Early History of Amateur Motion-Picture Film

A review is given of the status of motion-picture films for amateur use prior to 1923. Up to that date, lack of standardization of film size, the use of the negative-positive method, and cost of apparatus and printing held back extensive use of film for amateur motion pictures. Research in the manufacture of safety acetate film support was started by Eastman Kodak Co. in 1906–1907, and limited quantities of film were manufactured and sold between 1912 and 1923. Film on safety acetate base, a fundamental requirement for home movies, was introduced in 1912 for a portable projector made by Thomas A. Edison, Inc., and also for equipment made by Pathé Frères, a French firm. A safety film 9.5mm wide, introduced by Pathé Cinéma in 1923, was developed either to a negative, or directly to a positive by the conventional reversal method. — Research on film for amateur motion pictures was started in 1914 by Eastman Kodak Co. and led to the introduction of the Ciné-Kodak process on January 8, 1923. A safety film 16mm wide was used which was developed directly to a positive by an improved reversal process using controlled second exposure. The factors are analyzed that made this process successful and encouraged the standardization of 16mm film throughout the world. Included is a short account of the processing of 16mm films, of improvements in 16mm film emulsions, the printing of duplicates, the use of sound on 16mm film, the history of 8mm reversal film, and the introduction of amateur motion pictures in color.

Print ISSN

0898-0438

Published

1955-03

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/J14538