Th sbstttn splc r stp trck s cnmtc spcl ffct n whch flmmkrs chv n pprnc, dspprnc, r trnsfrmtn by ltrng n r mr slctd spcts f th ms-n-scèn btwn tw shts
whl mntnng th sm frmng nd thr spcts f th scn n bth shts. Th ffct s slly plshd by crfl dtng t stblsh smlss ct nd ptml mmnt f chng. t hs ls bn rfrrd t s stp mtn sbstttn r stp-ctn.
Th pnrng Frnch flmmkr Grgs Mélès clmd t hv ccdntlly dvlpd th stp trck, s h wrt n Ls Vs Cnémtgrphqs n 1907 (trnsltd frm Frnch):
n bstrctn f th pprts tht sd n th bgnnng ( rdmntry pprts n whch th flm wld ftn tr r gt stck nd rfs t dvnc) prdcd n nxpctd ffct, n dy whn ws prsclly flmng th Plc d L'pér; hd t stp fr mnt t fr th flm nd t gt th mchn gng gn. Drng ths tm pssrsby, mnbss, crs, hd ll chngd plcs, f crs. Whn ltr prjctd th flm, rttchd t th pnt f th rptr, sddnly sw th Mdln-Bstll bs chngd nt hrs, nd mn chngd nt wmn. Th trck-by-sbstttn, clld th stp trck, hd bn nvntd nd tw dys ltr prfrmd th frst mtmrphss f mn nt wmn nd th frst sddn dspprncs tht hd, t th bgnnng, sch grt sccss.
ccrdng t th flm schlr Jcqs Dslnds, t s mr lkly tht Mélès dscvrd th trck by crflly xmnng prnt f th dsn Mnfctrng Cmpny's 1895 flm Th xctn f Mry Strt, n whch prmtv vrsn f th trck pprs. n ny cs, th sbstttn splc ws bth th frst spcl ffct Mélès prfctd, nd th mst mprtnt n hs bdy f wrk.
Flm hstrns sch s Rchrd bl nd lzbth zr stblshd tht mch f th ffct ws th rslt f Mélès's crfl frm mtchng drng th dtng prcss, crtng smlss mtch ct t f tw sprtly stgd shts. ndd, Mélès ftn sd sbstttn splcng nt s n bvs spcl ffct, bt s n ncnspcs dtng tchnq, mtchng nd cmbnng shrt tks nt n pprntly smlss lngr sht. Sbstttn splcng cld bcm vn mr smlss whn th flm ws clrd by hnd, s mny f Mélès's flms wr; th ddtn f pntd clr cts s slght f hnd tchnq llwng th cts t pss by nntcd.
Th sbstttn splc ws th mst pplr cnmtc spcl ffct n trck flms nd rly flm fntss, spclly ths tht vlvd frm th stg trdtn f th fér. Sgnd d Chmón s mng th thr flmmkrs wh sd sbstttn splcng t crt lbrt fntsy ffcts. D.W. Grffth's 1909 flm Th Crtn Pl, strrng Mck Snntt, sd sbstttn splcs fr cmdc ffct. Th trnsfrmtns md pssbl by th sbstttn splc wr s cntrl t rly fntsy flms tht, n Frnc, sch flms wr ftn dscrbd smply s scèns à trnsfrmtn.
Ths tchnq s dffrnt frm th stp mtn tchnq, n whch th ntr sht s crtd frm by frm.