
an efficient incandescent
light bulb.
1831
The discovery of electro-
magnetic by English scientist
Michael Faraday, a principle
used in generating electricity
and powering motors and
other machines (including
film equipment).
2007
RED One Camera has been released.
This camera enabled filmmakers to shoot
incredibly high quality digital films.
2007
Introduces the iPhone: “iPhone is
a magical product, creating the most
revolutionary user interface since the
mouse, allowing users to interact with
movies and music.”
2009
Nicon D90 invention, the first DSLR to film
at 24 frames per second (film standard) in
HD video.
2009
Avatar – First full length movie made
using performance-capture to create
photo-realistic 3D characters and to
feature a fully CG 3D photo-realistic
world, developed by James Cameron.
Production
Delivery & Distribution
Devices & Gadgets
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2013-2014, Marvan Shamma | MA Digital Media Management 03 | http://hifilm.tumblr.com
2010
Social Movies. Allowing online
users to interact with the film
via social media platforms (see
interview with Tim Polder).
2010
Introduces the iPad. Apple sells
500,000 iPads during their first
week on the market. iPad meant
huge shift in the way people
watch movies.
2011
Apple launches its first media
subscription service in the App
Store, allowing users to buy/rent
music and movies online through
iTunes.
2011
HMZ–T1 Sony personal HD & 3D
viewer invented.

2. 2000’s 2005’s 2010’s 2015’s 2020’s 2025’s 2030’s 2035’s 2040’s 2045’s 2050’s
never endingstory...
2040
Cyberhuman.
A direct connection to the nervous system
into the computer by using Nano Technolo-
gies, allowing users to become a real and
active part of the film – through their Cyber
Avatars.
2043
3D Augmented Reality: AI movies
allowing people to walkthrough the
film, interacting with the story and
changing the film conclusions.
2050
First film fully produced
by machines, using AI and
Data Analysis.
2010
Social Movies. Allowing online
users to interact with the film
via social media platforms (see
interview with Tim Polder).
2010
Introduces the iPad. Apple sells
500,000 iPads during their first
week on the market. iPad meant
huge shift in the way people
watch movies.
2011
Apple launches its first media
subscription service in the App
Store, allowing users to buy/rent
music and movies online through
iTunes.
2011
HMZ–T1 Sony personal HD & 3D
viewer invented.
2013
Social Crowdfunding.
The new way how to engage
fans to co-create your film.
Through Social Crowdfunding
they choose how to fund your
film, so they feel closer to the
idea and make sure they talk
about it through their networks.
2030
Hologram TV / Home Theatre.
Hologram experience will
move from cinema into the
home theater, allowing users to
“walkthrough” the scenes and
watch the film in DH details,
from different angles.
2016
Film Scripting determined by
Social Media Sentiment. By
using Big Data and the imme-
diate interaction with online
users, film scriptwriters will
have a unique opportunity to
predict what people want to
see in the near future.
2018
3D TV and the 2nd Device,
changing the way people
watch and interact with
movies. Simply use your
second device to change
the story of the film you are
watching. This is the revolu-
tion of the nonlinear film
industry.
2019
Super Thin Mobile Devices,
enabling users to watch
movies in 3D Full HD.
2015
Big Comeback of 3D as 3D HD.
This technology is hugly underestimated.
It will get back to the cinemas and home
TV without the need for glasses. All in
great HD quality.
2015
VFX Supply–chain moves to Asia.
Big production companies keep on
cuting costs. They will shift their
post-production pipeline to China
or India in order to save money.
2020
Digital Currency for digital
on–demand payments.
2020
The end of traditional physical
storage. All films are accessible
on the “Cloud”.
2025
Niche Hologram Cinema.
Welcome into the future of real–life
experience. As cities will split more
into hubs, the way we consume
films will shape into more Niche
experience. The visitors of the
cinema will have the opportunity
to become part of the film scenes,
almost able to “touch” the “film
heros”.
2013-2014, Marvan Shamma | MA Digital Media Management 03 | http://hifilm.tumblr.com
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