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The
French engineer who filmed – in
Leeds – the world’s first ever moving
pictures is to be honoured by a new University
research centre of cinema, photography and
television.
 Many
believe Louis Le Prince (pictured right)
to be the father of cinema, as his film of
wagons and pedestrians crossing Leeds Bridge
was taken in 1888, seven years before the
Lumière brothers showed theirs in Lyon.
But Le Prince was never able to capitalise
on his achievement, as he disappeared shortly
afterwards in mysterious circumstances in
France. He caught a train in Dijon after visiting
his brother, and was never seen again, nor
was his body found.
However, his memory is to be honoured at the
University, just a short distance from the
workshop on Woodhouse Lane where he built
his early cameras. The Louis Le Prince centre
for cinema, photography and television will
bring together Leeds researchers with experts
from other universities, museums and institutes
across the region. The centre will support
research into anything and everything to do
with cinema, photography and television, from
history, music, production and interpretation
to science and sociology.
 Centre
director, Dr Graham Roberts, pictured left
at the very spot Le Prince's film was taken,
said: “Both cinema and television are
collaborative arts – only possible if
you work as a team. Too often, university
research in the field is a solitary affair.
We want the Louis Le Prince centre to change
that and act as a catalyst for collaborations
across the region. Yorkshire has both an historic
and current connection with film and photography,
from the days of Le Prince to the vibrant
film festivals in Leeds and Bradford, and
of course the National Museum.”
Le Prince’s moving pictures can be seen
online at http://newmedia.leeds.ac.uk/llp/
See
the full press release
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