Kinetoscope

The Kinetoscope (Greek kinesis, movement ', skopein, see ') is the first film viewer and was William Kennedy Laurie Dickson of 1891-92, chief engineer at Edison developed.

Operation

In this peepshow was longitudinally split 2 ¾ -inch celluloid film, ie 1 ⅜ inch wide film, in one to one chain ( = 66 feet which is about 20.12 m corresponds ) long loop exactly one observer demonstrated that this through an eyepiece (sight column had to look ). The film strip was set in motion by an electric motor. To record the films, also developed by the Dickson Kinetograph was used. During the Kinetograph has a ratchet mechanism, the film rolls in the Kinetoscope continuously. A slotted rotary shutter releases the light from a light bulb under the film each for a very short duration. We looked at a translucent, not transparent clear film positive in front of the light source. In a specially built for the project " studio", the Black Maria, was shot in Sonnenauflicht before roofing felt. According to the actors of Edison's films stand out from a black background. A peculiar plastic distinguishes this from other images.

History

The Edison'sche Kinetoscope was first used during the World exhibition of 1893 ( World's Columbian Exposition ) in Chicago on April 14, 1894 in New York City and presented to the public in 1895 in Europe. Edison 's Kinetoscope be equipped also with a phonograph, the appropriate sounds happening to the motion pictures such as vocals. The composite device in this way was called Kinetograph (sometimes as a term for the recording apparatus of the images of Kinetoskopen used).

1895 founded the Cologne Chocolate producer Ludwig Stollwerck together with his business associate Thomas Alva Edison, the " German Austrian Edison Kinetoskope Compagnie " and presented shortly afterwards in Germany, the first short films in the world.