Steal Engines and Cardboard Rockets

Keil's article is about early cinema around 1905-06 period. At this point in history there was a transition going on in styles (non-continuitous to classical.) There was already a consciousness about the difference between fiction and non-fiction film. In fact early audiences had a preference for non-fiction. Fiction film often used a variety of material and combined staged and actual footage. Actuality footage could support the narrative or even become part of it. Eventually, as narrative film developed and matured, it took on a more invisible style and eclipsed non-fiction as the choice for film-goers.