Animators as Inventors: how animator’s inventions and technology adoption shape moving imagery

1. Animators as Inventors:how animator’s inventions and technology adoption shape moving imagery Erica Schisler Com546 - Evolution and Trends in Digital Media Technologies December 6, 2005

2. Agenda • Past • Max Fleischer • Present • Scott Snibbe and others • Future

3. Research Significance • The main relevance for this study is in understanding both what the consumers want as well us understanding more about the creators of animation so as to point to the kinds of tools (software and hardware) that are needed in the future.

4. Definition of Animation • For this research Animation is defined both in the traditional sense of cel type animation and also to mean any manipulation of the frame image or the manipulation of static objects for the effect of movement. • I am defining animation as the illusion of motion created rather than recorded, as in a live-action recording through a video camera or film camera, and this can include stop-motion of clay, puppets or people. This definition also covers what we have come to know as special effects, because the basis of special effects, including CGI, is the manipulation of a frame, which creates motion. This definition also then covers experimental animation and effects. • Animation is then defined as moving imagery which consists of photographed, scanned or computer generated series of drawings, objects, images or other computer graphics (such as 3 dimensional models) that simulate motion by recording continuous changes in the images or objects, over time, frame by frame.

5. Past - Max Fleischer • Produced films from 1915-1942 • Founded The Fleischer Studio with brothers Joe and Dave • Best known as the creator of Betty Boop, Koko the Clown, Popeye (animated), Superman (animated), and Gulliver’s Travels

6. Max Fleischer -continued • Invented and patented Rotoscoping • Technique in which live action images are traced either manually or automatically. • Originally film images were projected onto a windowpane and traced by the animator. • First Rotoscoped cartoon was Koko the Clown (Dave Fleischer as Koko) • Max, Joe and Dave traced 2600 frames (16 fps = almost 3 minutes) to create the first Koko cartoon. • Rotoscoping was later immortalized in Snow White and then Gulliver’s Travels

7. Max Fleischer - Rotoscoping Patent • Method for producing moving picture cartoons. • Patent: 1,242,674

8. Max Fleischer - other inventions • Rear Screen Projection • Rotograph • Synchronized Slidefilm Projector • A New Use for Electric Conductive Ink • Copy Reader: A Means of Assisting Galley-Proof Readers • A Method for Using Paper Film for Projection • Record Timing Device • A Means for Evaluating Audience Reaction to Motion Picture, Radio, Stage Presentation • Never wind clock • “Follow the bouncing ball”

9. “Bouncing Ball” Sing-along

10. Present - Scott Snibbe • born in 1969 • Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Fine Art, and a Master’s in Computer Science from Brown University. • Studied experimental animation at the Rhode Island School of Design • He has taught media art and experimental film at Brown University, The Rhode Island School of Design and UC Berkeley. • Held research positions at Adobe Systems and Interval Research. • His research is documented in a number of academic papers, several patents, and in the special effects program Adobe After Effects. • Various independent/experimental films shown internationally as well as kinetic art. • http://www.snibbe.com/

11. Snibbe - continued • Motion Sketch • Motion Sketch (1991) evolved out of an exploration of how to make cinema with your body. • attaches the movements of one’s hand to the movements of abstract forms. These forms exist in a short one-second loop. The temporal complexity comes from the continuous layering of these forms, creating a motion painting. • Became Motion Sketch in After Effects • You can draw a path for the motion of a layer and it records your position and the speed with which you draw. As you create the path, keyframes are created

12. Snibbe - continued • Motion Phone (1995) • Networked version of Motion Sketch creating a dynamic shared canvas • Collaborative version of Motion Sketch

13. Stu Maschwitz • Worked in the Rebel Unit, a group within ILM dedicated to producing effects at a reduced cost (on the Mac). • supervised over 200 shots for Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace • Founder of The Orphanage: http://www.theorphanage.com • Created Magic Bullet • set of effects to transform the harsh look of video to the softer, more organic look of film • Also created eLin • Emulates real-world lighting, motion blurring, and perception in 3D composites • Color correct according to lab specifications (points and stops).

14. John Knoll • Visual effects specialist at ILM. • Original creator of Photoshop(along with his brother, Thomas) • Best known for his work as Visual Effects Supervisor on the Star Wars prequels. • Knoll was also the Computer Graphics Project Designer on The Abyss. • earned ILM its tenth Academy Award.

15. Future • Collaboration • Animation could be as easy as having a puppet show • 3D Technologies repurposed • Machinima • http://www.machinima.com/ • More Industrial uses • Car design, furniture design etc. • Machine design in general • Gas = oil field simulation for discovery • General Growth of information visualization • Prototyping • User Interfaces • Business Communications

16. Future - continued • Medical Animation • Cartographic Animation • Animating any type of geographic change • Especially powerful for animating epidemics • Operations and other procedures • Tests & Experiments • Futurama • The combining of AI, VR, Animatronics, robotics, animation • 3D Sound - the ability to make a noise seem to come from any point in space, given co-ordinates relative to the listener. • Smell, sensations of texture and temperature (fur, sandpaper, water

17. Q & AThanks.