Sophie Hosbein Hosbein 1
Digital Production 1
Ms. Hoffman
September 22, 2015
D.W Griffith and Billy Blitzer Essay
D.W Griffith and Billy Blitzer were an incredible pair and made many lasting contributions to the world of cinema. Before meeting each other, Griffith had been an actor and playwright and Blitzer was trained as a silversmith, but worked as an electrician in New York City. They first worked together in 1908 at the Biography Company, but later moved to the Mutual Film Corporation. They were partners for 16 years and were very successful. The movies they made together include Birth of a Nation, Intolerance, Way Down East, The Adventures of Dolly and Judith of Bethulia. Birth of a nation and Intolerance were there most popular and acclaimed films. Birth of a Nation is focused on the civil war and reconstruction period. It was first released in February, 1915 in Los Angeles, but was retitled and premiered in New York three months later. The film was a huge success among
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The two of them made innovations in lighting and camera techniques. They were the first to mobilize the camera and invented the tracking shot, where the camera follows the subject or actor moving. This shot was used heavily in The Birth of a Nation and Intolerance.
Blitzer also changed the use of lighting and was the first cinematographer to use entirely artificial light in a film. This allowed films to not rely on natural light and weather. In addition, he employed lighting effects such as firelight, candlelight and sunshine to achieve the look and mood he wanted in a certain scene. All of these elements contributed to the movies that Griffith and Blitzer made together. They have a lasting legacy as being one of the greatest director-cinematographer teams and introducing numerous significant filming and lighting