Film editing has evolved significantly from the 1800s to present day. Early films in the late 1800s consisted of single, unedited shots resembling a live concert recording. Around 1903, editors began doing basic cuts between shots using splicing machines. D.W. Griffith pioneered the use of close-ups and varied shot types in 1915, changing film techniques. By the 1950s, films were in full color and used advanced editing methods like flashbacks and parallel editing to enhance storytelling.