Early Cinema: Primitives and Pioneers

The earliest moving pictures presented, some of 'normal' life and some from fiction. For all of these, the pleasure of simply seeing a bygone age at work and play is present.Let's take the companies viewed one-by-one.
Lumiere (1895-1900): Where it all begun, interesting in so far as the use of things (i.e. the train) coming towards the camera. Also showed how prosaic framing is; really just get it in shot.
Melies (1904): The remaining extract of 'Voyage a travers l'impossible'. At first look it is simply stunning, the hand colouring and the mix of action and miniature theatre still delights. Animation can still really learn much from this. The use of dissolves, the scene to scene transitions, also proves of inyterest. One can just about understand why he fell from popularity; a little twee maybe, and the cardboard theatre is in many ways a Victorian kids toy. Still a jolt, though.
Acres (1895); Take your camera outside.
R.W. Paul (1898-1906): The narrative cinema. One scene to another progress is really an intuitive rather than a genius move. 'Extraordinary Cab Accident' still shocks and is a mightily, mightily impressive use of film.
G.A. Smith (1898-1903): Again innovative in scene transition. Also invented point of view camera, and crucially the practise of cutting within a scene (i.e. wide, close-up, wide...). Was this move a nagative? In a way, but it could have been much worse. If camera hadn't been forced to be still in the beginning, we'd have had joggle-shots to contend with forever.
Sheffield Photographic Company (1903): Starting to get into narrative movement between scenes.
Haggar and Sons (1903): And again
Banforth and Company Limited (1899-1900): Seeing how even in these early days they would rework others inventiveness. Interesting also the constant uses of violence/ collapsing throughout.
Williamson's Kinematographic Company (1900-1905): Longer narratives. Also notice the predominance, after the chases, of moral tales and of comedy. Perhaps easier in silence.
Hepworth Manufacturing Company (1900-1907) : Really mucking about with montage and cuts here. Starting to understand the basics of continuity editing.
Cricks and Martin (1906): An actual documentary, with cue cards! Also note the artificial lights.
Kineto Production Company (1910): Seen before in the great 'King Coal', very good.
Pathe Freres (1901-1908): Almost recognisable movies. The hand colouring is wonderful, the narratives, while a little boring, are noticeable for their more complex structure. Also notice how these early movies show the full body, small figures. And they could have gone close. Perhaps a reluctance to cut? A lack of zoom meant closeness which would have inhibited movement? Vareity of reasons, a fascinating topic.
Edison Manufacturing Company (1898-1906). The first advery, also the famous 'The Great Train Robbery'. Important for its narrative constructs and continuity editing, maybe the first proper film.
These were fascinating, and a few (earlier, really) were a real joy to watch. We are most curious about the great and powerful 'Birth Of A Nation' by Griffiths, and look forward to that.