The History of Animation

Zoetrope

Sep 12, 1834

What: A zoetrope that produces the illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of drawings or photographs showing progressive phases of that motion.
Who: William George Horner
Where: Britain
Why: A pre-film animation device that shows motion.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBg6dAE3mI0
Info: "Zoetrope." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.
Image:Zoetrope. Digital image. Encyclopedia of Brittanica, Inc., 16 May 2013. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.

Photographic Sequence

Jun 15, 1878

What: a sequence of images of a process, using the power of time-lapse photography to document changes over time.
Who: Edward Muybridge
Where: California
Why: proves that horses have all four hooves off the ground during their running stride.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEqccPhsqgA
Info: "Eadweard Muybridge." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016.
Muybridge, Eadweard. Galloping Horse. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016.

Flipbook

Sep 13, 1894

What: series of pictures that vary from one page to the next, so that when the pages are turned rapidly, it appears to animate
Who: John Linnett
Where: England
Why: first form of animation to have a linear sequence rather than circular
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UocF4ycBnYE
Info: "Flipbook." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, 12 Sept. 2016. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.
Image: King Kong (the Original!) Flip Book. Digital image. Fliptomania. Fliptomania Inc, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.

The Enchanted Drawing

Sep 16, 1900

What: a silent film that shows a man drawing a cartoon face on an easel. He takes objects off the canvas and they go back into the image.
Who: J Stuart Blackton
Where: United States
Why: the first animated sequences recorded on standard picture film
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYDmH2B9XJw
Info: "The Enchanted Drawing." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2016. The Enchanted Drawing. Digital image. Wikipedia. Vita Graph Studios, Thomas Edison, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2016.

Fantasmagorie

Sep 19, 1908

What: animated film
Who: Émile Cohl
Where: France
Why: It is one of the earliest examples of traditional (hand-drawn) animation, and considered by film historians to be the first animated cartoon.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyTYNZUd3hQ
Info: "Fantasmagorie (1908 Film)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2016.
FindingDulcinea Staff. A still from "Fantasmagorie" Digital image. Finding Dulcinea. Dulcinea Media, Inc., 17 Aug. 2011. Web. 19 Sept. 2016.

Gertie the Dinosaur

Sep 19, 1914

What: It is the earliest animated film to feature a dinosaur
Who: Winsor McCay
Where: America
Why: first film to use animation techniques such as keyframes, registration marks, tracing paper, the Mutoscope action viewer, and animation loops.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmVra1mW7LU
Info: "Gertie the Dinosaur." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2016.
McCay, Winsor. Gertie the Dinosaur. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2016.

Warner Bros.

Apr 4, 1923

What: entertainment company
Who: Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack Warner
Where: America
Why: One of the most respected, diversified and successful motion picture and television studios in the world
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNRoRncrt24
Info: "Warner Bros." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.
America, America (1963) Logo. Digital image. The Movie Title Stills Collection. Warner Bros., 2016. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.

The Walt Disney Company

Oct 16, 1923

What:an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate
Who: Walt Disney
Where: HQ Burbank, California
Why: one of the largest and best-known studios in American cinema
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7c5EZwZLFA
Info: "The Walt Disney Company." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2016.
Gambino, Nick. Disney. Digital image. NewsWatch. NewsWatch/Bridge Communications LLC., 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Dec 21, 1937

What: animated musical fantasy film
Who: Walt Disney
Where: America
Why: Disney's take on the fairytale has had a huge cultural impact, resulting in popular theme park attractions, and a Broadway musical.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI0x0KYChq4
Info: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 Film)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
Photofest. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Digital image. The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 31 Mar. 2016. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.

The Flintstones

Sep 30, 1960

What: A show depicting the lives of a working-class Stone Age man, his next-door neighbor/best friend, and their families.
Who: Hanna-Barbera
Where: America
Why: the first animated primetime American television series
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2FaK4vhLv8
Info: "The Flintstones." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.
Kelly, Cathal. Lessons learned from "The Flintstones" Digital image. Thestar.com. Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd., 29 Sept. 2010. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.

Astro Boy

Sep 7, 1963

What: first popular animated television series that embodied the aesthetic aka anime
Who: Osamu Tepuka and Yoshiyuki Tomino
Where: Japan
Why: Astro Boy was named the 86th best animated series by IGN, calling it the first popular anime TV series.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4SmuiiwCV0
Info: "Astro Boy (1963 TV Series)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2016. Tomino, Yoshiyuki. Astro Boy. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Mar 11, 1984

What: animated epic science fantasy adventure film
Who: Hayao Miyazaki
Where: Japan
Why: ranked as one of the greatest animated films of all time
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJDaBGf8qSo
Info: "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (film)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.
Takani, Yoshiyuki. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.

The Land Before Time

Nov 18, 1988

What: animated adventure drama film
Who: Don Bluth
Where: United States and Ireland
Why: spawned a multimillion-dollar franchise with thirteen direct-to-video sequels and a television series
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJg3GP4tH94
Info: Everett Collection. A scene from "The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving." Digital image. New York Post. N.p., 13 Aug. 2014. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

May 24, 2002

What: animated western film. follows the adventures of a Mustang stallion living in the 19th century wild west.
Who: Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook
Where: United States
Why: Spirit and his fellow horses communicate with each other through sounds and body language.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vGpe_8XiNk
Info: "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.

Praxinoscope

Sep 15, 2016

What:Someone looking in the mirrors would see a rapid succession of images producing the illusion of motion, with a less distorted picture than the zoetrope offered.
Who: Charles-Émile Reynaud
Where: France
Why: improve the zoetrope
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOItdZOGnx8
Info: "Praxinoscope." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016. Praxinoscope Animation Classic Vintage Optical Illusion Toy. Digital image. Zoetrope and Praxinoscope. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2016.