Cinematography

/ˌsɪn.ə.məˈtɑɡ.rə.fi/ noun

Definition

The art and technique of filming movies, including camera work, lighting, composition, and visual storytelling.

Etymology

From Greek 'kinema' (motion) and 'graphia' (writing/recording). The term was coined in the 1890s to describe this new art form of 'writing with motion' or capturing movement.

Kelly Says

The Lumière brothers' 'L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat' (1896) caused people to run from the theater—they thought a real train was coming—proving that cinematography could fool the human eye into believing a flat image was reality, a discovery that fundamentally changed how humans experience stories.

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