Gregg Toland

Cinematography is the art of filmmaking. It is a technical practice, which has evolved into an aesthetic expression that portrays customs or tendencies of society. (Mauer, Mornik, n.d.) Cinematography is the heart and backbone of cinema. Without the scientific advancements made early on motion pictures wold not have advanced beyond the simple technology of early instruments such as the zoetrope. George Horner invented the zoetrope in 1834. It consists of a simple drum with an …

…faster filmstocks than that were available at the time, making the depth and quality of ‘Citizen Kane’ even more impressive. With faster film was the necessity of more light. Many of the shots in both ‘Citizen Kane’ and ‘Les Miserables’ (1935) were shot at night, intriguing colleagues as to the rich tones and shadows. Toland created masterpieces by defiance. He twisted and broke rules until they became creative laws, which have long been emulated and replicated.