oct 6, 1927 - Vitaphone
Description:
The Vitaphone was a sound on disk system used for film, that was developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electrics in 1926. The Warner Brothers embraced this system first. The Jazz Singer was the first ever 'Talkie' and it used this system.Although The Jazz singer was quite controversial, it won many awards for being a milestone for one of the biggest and most important parts of film today, sound.
The introduction to dialogue into film changed the way filmmakers worked as well as the industry as a whole. Suddenly there was much more focus on script writing, allowing more character development, making intricate plots and deeper narratives. Today we can't imagine our favourite films and our favourite storylines being completely silent, so much can be explored through dialogue and through sound design. It allows a sense of realism and truth to what we watch, it becomes more believable, allowing people to fall into the world of their characters and their stories. Without the invention of the Vitaphone, the use of sound and one of the most important parts of today's filmmaking, wouldn't be as we know it.
Added to timeline:
Date:
oct 6, 1927
Now
~ 98 years ago