Directions: Read the passage, and answer the question that follows. A Versatile Filmmaker. Few people would contradict that statement that Buster Keaton was a legendary filmmaker. He started making films when the industry was new. Though he would eventually transfer his career to movies, Keaton was first a stage performer. He knew how to sing, dance, play instruments, perform magic, tumble, and fall. His years of experience taught him what was funny, so Keaton wrote scripts, too. When he arrived in California in 1917, Keaton took apart a camera to see how it worked, and soon he was off and running! By 1928, he had made 31 short movies that audiences loved. He was often called "The Great Stoneface" for good reason–the expression on his face never seemed to change, as if it were made of stone. Buster Keaton was so versatile that he not only performed in his movies but also wrote and directed them. He took responsibility for technical flaws, too. Today, if takes a huge crew to get a movie into production, but Buster Keaton was a crew all by himself. Top right, a portrait of Buster Keaton during filming. Bottom left, a portrait of Buster Keaton and a woman during filming.

What do the photographs tell the reader about how long ago Buster Keaton was making films? Explain your answer.