The Evolution of Film In the early times of narrative cinema there was litter pressure on the filmmakers for

the evolution of film forms before nickelodeons (Salt, 31) as cinema had not become a mass cultural product and film was still just a novelty expected to die out like rock n roll. And so the demand was low and so the supply could remain unoriginal. Mary Jane's Mishap was made in 1903 when multi-scene films were becoming popular (Salt, 32). Mary Jane's Mishap is notable for its use of experimental and inventive shot transitions. It used a vertical wipe to instead of separate successive scenes (Salt, 32) (as it cuts to a shot width a wider frame of the same locale) but to change the zoom level. This frame is essentially an insert and borderline emblematic shot. It doubles as an intertitle at the same time as to avoid systematically anticipating the narrative content of the following shot and thus eliminating any possible suspense, were to constitute a major obstacle to the linearization of narrative for the next ten years at least. (Burch, 221) it which explains to the viewer clearly that it is Mary Janes grave as on which is important as it is a self sufficient narrative (Burch, 221) as cinema had run out of stories that were familiar to audiences and the primitive viewer was not well versed in film (quote this). This is at a time when fades and overlaps were more popular. In the development of the narrative close ups are used. Mary Jane's Mishap uses both types of these close shots that Salt defines (Salt, 38). Firstly the insert which only show the face but closer it furthers the narrative by highlighting the comedy and humour in the moustache she has given herself with shoe polish. Secondly, the true close-up such as in this shot which enables the narrative to be furthered by using this close up or medium close up. It allows the viewer to see what Mary Jane is pouring into the oven. In big bold letter PARRAFIN the flammable oil. Without this shot the viewer would be perplexed as to why she exploded and allows the narrative

to flow as it could be water or any other fluid for all they know as cleverly Smith used this miseen-scene to explain the narrative instead of an intertitle before the explosion which would have removed all suspense, tension and mystery especially after she moved to the cameras to show her gesturing a bright idea. Though this close-up could also be argued by Gunning of being of the cinema of attractions as For a time [in cinema] close-ups were only used as an attraction to see an images but larger than life but inciting visual curiosity (Gunning, pg 58) rather being evolutionary towards narrative cinema. The close-ups heighten the only [tool they] they have at their disposal, a language of gestures (Burch, 224) musser idea

Mary Jane's Mishap combined the cinema of attraction trick film with the viewers want for narrative. The decline in their [trick films] commercial importance was already evident by 1906 (Salt, 40) Smith used a jump cut to create the illusion of Mary Jane exploding into smoke by subtracting her and adding smoke in the successive shot. He also uses superimposition to create a ghost liken creature. Like an avatar for its day. This shows narratives cinema still being influenced by the cinema of attractions as to make an entertaining film. The acting in this is unrealistic and comedic. Not played by a professional actress. The actress is Smiths wife. She oten looks at the camera and winks and tit several time before the disspareaing trick as if to say say look at me and what gonna happen next you know what gonna hpppen so keep watching. It engages teh viewer to watch . She is a show woman. Psyhcial bcomedy not talking. In modern narrative cinema it has a voyeuristic aspect of narrative cinema (Gunning, 57) as analyzed by Christian Metz. Mary Jane's Mishap is exhibitionist cinema such as the recurring look at the camera by actors (Gunning, 57) as we see Mary Jane do several times going as far to

wink at it and also moving towards the camera. It spoils the realistic illusion of cinema and used the magical illusion (Gunning, 57). Though this was done purposeful in Mary Jane's Mishap as it established contact with the audience (Gunning, 57) like how a theatre showman or at a circus man would or the leader of a variety act. She engages with the audience the most at the 30 seconds building up to Smiths disappearing trick as to tell the audience to keep watching. It displays visibility willing to rupture a self-enclosed fictional world for a chance to solicit the attention of the spectator (Gunning, 57). The facial expression genre in which charcters mug at the camera in close-up or medium shot forms one drmamtic example. ... I assert that that early films tendancy to rely upon the space within the fram rather than the possibil................... (Gunning, 97)

Gunning may argue that Mary Jane's Mishap has a Theatrical display [that] dominates over narrative absorption, emphasizing, the direct stimulation of shock or surprise at the expense of unfolding story or creating characters with psychological motivations or individual personality. (Gunning, 58). As argued before Mary Jane is very theatrical with her performance engaging the audience like in a theatre show that early cinema tries to replicate. The film is essentially a vehicle to display effects within a narrative with a house wife with no real motivation especially in the closing scene where she haunts and scares the people at the grave through the superimposition effect just so she can rest with the paraffin bottle which killed her. There is no explainable or relatable motive here. The film displays outwards towards an acknowledged spectator rather than inwards towards the character-based situations essential to classical narrative (Gunning, 58) Mary Jane's Mishap has progressed from the so called first genre as identified by Gunning. He

would name Mary Jane's Mishap as part of the second genre as the disruption of the continuity (Gunning, 90) of the explosion is used to create shock and surprise though it can also fall under the third genre as Smith attempts to cut the medium close up with the wide shot of Mary Jane in the first scene to join the shots and de-emphasize discontinuity as well as trying to match the character movement to bridge the cuts. (Gunning, 90) The key articulation in the scene would be the cut-in (or the cut out) in which successive shots overlap spatially. This would find its beginnings in the cut-ins to medium shots in such films as Mary Jane's Mishap but becomes dominant practice around 1912. (Gunning, 93) According to this view, the single-shot functions as a theatrical proscenium (long shot framing) and the theatrical scene (the lengthy uninterrupted shot) (Gunning, 97). Though Mary Jane's Mishap evolves from this by using these cut-ins though these are still only cut-ins filmed from the same perspective/position of the original shots/ where a audience member of a theatre show would stay. Understanding of it being primitive.