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Billy Bitzer

January 01, 1970

Gottfried Wilhelm Bitzer (April 21, 1872 – April 29, 1944) was an American cinematographer, notable for his close association and pioneering work with D. W. Griffith.

Billy Bitzer
Bitzer, c. 1935
Born
Johann Gottfried Wilhelm Bitzer[1]

(1872-04-21)April 21, 1872
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedApril 29, 1944(1944-04-29) (aged 72)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationCinematographer

Biography edit

Prior to his career as a cameraman, working as a motion picture projectionist,[2] Bitzer developed early cinematic technologies for the American Mutoscope Company, eventually to become the Biograph Company.[3] He admired and learned the art of motion picture photography from Kinetoscope inventor W. K. L. Dickson, who directed the early Biograph shorts on which Bitzer cut his teeth. Bitzer achieved success in 1896 when his film of William McKinley being notified of the presidential nomination of his party was exhibited on the Biograph Company's first program. Until 1903, Bitzer was employed by Biograph primarily as a documentary photographer, and from 1903 onward primarily as the photographer of narrative films, as these gained popularity.[4]

In 1908 Bitzer entered into his first collaboration with Griffith. The two would work together for the rest of Bitzer's career, leaving Biograph in 1913 for the Mutual Film Corporation where Bitzer continued to innovate, perfecting existing technologies and inventing new ones. During this time he pioneered the field of matte photography and made use of innovative lighting techniques, closeups, and iris shots.

Bitzer provided assistance during Griffith's directorial debut, 1908's The Adventures of Dollie, which was shot by Arthur Marvin. He eventually succeeded Marvin as Griffith's regular cinematographer, working with him on some of his most important films and contributing significantly to cinematic innovations attributed to Griffith. In 1910, he photographed Griffith's silent short In Old California in the Los Angeles village of "Hollywoodland", qualifying Bitzer as, arguably, Hollywood's first Director of Photography. The apex of Bitzer and Griffith's collaboration came with The Birth of a Nation (1915), a film funded in part by Bitzer's life savings, and the epic Intolerance (1916).

His film The Jeffries-Sharkey Fight of 1899 is the first known use of artificial light. Rip Van Winkle (1903) features the first known close-up. Advances in lenses and filters developed by Bitzer made soft focus possible. He was the first to use split-screen photography and backlighting, contributing to the development of three-point lighting. He improved in-camera fade and dissolve effects and invented what came to be known as transition tools. Even after the Bell & Howell Model 2709 production camera became the industry standard, he continued to use a Pathe.[5]

For all his innovation, Bitzer's career did not survive the industry's transition to sound. In 1944, he suffered a heart attack and died in Hollywood.

His autobiography, Billy Bitzer: His Story, was published posthumously in 1973.[6]

In 2003, a survey conducted by the International Cinematographers Guild named him one of the ten most influential cinematographers in history.[7] Bitzer, it is said, "developed camera techniques that set the standard for all future motion pictures".[8]

Selected filmography edit

PLAY Edgar Allan Poe (1909), a silent film by D.W. Griffith (director), Frank E. Woods (screenwriter), and Billy Bitzer (camera), inspired by Poe's poem "The Raven"; runtime 00:08:18
 
Bitzer (behind Pathé camera) with Griffith on location for Way Down East (1920)

References edit

  1. ^ Bitzer, G. W.Billy Bitzer: His Story. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, p. 183 (Bitzer's full birth name also printed on slipcover of hardback copies of book, which is included at external link of cited copy). Internet Archive, San Francisco, CA. Retrieved 1 September 2021. ISBN 0-374-11294-0
  2. ^ Musser, Charles, The Emergence of Cinema. University of California Press; 1st paperback edition (May 4, 1994) ISBN 978-0520085336
  3. ^ Hendricks, Gordon (1964), Beginnings of the Biograph, New York City: Theodore Gaus' sons
  4. ^ (Hendricks 1964, pp. 5)
  5. ^ Crudo, Richard P. (2005). Understanding Digital Cinema: A Professional Handbook. Routledge.
  6. ^ G. W. Bitzer (as Billy Bitzer). Billy Bitzer: His Story. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973. ISBN 978-0-374-11294-3
  7. ^ "Top 10 Most Influential Cinematographers Voted on by Camera Guild," October 16, 2003. January 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  8. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica, Micropædia, Vol. II, p51

Further reading edit

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Billy Bitzer.

January 01, 1970
billy, bitzer, gottfried, wilhelm, bitzer, april, 1872, april, 1944, american, cinematographer, notable, close, association, pioneering, work, with, griffith, bitzer, 1935bornjohann, gottfried, wilhelm, bitzer, 1872, april, 1872boston, massachusetts, diedapril. Gottfried Wilhelm Bitzer April 21 1872 April 29 1944 was an American cinematographer notable for his close association and pioneering work with D W Griffith Billy BitzerBitzer c 1935BornJohann Gottfried Wilhelm Bitzer 1 1872 04 21 April 21 1872Boston Massachusetts U S DiedApril 29 1944 1944 04 29 aged 72 Los Angeles California U S OccupationCinematographer Contents 1 Biography 2 Selected filmography 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksBiography editPrior to his career as a cameraman working as a motion picture projectionist 2 Bitzer developed early cinematic technologies for the American Mutoscope Company eventually to become the Biograph Company 3 He admired and learned the art of motion picture photography from Kinetoscope inventor W K L Dickson who directed the early Biograph shorts on which Bitzer cut his teeth Bitzer achieved success in 1896 when his film of William McKinley being notified of the presidential nomination of his party was exhibited on the Biograph Company s first program Until 1903 Bitzer was employed by Biograph primarily as a documentary photographer and from 1903 onward primarily as the photographer of narrative films as these gained popularity 4 In 1908 Bitzer entered into his first collaboration with Griffith The two would work together for the rest of Bitzer s career leaving Biograph in 1913 for the Mutual Film Corporation where Bitzer continued to innovate perfecting existing technologies and inventing new ones During this time he pioneered the field of matte photography and made use of innovative lighting techniques closeups and iris shots Bitzer provided assistance during Griffith s directorial debut 1908 s The Adventures of Dollie which was shot by Arthur Marvin He eventually succeeded Marvin as Griffith s regular cinematographer working with him on some of his most important films and contributing significantly to cinematic innovations attributed to Griffith In 1910 he photographed Griffith s silent short In Old California in the Los Angeles village of Hollywoodland qualifying Bitzer as arguably Hollywood s first Director of Photography The apex of Bitzer and Griffith s collaboration came with The Birth of a Nation 1915 a film funded in part by Bitzer s life savings and the epic Intolerance 1916 His film The Jeffries Sharkey Fight of 1899 is the first known use of artificial light Rip Van Winkle 1903 features the first known close up Advances in lenses and filters developed by Bitzer made soft focus possible He was the first to use split screen photography and backlighting contributing to the development of three point lighting He improved in camera fade and dissolve effects and invented what came to be known as transition tools Even after the Bell amp Howell Model 2709 production camera became the industry standard he continued to use a Pathe 5 For all his innovation Bitzer s career did not survive the industry s transition to sound In 1944 he suffered a heart attack and died in Hollywood His autobiography Billy Bitzer His Story was published posthumously in 1973 6 In 2003 a survey conducted by the International Cinematographers Guild named him one of the ten most influential cinematographers in history 7 Bitzer it is said developed camera techniques that set the standard for all future motion pictures 8 Selected filmography edit source source source source source PLAY Edgar Allan Poe 1909 a silent film by D W Griffith director Frank E Woods screenwriter and Billy Bitzer camera inspired by Poe s poem The Raven runtime 00 08 18 nbsp Bitzer behind Pathe camera with Griffith on location for Way Down East 1920 The Moonshiner 1904 Interior New York Subway 14th Street to 42nd Street 1905 2 A M in the Subway 1905 The Kentuckian 1908 The Invisible Fluid 1908 The Lonely Villa 1909 A Sound Sleeper 1909 The Sealed Room 1909 Edgar Allan Poe 1909 A Corner in Wheat 1909 In the Border States 1910 The Modern Prodigal 1910 A Mohawk s Way 1910 The Lonedale Operator 1911 Enoch Arden 1911 The Girl and Her Trust 1912 The Female of the Species 1912 A Beast at Bay 1912 The Root of Evil 1912 An Unseen Enemy 1912 The Painted Lady 1912 The Musketeers of Pig Alley 1912 The House of Darkness 1913 Death s Marathon 1913 The Mothering Heart 1913 The Yaqui Cur 1913 The Battle at Elderbush Gulch 1914 Judith of Bethulia 1914 The Avenging Conscience 1914 The Birth of a Nation 1915 Intolerance 1916 Hearts of the World 1918 The Great Love 1918 The Greatest Thing in Life 1918 A Romance of Happy Valley 1919 The Girl Who Stayed at Home 1919 True Heart Susie 1919 Scarlet Days 1919 Broken Blossoms 1919 The Greatest Question 1919 The Idol Dancer 1920 The Love Flower 1920 Way Down East 1920 The White Rose 1923 America 1924 Drums of Love 1927 The Battle of the Sexes 1928 Lady of the Pavements 1929 References edit Bitzer G W Billy Bitzer His Story New York Farrar Straus and Giroux 1973 p 183 Bitzer s full birth name also printed on slipcover of hardback copies of book which is included at external link of cited copy Internet Archive San Francisco CA Retrieved 1 September 2021 ISBN 0 374 11294 0 Musser Charles The Emergence of Cinema University of California Press 1st paperback edition May 4 1994 ISBN 978 0520085336 Hendricks Gordon 1964 Beginnings of the Biograph New York City Theodore Gaus sons Hendricks 1964 pp 5 Crudo Richard P 2005 Understanding Digital Cinema A Professional Handbook Routledge G W Bitzer as Billy Bitzer Billy Bitzer His Story New York Farrar Straus and Giroux 1973 ISBN 978 0 374 11294 3 Top 10 Most Influential Cinematographers Voted on by Camera Guild October 16 2003 Archived January 9 2014 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved January 28 2011 Encyclopaedia Britannica Micropaedia Vol II p51Further reading editG W Bitzer as Billy Bitzer Billy Bitzer His Story New York Farrar Straus and Giroux 1973 ISBN 978 0 374 11294 3External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Billy Bitzer G W Bitzer at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Billy Bitzer amp oldid 1219943493, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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