This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Shoehorn~enwiki (talk | contribs) at 12:37, 28 October 2002 (outlined a very brief history for further elaboration). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 12:37, 28 October 2002 by Shoehorn~enwiki (talk | contribs) (outlined a very brief history for further elaboration)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Animation refers to the process in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model (see claymation and stop motion), and then photographing the result. When the frames are strung together and the resulting film is viewed at a speed of 16 or more frames per second, there is an illusion of continuous movement (due to the persistence of vision). Generating such a film is very labour intensive and tedious, though the development of computer animation has greatly sped up the process.
Limited animation is a way of increasing production and decreasing costs of animation by using "short cuts" in the animation process. This method was pioneered by UPA, then adapted by other studios cartoons moved from movies into television.
Animation History
Animated films with synchronized sound tracks began to be produced in the USA in the mid 1920s.
The Golden Age
Animated shorts (generally under 10 minutes in length) were first shown in movie theaters. During the Great Depression of the 1930's in America, the extreme popularity of the cinema led to a corresponding rise in popularity of animated shorts. This was the Golden Age of animation, when some of the most famous characters, such as Disney's Mickey Mouse and Warner Bros' Bugs Bunny, became popularized.
In 1937, Walt Disney produced Snow White, the first feature-length animated movie.
After the US's entry into World War II, most of the resources used to create animated shorts were redirected towards producing war-related material and propaganda. The recent invention of television and its growing popularity also led to a decline in moviegoing, and together these events mark the end of the Golden Age.
Animation on Television, 50's-60's
The Flintstones, Hanna-Barbera, low cost production methods
Commercialization and counterculture, 70's-80's
Heavy Metal, The Smurfs, California Institute of the Arts
Revival, late 80's-90's
Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Simpsons (return of animation to prime time television), Ren and Stimpy
Digital Animation
Beauty and the Beast, Pixar, Toy Story
Random bits from previous versions of this article
- Humourous Phases of Funny Faces (1906) by J. Stuart Blackton, the earliest surviving American animation
- Gertie the Dinosaur (1914) by Winsor McCay
- Fantasmagorie (1908) by Emile Cohl
- The Cameraman's Revenge (1912) by Ladislas Starevitch
- Koko the Clown (1916) by Max Fleischer
- Felix the Cat (1919) by Otto Messmer
- Snow White (1937) by
Famous names in animation include:
- Tex Avery
- Ralph Bakshi
- Mel Blanc
- Bob Clampett
- Shamus Culhane
- Walt Disney
- Max Fleischer
- Friz Freleng
- John Hubley
- Ub Iwerks
- Chuck Jones
- Walter Lantz
- Winsor McCay
- Grim Natwick
Animation Studios
- Aardman Animation
- Filmation
- Hanna-Barbera Productions
- Pixar
- Termite Terrace
- UPA
- Walt Disney Studios
- Warner Brothers
See also: Animated series, Anime