The Lumière brothers, Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas and Louis Jean, were among the earliest filmmakers. Their father, Claude-Antoine Lumière, ran a photographic firm and both brothers worked for him. It was not until their father retired in 1892 that the brothers began to create moving pictures. They patented a number of significant processes leading up to their film camera — most notably film perforations as a means of advancing the film through the camera and projector, and the cinématographe. Their first public screening of films at which admission was charged was held on December 28, 1895 in Paris. This history-making presentation featured ten short films, including their first film, Sortie des Usines Lumière à Lyon (Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory). Each film is 17 meters long, which, when hand cranked through a projector, runs approximately 50 seconds. [more inside]
posted by netbros on Oct 6, 2009 - 11 comments

Ghost in a bottle, anyone? Might want to read this first (RLS PDF). Previously on MeFi.
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] on May 29, 2008 - 26 comments

Happy Thanksgiving to all. (YT. Click on bottom corner for full screen)
posted by growabrain on Nov 22, 2007 - 17 comments

On September 7, Brett Darrow drew national attention when he recorded video of an abusive police officer threatening to lock him up on "made-up" charges. The police officer was subsequently fired.

Now, the local police are staking out his home. [more inside]
posted by LordSludge on Sep 27, 2007 - 144 comments

Another fucking elephant post. This one however is followed up by a link to inhumanly good animation done by another French dude at the same company.
posted by 6am on Oct 8, 2006 - 22 comments

Sure, Louis Farrakhan talks about UFOs. And, yes, some people think he had a hand in the death of Malcolm X. And maybe a case can be made that he isn't the most tolerant of men. Be that as it may, he was a suburb calypso singer.
posted by Astro Zombie on Sep 7, 2006 - 22 comments

The strange cat-world of Louis Wain. Wain's cat drawings, once cute, took an interesting turn later in life.
posted by Item on Sep 3, 2003 - 29 comments