The Great Train Robbery

Considered to be the first moving picture, "The Great Train Robbery" is a 1903 American action Western film by directed and photographed by Edwin S. Porter. Twelve minutes long, it is considered a milestone in film making, expanding on Porter's previous work "Life of an American Fireman". The film used a number of innovative techniques including cross cutting, double exposure composite editing, camera movement and on location shooting. Cross-cuts were a new, sophisticated editing technique. Some prints were also hand colored in certain scenes. None of the techniques were original to "The Great Train Robbery", and it is now considered that it was heavily influenced by Frank Mottershaw's earlier British film "A Daring Daylight Burglary." Porter was a former Edison Studios cameraman. Actors in the movie included Alfred C. Abadie, Broncho Billy Anderson and Justus D. Barnes, although there were no credits. Though a Western, it was filmed in Milltown, New Jersey. The film has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.