Disney

Animation Thesis: Art Imitates Life, Part I

Introduction

Animation is derived from the fascination of light and motion.¹ There were many precursors and experiments which eventually led to the form of animation that can be identified with today.

Since these experiments, people have been adding enhancements to the basic process of animation. From Winsor McCay and his assistants, where all the artwork was drawn by hand, to Walt Disney and his studio of artists who made the feature-length animated film a reality, to Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera and their studios which produced many television animated cartoons, and finally today with the influence of our current technology where animation thrives in almost every aspect of communication. Through these times (1900 with Winsor McCay and “Gertie the Dinosaur” until the present) technology has influenced and changed the look of animation. From the black and white silent films to the brilliance of color and the vibrancy of sound. From the illusion of dimensionality with the multiplane camera to the xerographic line process where the colors only need to be added. Finally the influence of the computer which eliminated the tedious work of inking and painting each individual cel and aided in the production of complicated scenes which would normally involve a large team of artists.

Animation is a task which includes the collaboration of many people: animators, assistant animators, inbetweeners, layout people, story people, background artists, voice talents, composers, musicians, camera operators, editors, producers, and directors. It is the creative collaboration of these people that make an animated film. Animation has appeared as entertainment in short and full feature lengths, television shows, commercial advertisements, educational productions and most recently in the use of interactive multimedia.

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