Among the main characteristics of cinema is the possibility of being considered an art, a consumer product and a means of communication. It also stands out for its division into different genres, its technology and its diffusion capacity.
But above all these elements, the main characteristic that defines cinema is that it reproduces reality through moving images.
Cinema, a short way of calling cinematography, was invented in France by the Lumière brothers, although attempts had already been made to record and reproduce reality with other devices.
Its artistic aspect is so important that it has been baptized as the seventh art, which does not mean that it is not also used as propaganda.
The 5 main characteristics of cinema
one-
Although cinema is now associated with fiction, the truth is that what led the pioneers to invent cinematographic devices was the possibility of transferring life to the screen.
Unlike in photography or sculpture, in cinema you could see moving images, as if passing in front of the viewer.
In fact, the earliest recorded tapes depicted everyday scenes. The first of all was called The Exit of the Workers from a Factory.
This new technology was so astounding that when Train Departure was screened, people in the room were scared thinking it was going to run them over.
2- Art
The evolution of cinematic narrative led to it becoming the most popular medium for art.
The room for maneuver offered by this visual language means that any story can be told: from the most poetic to the most warlike.
3-
Connected with the previous one, one of the characteristics of the so-called seventh art is that the creations can belong to any genre that the author wants.
Depending on the story, the way it is told or how you treat the images, there are many different types. Some of these are drama, action, comedy, w estern, and musical.
4-
In addition to being an art and a way of reproducing reality, the cinema is also a great means of communication and information.
Whether directly (as in documentary films) or indirectly (such as hidden advertising in films), it has become the best way to create and disseminate points of view.
The use of certain films during World War II as military propaganda is well known.
Today it is still used for that, although the viewer is often not aware of it.
5- Use of technology
Already the invention of the cinematograph itself required a great technological advance with respect to the attempts that had been made before.
From that, the cinema has used and created different technical advances until it reached what it is today.
The first major milestone was the appearance of talkies which, despite those who believed that it was not going to succeed, became a great success. Then came the color, getting closer and closer to reality.
Likewise, different types of film, formats and sound emission have been used. The last great advance has been 3D cinema, although it is not yet known whether it will stay or be just a fad.
As for the future, more and more works are being carried out only for the Internet. Likewise, there are already specialists working to make films with holograms.
References
- Meanings.com. Meaning of Cinema. Retrieved from meanings.com
- Soto Alvarez, Adelaine. Cinema as a means of communication. Obtained from creativityinternacional.com
- AMC. Film Genres. Retrieved from filmsite.org
- The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. Lumière brothers. Retrieved from britannica.com
- Science Media Museum. A very short history of Cinema. Retrieved from blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk