Film-Making | Film-making |

Lights, Camera, Action, Cut:
​​​​​​​The Delayed Critique of D.W.Griffith's 
The Birth of a Nation​​​​​​​ 

Film-Making

Although The Birth of a Nation was Griffith's first Hollywood hit, he was an experienced film-maker. At first, he made short and straightforward films such as Adventures of Dollie, His Duty, and The Necklace.

With The Birth of a Nation, however, Griffith delivered a three-hour spectacle with groundbreaking special effects.



In this clip from His Duty, the lack of multiple perspectives shows Griffith's initial limitations.

(Griffith, 1909)

(Griffith, 1915)




A scene in The Birth of a Nation, however, uses multiple perspectives.

Griffith also utilized flares and prop explosives to enhance the war scenes: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

(Griffith, 1915)


(Griffith, 1915)




Additionally, Griffith introduced iris shots to spotlight a specific part of the scene and to key in the audience. The iris shot around Elsie emphasizes Ben's true love and commitment to her.

(Griffith, 1915)


Griffith also used avant-garde, signature-stamped text blocks between scenes to provide context for viewers. This is in contrast to his short films, where plot points didn’t make sense until later in the story. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Examples of text box (Griffith, 1915). 

Plot
Reception