The figure of the film explainer in silent films
Abstract
The origins of cinematography are marked by the presence of oratory: the figure of the silent film explainer arose almost immediately after the first screenings in cinemas to meet the demands of the first film spectators. These professionals narrated the events of the films, but also interpreted them through linguistic, vocal and gestural resources. As speakers and entertainers, they succeeded in instructing viewers in the language of film while entertaining and became highly successful and well-known personalities. However, despite their relevance in the early years of the seventh art, silent film explainers are not known to most audiences. For this reason, this research seeks to define and contextualize this figure within the history of cinema, to link the origins and characteristics of the explainer with oratory and to make visible his work, which had a lot to do with the development of narrative and cinematographic staging.
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