Early Cinema: From Factory Gate to Film Factory explores the period 1895 to 1914 when cinema established itself as the leading form of visual culture among rapidly expanding global media, emerging from a rich tradition of scientific, economic, entertainment and educational practices and quickly developing as a worldwide institution. This book introduces the student to the study of cinema as a series of aesthetic, technological, cultural, ideological and economic debates while exploring new and challenging approaches to the subject. It is divided into thematic sections, each dealing with a broad topic and making use of the latest research in this field presenting both critical and practical advice for the student through a series of case studies.