EDWIN S. PORTER (b. 1870-d. 1941)-Director

Edwin Porter was an early film pioneer who had an instrumental part in the development of motion pictures. He was an American film producer and director who introduced the dramatic editing technique of film.

EARLY YEARS

Edwin S. Porter was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania on April 21, 1870.  Porter attended school and later worked at various odd jobs, one of which was, at the electrical department of a ship and engine company.  In 1893 he enlisted in the United States Navy where he worked as an electrician.  During the three years in the Navy, Porter, developed his skills working with electronic communication devices.  Once he completed his term of service at the Navy, he entered into the Motion Picture Industry working as a projectionist.  After a while, he joined the Thomas Edison Manufacturing Company, as a machinist and soon afterward took over the New York Studio division where he filmed, directed, and edited the final print.  Porter constantly worked on improving camera techniques and eventually created what is known as “dissolves” which were gradual transitions of images. These enabled the viewers to follow the sequences of movement    more easily.  In 1903, Porter created a masterpiece movie, The Great Train Robbery.  It was a groundbreaking film in that it was one of the first movies to move the story forward by showing simultaneous action in different time and  places.  In addition the storyline, a western, was full of action making it very popular and the film became the first successful hit of the American movie industry.

With the success of, The Great Train Robbery, Porter was given full recognition by Edison and turned out numerous fascinating one-reelers including, The Kleptomaniac, 1905, and, Rescued from and Eagle’s Nest, 1908.  During this time, he continued to improve on the split screen shots and trick photography.  He also helped to develop the concept of continuity editing. 

FAMOUS PLAYERS

In 1912, Porter was offered the position of chief director for, Famous Players Film Company, owned by Adolph Zukor.  While he was at Famous Players, he scored a few more box office hits, such as; The Prisoner of Zenda, 1913, and, Tess of the Storm Country, 1914. Even though he had a number of successful films, he often clashed with Zukor over creative methods.  Porter was a technician at heart and enjoyed working mostly with camera trickery, projectors, and other film equipment.  Porter was not able to keep up with the rapid pace of movie art, thus in 1916, ended his association with the studio.  

LATER YEARS

In 1917, Porter invested his movie earnings into a business, Precision Machine Company, manufacturers of the Simplex projectors, where he continued to invent and improve the techniques of  film equipment. He expanded his experimentation to 3-D photography and lightweight motor-operated cameras. Porter flourished until the 1929 stock market crash. He did not lose all his money and with his jobs working at various machine shops, he managed to survive. His work stopped when a stroke sharply impaired his ability to function. Porter died at New York's Taft Hotel at the age of 71.  The industry he helped to create hardly noticed his passing.

LEGACY

Edwin S. Porter was a pioneer of the early cinema years who had the vision and skill for utilizing film in a continuous format and improving the sequence of single-shot films which created storylines.  He was an important figure whose innovative creations contributed greatly toward the development of film. Although he did not receive the recognition he deserved at the time of his death, today, he is regarded as one of the most significant filmmakers of his time.

LIST OF SOME FILMS

THE MYSTIC SWING-1900

DAY AT THE CIRCUS – 1901

LIFE OF AN AMERICAN FIREMAN – 1903

THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY - 1903

THE EX-CONVICT – 1904

THE SEVEN AGES – 1905

THE LIFE OF A COWBOY – 1906

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO – 1912

THE PRISONER OF ZENDA – 1913

TESS OF THE STORM COUNTRY - 1914



Scene from the Great Train Robbery



Scene from Life of a  an American Fireman



Scene from Tess of the Storm Country