One has to reckon the fact that film first came to exist in the public domain as a form of art back in the year 1895. Over the years, this form of art has developed a lot and films have come to be one of the most complicated forms of aesthetic expressions. However, if one traces back to the history of cinema and the making of the early films, it can be comprehended that the films made were quite different from the ones that one sees in the present times. A close introspection of these early works of cinema would enable one to have a proper understanding of how films came to blur the line between fiction and non-fiction in its earliest form. Indeed, the films made in the early era were mere representations of reality and the span of the films was also very short. The films hardly lasted a few seconds as they documented some real life action. In stark contrast to the complicated narrative that cinema portrays in the present times, the early films in the history of world cinema hardly had any such narrative portrayals as they focused on documenting an occurrence or some event for a short span of time. Nonetheless, one can very well imagine that it must have been quite a spectacle for the audience who had never seen something on the big screen before. The works of Lumiere brothers can be discussed in detail so as to comprehend the ambiguity between documentary and early films before the actual demarcation came into existence in the domain of cinematic artworks.
The film, Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory (1895), can be cited to be the earliest film in the history of cinema. This film was made by the famous Lumiere brothers, and they just went on to document workers of the factory they owned going out of the main gate of the factory. Indeed, there is no other action in this film other than the workers leaving the place making it extremely simplistic in its narration. In fact, there is no second event or occurrence in this film at all. Now, one can understand that the workers leaving the factory were not directed to act in any way, and the directors of this film rather placed the camera in a position so as to capture the workers leaving, in all probability, much to their ignorance about being shot. As such, there is surely no scope, of acting or scripting the events as per the wish of the filmmakers. (Lumiere n.p.) This, on the other hand, is the true essence of documentary filmmaking in the domain of cinema. Moreover, the event shown in the contextual film was definitely not orchestrated in any way. It was a real occurrence, and the filmmakers simply documented that occurrence in their camera to get the moving image. In those times, moving image was a new thing for the audience, and hence the spectacle associated with the documentation of this occurrence can be envisaged for sure. This film remains to be one of the iconic works of cinema although it spans for just 46 seconds. The directors of this film used the cinématographe to capture and even project as well as develop this artwork.
Again, one can take into consideration the film, Baby’s Dinner (1895), to understand how the early films aimed to document reality in the best possible manner with the newly developed equipment. Here, the audience sees how a baby is seated at a table with the patents. The parents, Auguste and Marguerite Lumiere are clearly seen in the frame, while Auguste is found to feed the baby with this spoon. On the other hand, the mother of the baby goes on to pour coffee into the cup kept on the table. The father is seen giving a biscuit to the baby. The baby goes on to grab this biscuit, but does not eat it. Then, both the parents are seen encouraging the baby to eat this biscuit. Finally, the father is seen resuming to feed his baby with the kept spoon. From the description of the things shown on the screen, it becomes very much clear that the film has not been scripted in any way. In fact, the actions shown on the screen are rather impromptu and real. The things shown are very much commonplace in nature as well. The film does not use any professional actors to portray the actions. Rather, one finds one of the Lumiere brothers recording himself with his family in the short span of time. As such, it can fairly be commented that this film is very much like a documentary as it portrays the main essence of documentary films. (Lumiere n.p.) Louis Lumiere does his very best to document the real occurrence with all its essence in this cinematic work. This film too was portrayed on December 28, 1895 commercially to the audience just like the other one that has been discussed before.
Now, it has to be understood that apart from these two films in context, many other films made by the Lumiere brothers reflect the same kind of portraiture. The filmmakers who can be credited with the birth of cinema went on to document real events in the cinematic device and then show them in public screenings. The films were very short in length and did not have a complicated narrative. Moreover, no professional actors were used for filming. The directors also refrained from scripting the things that would be shot. As such, the performances or the portraitures shown on the screen would be natural actions of the characters or the things shown. It was only with time that the cinematic genre of fiction was developed by various filmmakers. Thus, documentary films came to form a different genre of films altogether, when fictional films came into existence. In the early years of cinema, no distinction was present between fiction and non-fiction films as such. The early films themselves had the characteristics of documentaries. It has to be reckoned that documentary films are essentially non-fictional in nature with no manipulation of portraiture of occurrences on the part of the filmmakers. Such films can document any aspect of life and even work as historical documents over the time. A documentary filmmaker is expected to be observant of something or someone, and portray that in its unadulterated form. Thus, a documentary gives a creative treatment to actuality of occurrences in some aspect of life or existence. A documentary film is factual in nature, yet dramatic so as to be portrayed in the cinematic form of art.
One can understand the fact that the early films that were made by the Lumiere brothers have the mentioned characteristics of the documentary films. The films made in the early era by the filmmakers did not involve fictional depiction. Also, these films went on to portray actuality of occurrences on the screen. Nonetheless, the dramatic element was present in the short timespan for which the films were made. In fact, if one delves into the works of Thomas Alva Edison as well, the same kind of filmmaking and content can be found. Edison’s company went on to make around 1200 films in the early days of cinema. Like the films of the Lumiere brothers, the films made by Edison too are short in length. These films do not have scripted acting in the portraitures, and rather focus on the show of actual occurrences just like documentaries. As such, films like Newark Athlete and Annie Oakley Sharpshooting go on to show reality in its purest form without any scope of fictional content being shown on the screen. Thus, it becomes clear that the very trend of the early era of world cinema was to portray reality sans any imaginative incorporation by the filmmakers. The dramatic element of these films surely added to the charm of the cinematic works.
Films started to develop as the realistic representations of life and existence in the world. This was spectacular at a time when moving image was totally new to the audience of the society. It was only with time that cinema came to incorporate fictional elements, thereby defining the different genres of filmmaking. But, the inception of films in the domain of art and aesthetics was carried out by portrayal of people or objects in some sort of action. The directors never used actors, and neither did they use scripts to determine the actions that would be shown on the screen. The content of film, thus, was totally like that of the modern day documentaries. This stands in stark contrast to the scripted reality or the false sense of reality that is portrayed in the modern day reality television shows that are popularized among the masses. The development in the cinematic medium of art has enabled the filmmakers and creative artists to explore new ways of portraiture on the screen. They now have been empowered with technology and scope of manipulating the narrative, story and the other features shown on the screen to the audience, much unlike what the early filmmakers could do.
Hence, it would be correct to conclude that early films are extremely intriguing in their portraiture and artistry. The films by Lumiere brothers exude their aesthetic sense and artistic quintessence. Indeed, the works by these stalwart filmmakers have come to be immortalized in the history of cinema and have gained accolades from the film critics as well as the audience of the world. The early films can be deemed to be dramatic portraiture of actuality on the screen making them akin to documentaries with their truest characteristics.
Works Cited
Baby’s Dinner. Dir. Louis Lumiere. Perf. Andrée Lumière. Lumiere Brothers, 1896.
Film.
Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory. Dir. Louis Lumiere. Lumiere Brothers, 1895.
Film.
