This American director invented much of the cinematic language that persists to this day. He was the first person to use continuity editing and intercut scenes.

Often considered the first talkie, the songs were actually intended to be the only accompanying sound. The few lines of dialogue there are were actually improvised by the lead actor.

This device was the first true motion picture camera. It was presented by the Lumiére Brothers in December of 1894.

This practice was one of the main means studios used to control exhibition. Considered monopolistic, it was specifically banned by the Supreme Court in 1948.

This movement was very much born out of post-WWI disillusionment and devastation. These films were visually abstract and narratively complex, exploring themes of dreams and psychology.

This Parisian pioneer of cinema was one of the first people to see the narrative potential of cinema. She most likely made the first fantasy film, "The Cabbage Fairy".

The most successful film by Georges Méliès, this twelve minute fantasy featured elaborate costumes and painted backdrops, and extensive special effects. Some prints were hand painted in color frame by frame.

This system of color film was the first reliable method for filming an entire production in color. Known for its vibrant hues, it is utilized in such films as The Adventures of Robin Hood THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938, dir. Michael Curtiz) and GONE WITH THE WIND (1939, dir. Victor Fleming).

This set of rules governed what content could be shown in Hollywood pictures. It was a(n over)reaction to the rising sex and violence on screen in the early 30s.

This type of movie theater brought cinema to the masses and spread like wildfire across the country. They were immensely successful until they were replaced by movie palaces.

This director founded the Lincoln Motion Picture Company, the first production company owned by black filmmakers. He is considered the first major African-American filmmaker.

This 1967 crime romance spoke deeply to the 60s counterculture. It was considered so violent and (to many) distasteful that it almost single-handedly led to the creation of the MPAA ratings system.

This type of photography was invented by Edward Muybridge to photograph horses. It was presented like something of a flip book.

Stanley Kramer was one of the pioneers of this movement. He had a string of hits that proved its viability, including HIGH NOON (1952, dir. Fred Zinneman)

NANOOK OF THE NORTH (1922, dir. Robert Flaherty) is a major pioneer in this genre.

Originally called “the Biograph Girl” by the studio so they could pay her less, this actress went on to become one of the first movie stars. She was one of the founders of United Artists as well as her own studio and produced a number of her own projects.

This 1916 epic was made as a response to criticisms of Birth of a Nation. Running over three hours, the film features four intercut narratives set in different eras and each with its own color tint. Though not commercially or critically successful upon release, it was still extremely influential.

George Eastman created the process for using this new material to make still photography. Once applied to motion pictures, the company he founded became the world's leading supplier.

MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969, dir. John Schlesinger) has the distinction of being the only Academy Award best picture winner with this attribute.

Thomas Edison joined with Biograph to create this organization in an attempt to control the rapidly growing film industry.

This French/British actress was the biggest stage star of the late 19th century before she debuted in pictures. She is often called the first female Hamlet and starred in THE LOVES OF QUEEN ELIZABETH (1912, dir. Louis Mercanton and Henri Desfontaines) She is the first example of a big name star drawing audiences to the cinema.

This 1913 Italian epic is considered one of the major inspirations for American filmmakers of the time. One of the most lavish and financially successful films of the period, it famously featured over 5,000 extras, a real chariot race, and a lengthy runtime of two hours, and is considered the most successful of the Italian superspectacles.

This internal gear system, invented by Oscar Messter, solved the problem of moving film through a camera with continuous but intermittent motion. The device was necessary to the creation of motion pictures.

This organization funded studies that erroneously showed the negative impact of films on children. Along with the Catholic Church, it was one of the main pressures on Hollywood that led to the creation of the rules mentioned above.

With films like “Grandma’s Reading Glass” (1900) and “The Sick Kitten” (1901), George Albert Smith was a pioneer of this technique.