Geroge Melies (BSA 106)

GEORGE MELIES

Who is he? What did he do? Are you all curious? Let's check it out :)

A. Biography

Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès which is known as George Melies was born in Paris, France on 8th December 1861. His father was a successful factory owner. Melies was an illusionist and film director who had a very big influence in the early cinemas who used several different techniques for his films . He also owned a theatre in Paris for his own magic show and built the first movie studio in Europe. And finally, George left this world because of cancer in 21st January 1938.

B. Techniques

There were a lot of techniques that he used for his films such as substitution splices, multiple exposures, time-lapse photography, and hand painted color as well.
What kind of techniques are they?

Substitution splices: A cinematic effect which focused on appearance and disappearance

Multiple exposures: Combining two or more separate exposures into one

Time-lapse photography: The frequency in each film frames are captured much lower than how it used to be

Hand painted color: Adding color to black and white photograph

George Melies was also the pioneer in stop motion, fade in, fade out, dissolve, reverse motion, and cutting in camera techniques. Combining traditional theatrical elements to motion pictures was his specialization.
First Double Exposure : La Caverne Maudite (1898)
First Split Screen : Un Homme de tete (1898)
First Dissolve : Cendrillon (1899)

C. Films
1. The Haunted Castle (1896)











2. The Man with The Rubber Head (1901)











3. A Trip to The Moon (1902)







D. Influences
Most of the films nowadays especially the one which required special effects are part of George Melies' inventions, both in techniques and styles. 

References are from:

1. Tutor

2. Wikipedia

Pictures from:

1. pinterest.com

2. youtube.com

3. youtube.com

4. player.bfi.org.uk