Which industrial advancement played a key role in the establishment of the film industry?

The Industrial Revolution is the correct answer because it laid the foundational technological, economic, and social conditions that made the establishment of the film industry possible. During this period, significant advancements in machinery and manufacturing processes transformed the way goods were produced and consumed. This fostered an environment ripe for innovation, particularly in the realm of visual entertainment.

Key developments from the Industrial Revolution included improvements in photography and motion picture technology, such as the creation of the motion picture camera and film stock. Additionally, the growth of cities and the rise of a middle class provided a market for entertainment venues, such as theaters, which became essential to the burgeoning film industry.

In contrast, while the Internet has revolutionized distribution and consumption of films in modern times, it came long after the film industry was established. Radio broadcasting, though significant in its own right, primarily influenced the development of audio media rather than visual storytelling. The printing press contributed to the spread of literature and ideas but did not directly impact the mechanics of film production and exhibition in the same way that advances during the Industrial Revolution did.