Doing the Time Warp

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” -- Albert Einstein

Time-lapse is a technique used in cinematography, whereby each film frame is captured at a rate much slower than its playback. When replayed at normal speed, time appears to move faster, as if someone pushed the fast-forward button.

The technique was used in films as early as 1897, as seen in Georges Méliès' motion picture Carrefour De L'Opera.

The first major usage of time-lapse in a feature film was Koyaanisqatsi (1983). The film consists primarily of slow motion and time-lapse stock footage of cities and natural landscapes across the United States.  With no dialogue or narration, its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and music.

This clip from our archive features time-lapse stocks of Toronto, shot in HD. Watch for the historic Gooderham Building (“Flatiron Building”).