The invention of cinema in colour

II. The invention of natural colour

Introduction to the theory of colours
To understand how researchers invented the modern procedure of cinema in colour, it is necessary first of all to remember the 17th century revelation of the solar spectrum by English physicist Isaac Newton. During his studies on the decomposition of light, Newton projected a white light on a screen through a glass prism and saw a coloured beam appear (the seven colours of the rainbow) to which he gave the name solar spectrum.

Solar spectrum

Primary colours

Afterwards researchers noticed that it was possible to recreate the white light as well as all the colours of the solar spectrum with only three colours. These colours are red, green and blue. They are known as primary colours.

It was on the principle of primary colours relied on by research that would allow the invention of cinema in colour. It was the result of experiments by a number of pioneers but unfortunately it is impossible to name them all.

1. Three-colour process
2. Colour reproduced on the projection print
3. The invention of film in colour

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