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The study of film is the study of communication
1850-1950: The US experienced tremendous growth in all
areas of communication. HOWEVER…since 1950, we
have matched that amount of technological advance in
less than half as many years, AND in the 20 year period
from 1990-2010, another doubling of technological
change took place.
Major Milestones of Communication
1. Speech
2. Written Language: people first recorded by carving
symbols
a. Cuneiform: 6000 BC
i. Cuneiform is
_______________________________________
b. Hieroglyphics: 4000 BC
With this, communication becomes semi-permanent
because________________________________________
3. 2500 years pass and humans develop a precise
method of writing an alphabet, but church leaders
and government officials are the only ones who could
read and write.
a. The alphabet allows people to:
i. Write down laws
ii. Keep records
iii. Preserve history
b.Over the next 3000 years, the production of paper
and ink makes writing a much more portable and
durable medium of communication.
4. Communication technology made little further
progress until the 15th century. Around 1450,
Johannes Gutenberg perfected the printing press.
________________________ was the first printed book.
Within 50 years, a total of 20 million copies of 35,000
different books had been printed.
THE AGE OF MASS MEDIA HAD BEGUN.
The masses began to learn how to read and think for
themselves. By 1800, magazines, journals, newspapers,
and books were available.
THE INFORMATION EXPLOSION HAD BEGUN.
5. In the 1830’s, William Talbot (an Englishman)
developed the basic process for photography. Even
though the visual quality or _____________________
of early photos was not great, the
GRAPHIC REVOLUTION HAD BEGUN.
You could now capture a lasting visual record of any
event.
6. In mid-1844, Samuel Morse perfected the telegraph.
By harnessing electricity, human communication
could now travel close to the speed of light (186,000
miles per second!).
7. In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell invented the
telephone. This gave humans the ability to
REPRODUCE SOUND.
AND
In 1877 Thomas Edison invented the phonograph
which recorded low fidelity (only one tone) sound
AND allowed its playback for the first time in human
history.
8. In 1893, Edison exhibited the first “kinetoscope,”
thus giving humans the ability to capture the
movement of real life through a communication
medium.
In 1896, August and Louis Lumiere invented the first
motion picture camera.