Introduction

This is my second edition of this work which is currently being constructed. My first edition went online in 1999 and can be found at precinemahistory.net.

Once this new edition is completed in early 2024, that domain will no longer function as mine. You will then be able to find this updated content here only.

More on me in ABOUT, but for the moment I am an amateur historian, studying the history of how the movies came to be. I am in my 32nd year of research.

The word ‘cinema’ comes from ‘Kinema’-toscope and is derived from the Greek word kinema-matos meaning the science of pure motion.

I cover the entire period of pre cinema. The way I look at it, because light and shadow are the very essence of cinema, pre cinema began when God said

“let there be light.”

My purpose here is not to induce controversy around the parentage of commercial cinema, or the year it finally came of age. Nor do I want to argue about the difference between projected, painted disks vs. disks with photographs, or celluloid versus sensitized paper strips, or whether a nickle was paid to get in. It is only to provide factual data on the grounds of well documented material.

A key focus of this study is the pinhole image and it’s effect, the Camera Obscura. However, it will not end there as there are so many elements, people, contraptions, devices, apparatuses and topics involved, suffice to say they cannot all be listed here. Use the search function.

_{Illustration called ‘Chambre Noire’ by Alphonse De Neuville in 1867, is taken from a 19th century book by Fulgence Marion entitled ‘The Wonders of Optics’ published in 1869}

Come and be surprised at where, when and how the movies first began. Visit me daily at Twitter. I post non-chronological entries every day from this edition. Follow @RealPreCinema and be amazed.

If you would rather not have your comment seen by others and would like to communicate privately, feel free to email me at hotdoc@precinemahistory.com

You are now invited, to view the chronology of events leading from the pinhole image at the beginning of time, to the silver screen of 1900. Extra butter please!

This, is the genesis of the cinema.

_{– Paul Burns}