Panorama View, Street Car Motor Room

Panorama View, Street Car Motor Room (1904)

During the early 1900's Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company made a number of industrial films that allowed the public to see what went on inside their buildings. Needless to say, these films didn't contain any sort of plot but some might find them interesting.

Of all the films made by the Westinghouse Company, the ones with Billy Bitzer behind the camera were the most fascinating since they usually involved crane shots, which were still rather new at the time. This one here has the camera placed on a crane and we go down the motor room as the title clearly states. The film is certainly refreshing when you compare it to the majority of the series thanks in large part to the camera moving and actually giving us more than the same thing to look at. It was fascinating getting to see how the work was done as well as what the people were wearing back in the day. Obviously, it was easy to see who had money in their pockets and who didn't.