D. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark "D. W." Griffith (✦January 22, 1875 - †July 23, 1948), known as the "Inventor of Hollywood," was an American film director, writer and producer who pioneered modern filmmaking techniques. He is known for his groundbreaking films The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916).
His film The Birth of a Nation made use of advanced camera and narrative techniques, and its immense popularity set the stage for the dominance of the feature-length film in the United States. Since its release, though it has been critically acclaimed, the film has sparked significant controversy surrounding race in the United States, focusing on its negative depiction of African Americans and its glorification of the 'Ku Klux Klan. Today, it is both lionized for its radical technique and condemned for its inherently racist philosophy. Filmed at a cost of $110,000, it returned tens of millions of dollars in profits, making it, perhaps, the most profitable film of all time, although a full accounting has never been made. The film was subject to boycotts by the NAACP and, after screenings of the film had caused riots at several theaters, the film was censored in many cities, including New York City. Intolerance, his next important film, was, in part, an answer to his critics.
Several of Griffith's later films, including Broken Blossoms (1919), Way Down East (1920) and Orphans of the Storm (1921), were also successful, but his high production, promotional and roadshow costs often made his ventures commercial failures. By the time of his final feature, The Struggle (1931), he had made roughly 500 films.
Griffith is one of the founders of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences and is widely considered among the most important figures in the history of cinema. He is credited with popularizing the use of the close-up shot.