George Melies: The Father of Special Effects

George Melies was an early 1900s filmmaker and the inventor of motion picture trick photography. This is a short documentary a friend and I did on his accomplishments as well as a how-to video on basic in-camera visual effects.

[@aaa1e2r3]

Imagine what Melies' mind could have imagined with today's technology

[@LesGrandsEsprits]

Athavan Rajasingham Maybe less

[@punkrock1989]

Les Grands Esprits yeah maybe less cuz all that was simple back then

[@dudedudechick]

That was great. I hereby bestow upon y'all an honorary degree of doctorate of awesomeness from the university of

[@StoneBoneAndFire]

So Edison was one of the first film pirates, not the only thing he stole either.

[@bigboi5545]

Edisons a dick

[@momjosh12CARTOONS]

kaiju kun64 hes not

[@decayence]

ask nikola tesla about that

[@MontagZoso]

I GOT KILLED BY MODERN SPONGEBOB yes he is

[@bourbonbigshot]

Nice tribute, a pantomime like Georges Melies' work. The man was a magician who proved that film could be magic. Good work and a humorous documentary.

[@tfiddler]

Great job. I just bought the Boxed Set from Flicker Alley of Melies stuff and was trying to explain to a friend who he was. This was a terrific intro to Melies for new film buffs.

[@LivEandInspirE4EveR]

Hey, this really helped me understand Melies' significance in introducing special effects. Thanks again!

[@amandahahl5482]

I recorded me playing saxophone today can you watch it and reply to me please like now 🖐

[@ZombieJohn]

Informative AND highly original and entertaining! Thanks for making this...you guys rock!

[@DYnazty]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! We shot the whole thing mini DV and added some film filters for the instructional part. We did it for a class at ECU called History of the Moving Image.

[@nyrangers731]

I stumbled upon this on accident, i dont even remember what I came on here for (i know it was nothing related to this), but I wound up watching it. Great job! Pretty funny too.

[@amandahahl5482]

I recorded me playing saxophone today can you watch it and reply to me please like now 🎵

[@ceolwulf]

I first read a book about Melies when I was 15 at school back in the 70`s and was so impressed that i got my own super 8 camera. My first film involved making things appear and disappear. Nice tribute to the big man DYnazty

[@Vanasse1]

Georges is my relative.... i think he was an uncle or something... anyway, you did a GREAT job with this video.... it's so nice to see Georges appreciated by today's young film enthusiasts...... he was amazing!!

[@caramelpro6949]

Really?

[@Vanasse1]

Caramel Pro Yes. He was my great, great uncle!

[@caramelpro6949]

Ok

[@djdensonanimation7053]

watched this in class a few weeks ago. Hilarious, im watching again

[@pjvlogs6484]

I don't like to be the complainy guy... But the workers that are leaving the factory around 2:03 isn't from Melies. It's from the Lumière brothers in 1895. It was Louis Lumière's first project with film. But it is a nice documentary though. I love George Melies!

[@DesmondCreighton]

Glad I wasn't the only one who noticed.

[@DaveLucas427]

He did NOT die unappreciated. His work was rediscovered and was recognized by the French film academy and awarded a Legion of Honor distinction. The movie "Hugo" brings this up.

[@MontagZoso]

We owe George so much...and this was a funny and very informative doc, well done!!

[@santiparra]

Beautifully made and with very good information. Thanks. Meliès would be proud.

[@mirandamirae]

Excellent documentary! BRAVO!

[@MrVideovibes]

"Billy" was the funniest thing I've seen in a while.

[@leeparten8124]

Great presentation. Great job all around!

[@SpectrumpicturesLK]

thanks for this great explanation about him

[@ms.j4351]

Super cool!!! I love this presentation!

[@mgbp7]

Excellent job! Informative, funny, and well put together. Impressive.

[@mikadocious]

Ok but my professor actually assigned us to watch this as classwork. haha great stuff.

[@glitterSkin0]

That was really great! Im a photography student and my current project im basing on melies style. This was really helpful, thanks!

[@mawoh]

Neat, little documentary.

[@NorthKoreaUncovered]

@xaxie1 acually he didnt die totally forgotten After being driven out of business Méliès became a toy salesman at the Montparnasse station. In time, Méliès was rediscovered and honored for his work, eventually taking up stage performance. In 1932 the Cinema Society gave Méliès a home in Château d'Orly. Georges Méliès was also awarded the Légion d'honneur (Legion of honor).

[@mrchaucer]

Just out of curiosity, did you shoot this with film stock or was it digital? With the compression for the web it makes it hard to tell. Also, was this an assignement for school or did you just take it upon yourself to do this very well done piece? Great job by the way.

[@lawrencewraith]

think i,ll use some of those tricks on my documentary..if you have any more information please send ...that was terrific

[@DYnazty]

yea, it's a shame how underappreciated he was in his time. Seems to happen alot throughout history

[@TimothyMathews]

Great job. I really enjoyed this video on Melies and have shared the link with the members of my current postgrad film class. My only qualm is that you're mispronouncing his name. George is fine but his last name is Melies pronounced (MEL YAY) Hope your studies are going well. Tim TM

[@PaulSutherlandnow]

Well done.... Great doc. 'preciate it.

[@jambi00102]

Buen Trabajo Billy!!! Está cagadísimo y bastante informativo. Muy buen documental.

[@FlyingOverTr0ut]

Excellent work!

[@XXxxBlackpearlxxXX]

this is brilliant. thank you I needed it for my final exams :)

[@ceolwulf]

@er10b Hi, yes I did buy a special case that you put the unexposed film cassette in and it allowed you to wind back so you could re-expose the film again. I dont recall making ghosts but did do some sci fi effects that way.

[@liteshbawankar6872]

Yes

[@VALENTINEproductions]

AWSOME DOC!

[@PrincessPumpernickel]

Great video.

[@MazuzHafakot]

im to tired to see it now but i will sure come back to check it 2 sounds good.

[@Misfitmrn]

This is really cool !

[@HolseOne]

Fantastic, funny and informative

[@098dsfj]

this is very good. funny and informative!

[@DarTul]

Hi there! I hope you’ll answer me. I’m studying in cinema school in Tel Aviv, and we in class watched you video. So here are students that not believe you do blur stuff for special. I think it’s obviously, like a some effect, but could you please to confirm it? 🌸

[@TheBreakingma]

They used stop edits in Scott pilgrim when the people burst into coins

[@JazzcelloNet]

Brilliant!

[@AlbertMondback]

Great stuff.

[@mox.kartal]

brilliant!

[@keelanmalec5203]

this is brilliant. informative and hilarious thank you!

[@BubbleMaster]

this really is some great work

[@Lizzieaborden]

I enjoyed this. Thank you.

[@kathrynraphael4610]

Méliès was born on the 8th of December not the 6th. Good video :)

[@amandahahl5482]

I recorded me playing saxophone today can you watch it and reply to me please like now 🖐

[@NicolasMorus]

Anyone else watching this video for a school project?

[@vashisthtrivedi8703]

hey there I am a film student and i have to make a film on bolex 16 mm regular. I want to make double exposure kind of film can you tell me what steps to follow. please

[@stereo123]

@cinedependent That's not how his own daughter pronounces, for instance. I don't speak french, but I once saw a documentary and the french people pronounced the S all the time. If someone can explain, I'd appreciate it.

[@jackdelamare]

Great and helpful :)

[@cstar1233]

lol, that bit at 3:03 reminds me of Dodgeball...

[@oepasero]

Hi there, hughs from Buenos aires.

[@lynnlu_]

if ur my film school lecturer i will make the best film of all time no joke

[@corwinroncace8044]

You call him "father" or "grandfather" of special effects Hasn't one thought special effects were already occurring right when cinema was beginning? Was the illusion of the moving image a special effect?

[@warholcow]

Corwin Roncace No that’s just creating “moving pictures,” but there was no effects.

[@Channel-vp4vu]

Was this filmed at dutchess community college

[@ScottyMcTaube]

Actually it was filmed at East Carolina University by myself and another student for a class project. Thanks for watching!

[@SeoinMacSeoin001]

"roBBeRt HoUdEeN"

[@connollybob9]

I don't feel so good, mister...

[@yank3656]

thanks for sharing DYnazty

[@AAnneC]

You're intelligent, handsome and hilarious!

[@Areyouaddfilm]

Thought you'd like to see this interview with Dr. Edward Hallowell we did for our upcoming documentary `Are You ADD?` kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4m3oX2OqJ11i7c

[@SwoleshadyII]

same with edgar allen poe

[@stephaniemaxwell5812]

This is an amateur film, with misinformation and a flippant presentation style (it's not about you), and not to be mistaken as a scholarly work.