Movies

The cinema is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form, or as part of the entertainment industry. Because film historically has been the primary medium for displaying moving images, academics often refer to this field as the study of film. A single cinema presentation is called a film, movie, or motion picture.

History of cinema

The earliest use of moving pictures was an outgrowth of magic lanterns and similar optical devices, which could be used to display a sequence of still images in such a way that the eye would perceive the images as being in motion. Naturally, the images used in these devices had to be carefully prepared and selected to achieve the desired effect. By using pictures that were largely similar, but with slight differences, the presenter could communicate the effect of motion to the viewer. The underlying principle remains the basis for animation as a cinematic genre.

With the development of photography, and particularly of celluloid film, it became possible to record moving pictures as well. The use of film also made it more feasible to use a projection system to display images for audiences, when other techniques sometimes required the individual to look into the device to see the pictures.

The cinema was initially purely a visual art, and the moving pictures came to be known colloquially as movies. However, when showing motion pictures to audiences, theater owners typically hired musicians to accompany the presentation. The musician, usually a pianist or organist if the theater had an instrument available, was supposed to play music that would fit the mood of the film at any given moment.

Later technological improvements allowed filmmakers to create soundtracks synchronized with the action on the screen. The soundtrack can be recorded separately from shooting the film, but for live-action pictures many parts of the soundtrack are usually recorded simultaneously. Sound films were initially known as "talking pictures", or talkies.

The motion picture industry

The popularity of the cinema has made motion pictures the largest industry in entertainment. Much of the industry is centered around Hollywood, California, although other regional centers exist.

With modern technology, digital recording techniques have been applied to both the video and audio aspects of motion pictures. This has produced a gradual movement away from the medium of film.

See also: digital cinema, list of movie-related topics

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