How Movies Move Us

Tyson and Fritz give a brief history of movies, and how they can go beyond entertainment to truly create social change.

By Tyson and Fritz
Published January 31, 2025

Movies are loved all over the world. But do you wonder how they started? Louis le Prince in 1895 made a huge technology breakthrough and created film. The creator of the camera, Joseph Nicephore Niepce, invented the camera in 1816 and Louis le Prince figured out how to make video and film.

The first audience paid movie was by the Lumiere brothers in 1895. They used a device that they made on their own called the Cinematographe which was a camera, a projector and a film printer all in one.

Movies have come a long way since 1895. Steven Spielberg is one of the most legendary contemporary directors. He directed ET, The Goonies, Ready Player One, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, as well as many other great movies. Directors like Spielberg focus on entertainment and creativity and pushing the boundaries of technology.

Movies can also be made to educate or teach people about things going on in the world. Millions of movies have been made, and there have been many that have made social change. For example, the movie Blackfish made social change with “the blackfish effect” which led people to petition that sponsors of Sea World cut ties with the theme park and that musicians should not perform at their venues. Another thing people did because of Blackfish is participate in a boycott of Sea World, ultimately causing Sea World's stock market price to fall by 33% and costing them 5 million after agreeing to pay for the Blackfish Effect case.

Another documentary that caused social change is the movie Supersize Me! in which the director Morgan Spurlock ate McDonald’s for every meal for a month to see what effects it had on him. This helped raise awareness of the threats of fast food. After the documentary, the director gained over 24 pounds. Because of the documentary, McDonald’s launched several healthy food campaigns and agreed with Morgan Spurlock that most of the documentary was correct.

Many movies have been made and they have had different impacts on society. Movies have come a long way from the first film and will continue to evolve.