georges melies was a french illusionist and film director famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest days of cinema.  he was an especially prfillic innovator in the use of special effects, popularizing such techniques as substitution splices, multiple exposures, time-lapse photography, dissolves, and hand-painted colour. 

Winsor mcCay was ana american cartoonist and animator. he is best known for the comic strip little nemo. he was a quick, profilic and technically dextrous artist. between 1911 and 1921 he self financed and animated ten films, some of which survive only as fragments. 

Lotte Reiniger was a german film director and the foremost pioneer of silhouette animation. she has made more than 40 films over her career, all using her invention. as a child she was fascinated with chinese art, and she even built her own puppy theatre, so that she could put on shows for her family and friends.