Filming war in action was an enormous challenge in the early days of filmmaking. Film cameras and tripods were large and bulky, and the film reels had to be hand cranked. This led to newsreel companies making deals that allowed them greater access to the battlefield. One of the most famous of these deals was between Pancho Villa and the Mutual Film Corporation in January 1914.
Five men in center of photograph identified as: Carl von Hoffman, Mutual Film Corporation photographer (in light-colored sweater), interpreter for cameraman (in business suit and overcoat), General Villa (holding gun), Col. Trinidad Rodriguez, and a cameraman for Mutual Film Corporation. Copyright Mutual Film Corporation, 1914. Courtesy Library of Congress.
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Pancho Villa, who led the División del Norte rebel forces against the government during the Mexican revolution, was paid $25,000 for exclusive filming rights. For the filming, Pancho Villa wore a custom-made general's uniform that remained the property of the Mutual Film Corporation. While the complete truth is unclear, there are reports that Villa accommodated the cameras by pausing battle, soldiers performing reenactments, and Villa himself doing numerous takes when needed.
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General Francisco "Pancho" Villa (1877-1923) on horseback, during the Mexican Revolution, 1914. Possibly from the Mutual Film Corporation footage. Courtesy Library of Congress.
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The first video below shows footage from the 1914 battle of Ojinaga. The second video, and perhaps the most ethically problematic and troubling, shows the execution of a federal sharp-shooter.
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