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How You See It

19367 min 58 sec32 shots

Crowds entering a movie theater introduce an explanation of how separate still photographs appear to move on a screen. Diagrams of the eye and examples involving raindrops, passing scenery, and fireworks describe “persistence of vision,” in which an image seems to remain briefly after its source disappears. Footage of workers handling heavy equipment demonstrates how small changes between successive photographs create apparent motion, while high-speed photography produces slow motion when projected at a normal rate.

The film then uses diagrams, loose film, and an operating projector to explain how reels, sprockets, an aperture, lenses, a lamp, and a shutter work together. The shutter blocks the light while the film advances, allowing viewers to see each frame only while it is stationary and making the sequence appear continuous. A closing scene of people balanced atop a moving car emphasizes the film’s message that motion pictures can reveal fast action in ways the unaided eye cannot.

Provenance and rights

Original producer: Handy (Jam) Organization
Collection: Prelinger Archives
Original title: How You See It
Date: 1936
Original link: Open on Internet Archive
Rights: public_domain