Alice Guy: The World Of Technology With Numerous Experiments (Essay Sample)

Student’s Name Tutor’s Name Course Title Date Alice Guy Science and technology by 2000 had shown a total change in human life. The constant technological changes across the world created a syntax for artistic expression and representation. Alice is among the few artists who fearlessly walked into the world of technology with numerous experiments. Among her outstanding achievements, including making thousands of motion pictures, use of personal narratives, use of special effects, colorization and sound synchronization. At this time, she was the only woman in the cinema. Alice is gone since 1968, but her legacy still reverberates in the film industry. Alice is one of the early 20th-century film pioneers and the first to produce narrative fiction films. She made over 1000 movies and managed her studio in New Jersey. She spent most of her time experimenting with special effects, color tinting, sound synchronizing and interracial casting (Jones, 2010, p.1). He influences in the film industry has remained alive. She is standing alone as the only woman pioneer in the industry. Alice Guy was born in July 1983 in Saint Mande, France. She was born into an upper-middle-class family in Paris. Her father owned several bookstores in Chile. She had an excellent early childhood until an earthquake ruined her father's business. After the collapse of their industry, the family returned to Paris to start a new life. Alice was sent to board in a strict Catholic school, where she stayed until she was 16 years (Bachy, 1993, p.89). She was motivated by her parents sudden lose and dedicated most of her time typing and doing stenography to fend for herself. Guy’s typing and stenography skills became her stepping stone in life. In 1894, her ability was noticed by Léon Gaumont. Leon was the deputy to Felix Richard’s, who managed a still photography company. Later, Leon bought the company after Felix lost a patent court suite (Slide, 1986, p. 56). At Leon's company, Guy's responsibilities increased over time. She was engaged with different production responsibilities, and Leon Gaumont soon noticed her as part of his production crew. During this time helped Gaumont build the first 35mm camera. Her innovativeness and stamina baffled Leon, who engaged her further with managerial duties. In 1895, Gaumont, Gustave Eiffel, Joseph Vallot, and Alfred Besnier, came up with L. Gaumont & Company. Their goal was to start a motion picture business. Alice and Leon received an invitation from brothers Auguste and Louis Jean Lumière to witness the demonstration of their cinématographe, which was a 35mm motion camera. This marked Guy's demand for incorporation of motion pictures in their company. She persuaded Leon to adopt the technology in his productions for sometimes before her manager finally gave in. During the time, films were captured at workplaces, train station and along roadsides. It was unbelievable to have a movie of one's imagination (Jones, 2010, p.1). Guy's fame started in 1896 when she directed La Fée aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy). The film was its first on its own to have a clear plot line. Alice is recalled for thousands of experiments, partly which contributed to her success in the industry. A female actor in the male-dominated field during that time, Alice admits that the sector was notoriously difficult for female artists. When she first proposed that a cinema should capture more than parades and with motion, Leon reckoned that that was a young girl's obsession. La Fée aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy), was not only a success but also an eye-opener to the female artist. Her film exposed her to big players in the art and technology industry (Bachy, 1993, p.88). Her first encounter with significant artists was in Barcelona and Paris in 1986 and 1900, respectively. The influence of technology was fast taking place; people were marveling about diesel engines, escalators, and the unimaginable Eiffel tower. In 1902, Leon also demonstrated his chronophone. The chromophore was a synchronized sound technology. After the achievement, Leon opened Cité Elge, one of the largest studios in Europe. Her secretary Guy managed the studio. Alice became the head of the production in the film company from 1902 to 1906. Across the duration, she directed more than 100 phonoscènes (films from their new invention chromophore). Leon was focused on his business and gain a competitive edge. He sent Herbert Blaché, the machine operator and Alice, as an interpreter to various places to help people understand how the chronograph machine operated. Alice made her trips across Europe and Spain not only valuable for their marketing but also as a personal learning ground. In 1906, on Christmas Eve, Alice and Herbert engaged, which was followed by marriage soon after. In 1907, Leon sent Herbert to market in the United States (Jones, 2010, p.1). Alice, on the other hand, handed over her office duties and accompanied Herbert to the States. Herbert was later assigned to manage a studio in Flushing. Contrary, Alice started her studio next to Leon's studio. At this time, she had a son and a daughter, Simone, and Reginald. Her studio was known as Solax (Joan & Gaines, 2009. P. 119). Alice built her Solax studio in New Jersey, Fort Lee with over $100,000. This studio was one of its kind in the area. Solax was the first art studio to have massive employment opportunities. Additional, it was among the few women managed opportunities. Alice focus was not only on making a profit but also improving the lives of her employees and the Fort Lee community as a whole. Her work significantly contributed to substantial economic growth in the area. Alice was the director, the writer, and the overall organization manager (Slide, 1986, p. 77). Her films stood out with unique social commentaries, cross-dressings, role reversals, discorded comedies, acrobatic stunts, and mayhem. She highlighted marital issues with happing endings. Her technological experiments were deep and beyond their production time. She undertook several theatric analyses such as split screens, camera optical, film colorization, sound synchronization and dissolves optical. Alice was the first woman artist to become keen on her camera works and their locations. Her choice for a position was more than travelogues or indigenous performances. She also started addressing societal conflicts. Alice was the first artist to employ Negro characters purposefully(Bachy, 1993, p.111). She discussed changing roles in the society by depicting women undertaking duties associated with men. Alice portrayed women stronger than the societal treatment. Alice is the only woman celebrated for consistent production for her over 320 films (McMahan, 2009, p. 89). Alice downfall started in 1913. After completing her term by Gaumont, Herbert began to Blache Features. Blache Features soon absorbed Solax, ending its operation in 1914. Solax downfall set in with poor investment priorities, great taking, and financial management problems. Solax downfall followed Guy's failure in the industry. Her subsequent films were unsuccessful in the market (Jones, 2010, p.1). Guy's visual appetite was evident in most of her films. She insisted on the use of actual locations and farfetched imagination scripts for her dramas and comedians. Among her works were the Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. She produced hilarious comedies such as Le Matelas alcoolique ((The Alcoholic Mattress" or "The Epileptic Mattress, 1906), "Madame a des envies" ("Madame Has Cravings," 1906), "La Vie du Christ" ("The Life of Christ," 1906). The Whitney retrospective is among the opportunities artists have to go over Guy's work. Her role in shaping the narrative films is un...