The first of its kind, this book traces the evolution of motion picture
technology in its entirety. Beginning with Huygens' magic lantern and
ending in the current electronic era, it explains cinema's scientific
foundations and the development of parallel enabling technologies
alongside the lives of the innovators. Product development issues,
business and marketplace factors, the interaction of aesthetic and
technological demands, and the patent system all play key roles in the
tale.
The topics are covered sequentially, with detailed discussion of the
transition from the magic lantern to Edison's invention of the 35mm
camera, the development of the celluloid cinema, and the transition from
celluloid to digital. Unique and essential reading from a lifetime
innovator in the field of cinema technology, this engaging and
well-illustrated book will appeal to anyone interested in the history
and science of cinema, from movie buffs to academics and members of the
motion picture industry.