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A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound,

especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for


entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted
gestures, mime and tittle cards.
The idea of combining motion pictures with recorded
sound is nearly as old as film itself, but because of the
technical challenges involved, synchronized dialogue was
only made practical in the late 1920s with the perfection of
the Audio Amplifier Tube and the introduction of the
Vitaphone system.
Intertitles

Because silent films had no synchronized sound


for dialogue, onscreen intertitles were used to
narrate story points, present key dialogue and
sometimes even comment on the action for the
cinema audience.
Intertitles
Live music and sound
Showings of silent films almost always featured live
music, starting with the pianist at the first public
projection of movies by the Lumiere Brothers on
December 28, 1895 in Paris. From the beginning,
music was recognized as essential, contributing to
the atmosphere and giving the audience vital
emotional cues. (Musicians sometimes played on
film sets during shooting for similar reasons.) Small
town and neighborhood movie theatres usually
had a pianist.
Acting techniques

Silent film actors emphasized body language and facial


expression so that the audience could better understand what
an actor was feeling and portraying on screen. Much silent film
acting is apt to strike modern-day audiences as simplistic or
campy.
Acting techniques

The melodramatic acting style was in some cases a habit actors


transferred from their former stage experience. The pervading
presence of stage actors in film was the cause of this outburst
from director Marshall Neilan in 1917: "The sooner the stage
people who have come into pictures get out, the better for the
pictures."
Acting techniques

In other cases, directors such as John Griffith Wray required their


actors to deliver larger-than-life expressions for emphasis.
Projection Speed
Until the standardization of the projection speed of 24 frames per second (fps)
for sound films between 1926 and 1930, silent films were shot at variable speeds
(or "frame rates") anywhere from 12 to 26 fps, depending on the year and studio.
"Standard silent film speed" is often said to be 16 fps as a result of the Lumiere
brothers' Cinématographe, but industry practice varied considerably; there was
no actual standard. Cameramen of the era insisted that their cranking
technique was exactly 16 fps, but modern examination of the films shows this to
be in error, that they often cranked faster. Unless carefully shown at their
intended speeds silent films can appear unnaturally fast or slow. However, some
scenes were intentionally unercranked during shooting to accelerate the
action—particularly for comedies and action films.
Projection Speed
Until the standardization of the projection speed of 24 frames per second (fps)
for sound films between 1926 and 1930, silent films were shot at variable speeds
(or "frame rates") anywhere from 12 to 26 fps, depending on the year and studio.
"Standard silent film speed" is often said to be 16 fps as a result of the Lumiere
brothers' Cinématographe, but industry practice varied considerably; there was
no actual standard. Cameramen of the era insisted that their cranking
technique was exactly 16 fps, but modern examination of the films shows this to
be in error, that they often cranked faster. Unless carefully shown at their
intended speeds silent films can appear unnaturally fast or slow. However, some
scenes were intentionally unercranked during shooting to accelerate the
action—particularly for comedies and action films.
Mostly known silent films' actor:

Charlie Chaplin
And as he said..
References

Wikipedia
Google images

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