History Of Animation

  • Persistence of vision with regard to moving objects

    Persistence of vision with regard to moving objects
    Peter Mark Roget, who did research in physiology at the University of London, published "Persistence of Vision with Regard to Moving Objects." This book presented the idea that a succession of still images could create the appearance of motion.
  • phenakistiscope

    phenakistiscope
    Joseph Plateau (a Belgian scientist) developed the phenakistiscope.
  • praxinoscope

    praxinoscope
    Emile Reynaud (from France) patents the praxinoscope .. a device that used mirrors to project a sequence of images (along with a fixed background) onto a screen. It was sufficiently complex that only he could run it. The infinite length tape changed the medium from a curiosity into entertainment.
  • movie camera

    movie camera
    The age of movie camera and projector begins .. experimentors discover they can stop the crank and restart it again to obtain special effects. Example: James Stuart Blackton creates "The Enchanted Drawing" in 1900 .. a caricature is drawn with no evidence of an artist.
  • Gertie the Dinosaur

    Gertie the Dinosaur
    Windsor McCay produces perhaps the first popular animation .. Gertie the Dinosaur, which becomes part of his vaudeville act
  • rotoscoping

    rotoscoping
    John Bray patents rotoscoping (developed by Max Fleischer)
  • Felix The Cat

    Felix The Cat
    Otto Mesmer creates Felix the Cat
  • Steamboat Willie

    Steamboat Willie
    Walt Disney releases "Steamboat Willie" .. an early cartoon w/ sound -- cartoons are now seen as entertainment. Disney innovations over the next 10-20 years include the storyboard, pencil tests, and the multi-plane camera stand (3D effects). Disney also promoted the analysis of real-life motion.
  • Betty Boop and Popeye

     Betty Boop and Popeye
    Fleischer studios create Betty Boop and Popeye
  • Warner Bros

    Warner Bros
    Warner Bros .. Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, and Bugs Bunny appear
  • Snow White

    Snow White
    Snow White is released at cost of $1.5M
  • University of Utah, Fred Parke

    University of Utah, Fred Parke
    University of Utah, Fred Parke creates first computer generated facial animation. Ref: F. Parke, "Computer Generated Animation of Faces", Proceedings of the ACM National Conference, 1972. (In the SIGGRAPH 98 Seminal Graphics collection.)
  • University of Utah, Ed Catmull

    University of Utah, Ed Catmull
    University of Utah, Ed Catmull develops an animation scripting language and creates an animation of a smooth shaded hand. Ref: E. Catmull, "A System for Computer Generated Movies", Proceedings of the ACM National Conference, 1972. (In the SIGGRAPH 98 Seminal Graphics collection.)
  • Tron

    Tron
    Tron, MAGI, movie with CG premise
  • Lucasfilm

     Lucasfilm
    Bill Reeves at Lucasfilm publishes techniques for modeling particle systems. "Demo" is Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn. The paper also promotes motion blur. Ref: W. Reeves, "Particle Systems -- A Technique for Modeling a Class of Fuzzy Objects", Computer Graphics, 17(3), July 1983. (In the SIGGRAPH 98 Seminal Graphics collection.)
  • The Last Starfighter

    The Last Starfighter
    The Last Starfighter, CG is used in place of models
  • Girard and Maciejewski at OSU

    Girard and Maciejewski at OSU
    Girard and Maciejewski at OSU publish a paper describing the use of inverse kinematics and dynamics for animation. Their techniques are used in the animation "Eurythmy." Ref: M. Girard and A. A. Maciejewski, "Computational Modeling for the Computer Animation of Legged Figures", Computer Graphics, 19(3), July 1985. (In the SIGGRAPH 98 Seminal Graphics collection.)
  • Ken Perlin at NYU

    Ken Perlin at NYU
    Ken Perlin at NYU publishes a paper on noise functions for textures. He later applied this technique to add realism to character animations. Ref: K. Perlin, "An Image Synthesizer", Computer Graphics, 19(3), July 1985. (In the SIGGRAPH 98 Seminal Graphics collection.)
  • John Lasseter at Pixar

    John Lasseter at Pixar
    John Lasseter at Pixar publishes a paper describing traditional animation principles. "Demos" are Andre and Wally B and Luxo Jr. Ref: J. Lasseter, "Principles of Traditional Animation Applied to 3D Computer Animation", Computer Graphics, 21(4), July 1987. (In the SIGGRAPH 98 Seminal Graphics collection.)
  • Symbolics

    Symbolics
    Craig Reynolds then at Symbolics (now at Dreamworks SKG) publishes a paper on self-organizing behavior for groups. "Demos" are Stanley and Stella and Batman Returns. Ref: C. W. Reynolds, "Flocks, Herds, and Schools: A Distributed Behavioral Model", Computer Graphics, 21(4), July 1987. (In the SIGGRAPH 98 Seminal Graphics collection.)
  • morphing

    Willow uses morphing sequence in live action film
  • Beier and Neely, at SGI and PDI

    Beier and Neely, at SGI and PDI
    Beier and Neely, at SGI and PDI respectively publish an algorithm where line correspondences guide morphing between 2D images. "Demo" is Michael Jackson video Black and White. Ref: T. Beier and S. Neely, "Feature-Based Image Metamorphosis", Computer Graphics, 26(2), July 1992. (In the SIGGRAPH 98 Seminal Graphics collection.)
  • Jurassic Park

    Jurassic Park
    Jurassic Park use of CG for realistic living creatures
  • Chen and WIlliams

    Chen and WIlliams
    Chen and Williams at Apple publish a paper on view interpolation for 3D walkthroughs. Ref: S. E. Chen and L. Williams, "View Interpolation for Image Synthesis", Computer Graphics Proceedings, Annual Conference Series, 1993. (In the SIGGRAPH 98 Seminal Graphics collection.)
  • Toy Story

    Toy Story
    Toy Story first full-length 3D CG feature film