The first movie ever made is generally considered to be "Roundhay Garden Scene" filmed in 1888 by French inventor Louis Le Prince. This very short film, lasting just over two seconds, is the oldest surviving motion picture showing people walking in a garden in Leeds, England
. However, before that, in 1878, English photographer Eadweard Muybridge created "The Horse in Motion" , an 11-frame sequence of photographs designed to settle a bet about whether a horse lifts all four hooves off the ground while galloping. This is often cited as the first motion picture, though it was initially a series of still photos projected in sequence rather than a continuous film
. To summarize:
- The Horse in Motion (1878) : Early motion sequence using multiple cameras, primarily scientific.
- Roundhay Garden Scene (1888) : The first surviving motion picture on film, capturing real-life movement.
- Later milestones include narrative films like Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon (1902) , which was the first to use storytelling and special effects
Thus, the title of "first movie ever made" depends on the definition, but the earliest surviving film is Roundhay Garden Scene (1888), while the earliest motion sequence is The Horse in Motion (1878).
