The following is an overview of the events of 1894 in film, including a list of films released and notable births.
Events
January 7
William Kennedy Dickson receives a patent for motion picture film. Dickson and William Heise film their colleague, Fred Ott sneezing with the Kinetograph at Edison's Black Maria studio. April 14 – The first commercial presentation of the Kinetoscope took place in the Holland Brothers' Kinetoscope Parlor at 1155 Broadway, New York City. June 6 - Charles Francis Jenkins projects a filmed motion picture before an audience in Richmond, Indiana. Earliest documented projection of a motion picture. Thomas Edison experiments with synchronizing audio with film; the Kinetophone is invented which loosely synchronizes a Kinetoscope image with a cylinder phonograph. Kinetoscope viewing parlors begin to open in major cities. Each parlor contains several machines. Birt Acres creates a 70 mm format, which he first uses to shoot the Henley Royal Regatta.
Notable films released in 1894
Birt Acres
Crows on Saffron Hill
Haycart Crossing Hadley Green, Middlesex
Charles-Émile Reynaud
Autour d'une cabine
Rêve au coin du feu
Étienne-Jules Marey
Falling Cat
Chat en Chute Libre
William K. L. Dickson
Alleni's Boxing Monkeys
Amateur Gymnast, No. 2
Annabelle Butterfly Dance, starring Annabelle Moore
Annabelle Sun Dance, starring Annabelle Moore
Annie Oakley, starring Annie Oakley
Armand D'Ary, starring Armand D'Ary
Athlete with Wand
Babies in High Chairs
Band Drill
A Bar Room Scene
The Barbershop
Bertoldi (Mouth Support), starring Ena Bertoldi
Bertoldi (Table Contortion), starring Ena Bertoldi
Boxing, starring Jack McAuliffe
The Boxing Cats (Prof. Welton's) Bucking Broncho, starring Lee Martin Buffalo Bill (lost), starring William F. Cody Buffalo Dance, starring Hair Coat, Parts His Hair and Last Horse Caicedo (with Pole), starring Juan A. Caicedo Caicedo (with Spurs), starring Juan A. Caicedo Carmencita, starring Carmencita The Carnival Dance, starring Madge Crossland, May Lucas and Lucy Murray Chinese Laundry Scene, directed by William Heise and William K. L. Dickson and starring Phil Doreto and Robetta Chinese Opium Den (lost) The Cock Fight Cock Fight, No. 2 Corbett and Courtney Before the Kinetograph, starring James J. Corbett and Peter Courtney Cupid's Dance, starring Florence Ewer, Lenora Ewer and Mildred Ewer Dance, starring Rosa France, Frank Lawton and Etta Williamson Dance du Ventre The Dickson Experimental Sound Film Dogs Fighting Edison Employee Picnic Fancy Club Swinger, starring John R. Abell Finale of 1st Act, Hoyt's 'Milk White Flag'''Fire Rescue SceneFred Ott Holding a Bird, starring Fred OttFred Ott's Sneeze, starring Fred OttFrench DancersGlenroy Bros., (no. 2)Hadj Cheriff, starring Hadji CheriffHighland DanceThe Hornbacker-Murphy Fight, starring Eugene Hornbacker and MurphyHuman Pyramid, starring Saleem NassarImperial Japanese Dance, starring the Sarashe SistersLady Fencers (With Broadswords), starring Louise Blanchard and Helen EnglehartLady Fencers (With Foils)Lasso Exhibition, starring Frank Hammitt and Lee MartinLasso Thrower (lost), starring Vicente OropezaLeonard-Cushing Fight, starring Jack Cushing and Mike LeonardLuis Martinetti, Contortionist, starring Luis MartinettiMan of a Thousand Faces, starring George LaymanMay Lucas, starring May LucasMen on Parallel BarsMexican Knife Duel (lost), starring Pedro Esquivel and Dionecio GonzalesMiss Lucy Murray, starring Lucy MurrayMlle. Capitaine, starring Alciede CapitaineOrgan Grinder, No. 1Organ Grinder, No. 2Oriental Dance, starring RosaThe Pickaninny Dance, from the 'Passing Show', starring Joe Rastus, Denny Tolliver and Walter WilkinsRat KillingRats and Terrier No. 2Rats and Terrier No. 3Rats and WeaselRuth Dennis, starring Ruth St. DenisSandow, starring Eugen Sandow Sheik Hadji Tahar, starring Sheik Hadji Tahar Sioux Ghost Dance Summersault Dog, starring Lucy the Dog and Ivan Tschernoff Sword Combat, starring Najid and Saleem Nassar Topack and Steele, starring George W. Steele and George Topack Toyou Kichi, starring Toyou Kichi Trained Bears Trapeze Unsuccessful Somersault Walton and Slavin, starring John Slavin and Charles F. Walton Whirlwind Gunspinning, starring Hadj Lessik The Widder, starring Isabelle Coe Wonderful Performing Dog, starring Lucy the Dog and Ivan Tschernoff The Wrestling Dog, starring Henry Welton Wrestling Match
Films directed by other filmmakers
Miss Jerry, directed by Alexander Black, starring by Blanche Bayliss, William Courtenay and Chauncey Depew.