Silent movies were once the staple of the cinema industry before sound was introduced. These films were often characterized by their use of visual storytelling, pantomime and expressions to convey the storyline. While "silent movie" is the most commonly used phrase for this genre, there are a few other terms that could be used interchangeably such as "silents", "motion pictures without sound", "mute films", "non-talking pictures" and "silent era films". Each of these phrases emphasizes the absence of sound in the film, in contrast to modern-day cinema. Regardless of the name used, silent movies have left a lasting impact on the world of cinema and continue to be studied and admired today.