Abel Gance was a self educated filmmaker from France born in 1889. His biggest accomplishment was a six-part depiction of Napoleon telling the story of the rise of Napoleon I of France. Unfortunately only the first part was completed however, the significance of this film lies within Gance's film technique which was way before its time.
"The film was full of experimental techniques, combining rapid cutting, hand-held cameras, superimposition of images, and, most famously, his wide-screen sequences achieved, with a system he called Polyvision, by using triple cameras (and projectors) to create a spectacular panoramic effect, including a finale in which the outer two film panels were tinted blue and red, creating a widescreen image of a French flag."


Gance pioneered the use of widescreen and brought popularity to the idea of experimenting with hand held cameras. The film was originally a six hour segment but was later cut down in length. The story of Napoleon itself received mixed reviews from audiences around the world but it is undeniable that Gance founded some of the greatest advances in the history of filmmaking.