BLOG QUESTION: GEORGE MELIES

What were Melies' contributions to cinema? Why is his work so significant?

Melies' contributed to the development of elaborate storytelling, special effects, and editing techniques. He started creating "trick" films, which used editing and special effects to create the illusion of levitating heads, disappearing people, and objects changing in size/shape. "A Trip to the Moon" is one example of a that contained a complex story and had many special and practical effects for  its time. He used techniques such as double exposure, which allowed him to show multiple images on screen at the same time. Melies' work is significant because he pioneered many special effects and editing techniques used today, and helped build the foundation for special effects and elaborate storytelling.