The Lumiere Brothers: Pioneers of Film

It is a well-known fact that our society thrives on the stimulation of that which is fictional or fantasy, and of that which takes us away from the everyday into the unknown and adventurous. For centuries man has used the power of stories to instill morals, inspire creativity and even tamper with the confines of the mind. However, as the centuries pass, these stories have been transformed from mere oral tales to books, poetry, song and, commonly found to be the most profound, film. It was, indeed, film that truly brought together the depth of dialogue and the intense impact of imagery, merging them into an array of meaning, emotion and valued perception.

Advancement in creativity is often times a result of a break of tradition, or by performing that which others believe to be impossible. By tearing down the walls of confinement that, often times, create a barrier between what we know is possible, and what we dream to be possible, society's finest minds have time and again produced some of the most critical inventions. Amongst the great inventors of their time, were the Lumiere brothers, who dared to challenge limits. These two critical figures in American popular culture paved the way for birth of film and by extension, the birth of a new way of life.

Antoine Lumiere, the father of Auguste and Louis Lumiere, was the source of the brothers' cinematic endeavors. Having witnessed a demonstration of Edison's Kinetoscope in Paris, the father carefully described to his sons what he had seen, encouraging them to create a similar device, with one modification; making it better. The Lumiere brothers immediately began the construction of their own camera and within a matter of mere months, they had established their patented device for "obtaining and viewing chronophotographic prints." March 19, 1895, the day the Lumieres first officially filmed, was the day that cinema was born; a day that is forever marked in history.

The brothers were able to view their invention, not only as a major advancement in the realm of photography, but also as a major investment. Almost as soon as they had created the device, they opened a theater to exhibit their films. Captivated audiences of every age lined the streets, awaiting their opportunity to see the much talked about, wonder of film. Soon after, the Lumiere brothers began to train cameramen and send them around the world, filming in regions of Mexico, Russia, Australia, Japan and virtually everywhere in between.

Though, in comparison to the computer graphically enhanced cinematography of today, the Lumiere brother's short films may seem lesser in depth; they however, are not. The brothers were not merely recording the everyday happenings on common streets; they were simultaneously determining perception as they angled the camera, reinforcing their illusion of depth. Louis Lumiere had ample experience in the field of photography, bringing together a sense of composition to a view that may otherwise simply appear as a bland or commonplace. With this, the brothers created the basis of modern film.

Upon analysis and great appreciation, the sharp, detailed prints of the Lumiere Brothers' films emphasize a level of artistry that moves far beyond and above mere technical footage. Though the simplicity of the recordings may be deceiving, the importance of this invention and its success is the very foundation of the movie industry itself. What today encompasses and enthralls the world as a multi-billion dollar business, originated from the minds of two young brothers, who dared to dream beyond what they thought achievable, into a world of infinite possibilities.