example, the time code number 01:05:30:12 represents a picture 1 hour, 5 minutes, 30 seconds and 12 "frames" into the recording.
Founded by C. Francis Jenkins, who also served as president from 1916-1918, SMPE (the "T" was added to the Society in 1950 to accommodate the recently-invented television and its industry) was the solution to the unorganized (soon-to-be) motion picture industry of the early 1900s. At the time, equipment was built according to a manufacturer's whims, with standard practice nonexistent. Consistency had to exist or the use of imaging for practical applications would fail. With the world on the brink of war, the army saw a need for motion pictures for training and imaging for recording both military events and surveillance. The U.S. government attempted to bring order to this chaotic industry by creating a body to lead development in motion pictures looking to Jenkins as the key, an inventor who developed the first motion picture projector in 1895 (along with Thomas Armat), as well as several unique imaging devices, including an underwater camera and a panoramic camera for aerial views.
"The history of SMPTE is almost synonymous with the history of film and television, and it has been a remarkable journey over the past century," said SMPTE Executive Director Barbara Lange. "Sound and pictures impact the human experience, which means that masses of people have enjoyed the benefits of SMPTE's work. With our recognition of SMPTE's Founders' Day and its incorporation date, we pay tribute to the many pioneers who have volunteered behind the scenes to enable the rich visual storytelling that we all
enjoy."
During the spring of 1915, the Boardwalk of Atlantic City hosted a trio consisting of Jenkins, E.K. Gillett, and N.I. Brown who would be the answer to the problem. A year later, in July of 1916, a total of ten engineers came to a unanimous decision to create a society of engineering specialists in the motion picture field, for which a constitution was drafted. The constitution was ratified in October of 1916, committees were established, and the SMPE society was born, with Jenkins as its first chairman and president.
Today, SMPTE members exist in over 64 countries worldwide; SMPTE itself is recognized as the global leader in the development of standards and authoritative practices for film, television, video and multimedia. Over 250 Sustaining (institutional) Members belong to SMPTE, including: Apple, Amazon, Blackmagic Design, CBS, Deluxe Technicolor, Disney/ABC/ESPN, Dolby Laboratories, Ericsson, Fox Entertainment
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