George Eastman (1854-1932) was instrumental in the development of the film industry, specifically in the film itself. It was his invention of the celluloid film stock (the transparent and flexible material) that was able to be rolled up, allowing it to be stored and organized in a much smaller container. In 1886 he was able to commercialize this film, perfected it in 1889, and from there on it was just waiting to be used for photography and motion pictures. Edison was able to create his kinetoscope using this celluloid film in 1891, and it also allowed the Lumiere brothers to do what they did with the cinématographe.
Eastman and his Kodak
Eastman also propelled the photography industry by using the celluloid film to create the first snapshot camera, the Kodak. The Eastman Kodak company was formed shortly after, in 1892, and amateur photographers were popping up everywhere. A year prior to, in 1891, a daylight re-loadable camera was put on the market by Kodak, eliminating the necessity of a darkroom to reload the film. By 1896 Kodak was producing film that was specifically coated for the use with motion pictures. Kodak film has long been known for its superior quality and continues to be a driving force in the film industry today.
Early Autographic Film, 1914
Aside from providing the film for companies such as Edison’s to produce movies, Eastman wasn’t too involved in the industry. Instead he focused more on his photography and the development of his recently established company Kodak. Also as he got older, Eastman became extremely philanthropic and donated a cumulative total of over $100 million (in current money), which led to the development of several other industries. Eastman remains one of the top ten most important individuals to the industry, and is still celebrated for his (and his company’s) achievements today.
Thomas Edison and George Eastman using Eastman's special celluloid film modified for Edison's motion picture camera.
An advertisement for one of Eastman's earliest cameras, the Kodak Brownie. Sold for only a dollar, it allowed people of all social statuses to be amateur photographers.