The Stratospheric Rise of Animation

Maxwell Pegram

Mr. Alburgur

English III Honors

9 November 2021
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Maxwell Pegram

Mr. Alburger

English III Honors

9 November 2021

Animation

Held back only by the limits of imagination and an artist’s own capabilities, animation is

unlike any other form of art. In short, animation is the act of storytelling by making inanimate

objects appear to move. With technology quickly evolving and computer capabilities advancing,

animation has become more detailed, life-like and increasingly easier to produce. The result is

that animation is consumed daily through television, film, social media and other forms of

entertainment and digital interactions. With a long history that advanced quickly over the last

century, animation has established itself as a popular modern form of art that is now deeply

rooted in culture.

Dating back to Ancient Greece, “history’s first recorded animator is Pygmalion of Greek

and Roman mythology, a sculptor who created a figure of a woman so perfect that he fell in love

with her and begged Venus to bring her to life.” (“Animation”). After that, a long gap existed

before animation established a foothold in the world of art and film. In 1832, Belgian inventor

Joseph Plateau invented the “phenakistoscope, a spinning cardboard disk that created the illusion

of movement when viewed in a mirror” (“Animation”). Two years later, a man named William

George Horner invented the zoetrope. It wasn’t until 1876 that Frenchman Émile Reynaude

adapted animation to theatrical audiences. Doing so he became animation's first entrepreneur and

the “first artist to give personality and warmth to his animated characters” (“Animation”). This

moment marked a change in the history of entertainment, proving animated characters can have a
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life of their own.

To create the illusion of movement, 16 frames are needed to be shown every second. The

first to succeed happened in “1877, when Eadweard Muybridge used 12 equally spaced cameras

to demonstrate that at some time all four hooves of a galloping horse left the ground at once”

(“Motion”). Less than a year later, “an associate of Muybridge devised a system of magnetic

releases to trigger an expanded battery of 24 cameras” (“Motion”). At the same time, Reynaude

was using his Praxinoscope to project sequences of drawn pictures on a screen. To make the

illusion of movement clear, each frame must make a full stop. The Geneva watch movement

accomplishes this task, using a four-slotted star wheel to convert the tension of the mainspring to

the ticking of toothed gears. Not long after, the George Eastman Company developed a roll film

and implemented it into their Kodak still camera, which eventually was adapted for motion

pictures.

Walt Disney created The Walt Disney Company (Disney) in 1923, setting in motion a

century of rapid advancement in animation that led to today. While working at Laugh-O-Gram

Films, he took notice when animator Otto Messmer’s character, a wily black cat named Felix,

became immensely popular. Felix had a simple and minimal effort design with maximum

flexibility and facial expressiveness. Disney adapted this concept and created his own character,

and after losing the right to his distributor, he modified it to create the world famous Mickey

Mouse. In 1928, Steamboat Willie, “Mickey’s third film took the country by storm”

(“Animation”) with the addition of sound. Over the next decade, Disney would add carefully

synchronized sound to his films with the help of technical wizard and childhood friend, Ub

Iwerks. Perhaps the biggest step was with the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in

1937. The animation was “the first to use up-to-the-minute techniques and the first to receive a
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wide, Hollywood-style release” (“Animation”). “Disney was determined to give them as

profound a dramatic experience as the medium would allow; he reached into his own troubled

childhood to interpret this rich fable of parental abandonment, sibling rivalry, and the onrush of

adult passion” (“Animation”). Since then, Disney the company has become a leader in using

animation in TV and film and is now one of the most admired and most successful entertainment

companies in the world today.

Similarly to Disney, the well-known Warner Brothers studio had great success with the

Loony Toons series, creating a simple series that still remains popular today. Warner Brothers

focused on the element of sound, carefully sinking up noises and voices to create hilarious,

entertaining, and exciting short cartoons that would keep you on your toes while watching.

Starting the series in 1930, “Warner Brothers contracted with Leon Schlesinger to produce an

animated short that incorporated music from the studio’s extensive recording library”

(“Looney”). The first film included Bosko, a wide-eyed character who bore a resemblance to the

simple and popular Felix the Cat. The film was humorous and a hit with “Bosko addressing the

audience with a phrase that would become a Looney Tunes trademark—‘That’s all, folks!’”

(“Looney”). Throughout the 30s and 40s, Looney Toons added many characters, almost all

recognizable by the way they speak and sound. Two of the most famous characters are Porky

Pig, who stutters in his first lines, and Bugs Bunny, who has a voice that is easily recognizable to

anyone who has ever seen the cartoons. In the 1950s, Warner Brothers’ films became more of a

promotion for the Warner music catalog. The music in the following films explored ranges of

opera and different genres, testing the limits between popularity and intensity. 1957’s What’s

Opera, Doc? was filled with cries of “Kill the wabbit!” that later was added to the Library of

Congress’s National Film Industry in 1992. In 1960, the studio was nominated for an Academy
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Award for High Note before closing down just three years later. Despite closing down, the

cartoon remained profitable “still, nearly all adults recognize Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky

Pig, and the Road Runner” (Anthony) and later movies would be made using the characters that

gained national attention and popularity, even today with the recent 2021 release of Space Jam 2

featuring NBA basketball star Lebron James and a sequel to the original 1996 Space Jam starring

the legendary Micheal Jordan.

Pixar Animation Studios brought a change to the game with their innovations and

storytelling. Originating in the 1970s at the New York Institute of Technology, a team of

computer scientists contributed to the emerging field of computer graphics. In 1979, team head

Ed Catmull “was hired by Lucasfilm Ltd., the California-based production company of

filmmaker George Lucas, to lead its nascent computer division, and several of his NYIT

colleagues followed him there. Aiming to improve graphics technology, the division developed

the Pixar Image Computer, which, in its ability to render high-resolution three-dimensional

colour images, offered applications beyond the film industry” (“Pixar”). In 1986, the computer

division of Lucasfilm separated and became an independent business. Newly installed Pixar

chairman, Apple’s Steve Jobs, focused the company towards developing high-tech graphics

software, which only lasted until 1990 due to low profit. “In 1989 Pixar began making

computer-animated television commercials, and two years later it entered into an agreement with

Disney to jointly develop, produce, and distribute three feature-length animated motion pictures”

(“Pixar”). Pixar spent the next several years working on Toy Story, which became the first fully

computer animated film in 1995. The movie became a hit and the director was nominated for an

Academy Award for special achievement. Since then Pixar films have produced several of the

top grossing films of all time, winning Oscar awards across all categories. In fact, last year Toy
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Story 4 won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 92nd Academy Awards.

Stop-Motion is one of the most long, pain-staking types of animation, but the end result is

worth it. Using the technique of photographing objects, adjusting them, and then photographing

them again repeatedly for each frame, it takes lots of time and effort for even a short video. The

first stop-motion animated feature came in 1926 with Lotte Reiniger used animated silhouettes to

create elaborately detailed scenes and took her over two years to create. “Nick Park, the creator

of the Wallace and Gromit series… He and his colleagues… have taken the traditionally

child-oriented format of clay animation to new heights of sophistication and expressiveness”

(“Animation”). Stop-Motion is still popular in modern day, despite the technological advances

drawing people away from it and towards computer animation. 2009’s Coraline, made by

LAIKA Studios, is a popular movie known by many in the younger generations.

Computer-generated imagery, also known as CGI, is a form of animation using

computers and computer graphics replacing hand drawn and stop-motion animation. A computer

can be used in every step of a sophisticated animation. In an effort to lower labor costs and time,

animation has been simplified and digitized. Computers can automate camera movement and

even create the in-between drawings of a full animation. “When a three-dimensional figure is

translated into computer terms (digitized), the computer can generate and display a sequence of

images that seem to move or rotate the object through space” (“Computer”). Along with being

used for animation, CGI can also be used to simulate highly complex motion for films, medical

fields, and even scientists. CGI is widely used in film making today. In fact, the top grossing film

of all time - Avatar - relies heavily on CGI.

Animation has been gaining popularity all over the world. Starting with the Japanese

style of anime, which is based on manga, a Japanese version of comic books. With the improving
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graphics and in-depth stories, anime has evolved and gained increasing popularity in America.

On the western side of the world, cartoons made a home for itself, appealing to both kids and

adults. Famous shows like Spongebob, Teen Titans, Regular Show, Adventure Time and many

more introduced generations of kids and teens to animation, carving out a spot in their heart with

funny, creative, and appealing writing. “But with the debut of The Simpsons in 1989, TV

animation became home to a kind of mordant social commentary or outright absurdism that was

too pointedly aggressive for live-action realism” (“Animation”). Following The Simpsons, shows

like Family Guy, Beavis and Butthead, South Park and more used crude language and adult

humor to appeal to older generations, allowing them to relax and have a laugh after work. Aside

from cartoons, animation has been used in “films such as The Matrix (1999), Star Wars: Episode

One (1999), and Gladiator (2000), incorporating backgrounds, action sequences, and even major

characters conceived by illustrators and brought to life by technology.” (“Animation”). With the

rise in popularity of action movies over the last decade like those in the Marvel Universe, even

more animation and CGI is being used to simulate designs, movements, backgrounds, actions,

and so much more.

Taking form thousands of years ago, but only advancing rapidly over the last 100 years

into today’s digital age, animation offers aspects of art and entertainment previously not possible.

Some of the biggest entertainment companies of the world were built on the back of animation.

Entertainment pioneers like Walt Disney realized that animation abandons the limits of reality

and is restricted only by one’s imagination. With animation so closely tied to technology,

animators have been able to make the impossible seem possible, thus introducing billions of

people to the ever evolving art form.

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With an almost infinite amount of possibilities, animation can affect the community by providing

an excellent source of entertainment, marketing, and learning. Ranging from small children all

the way up to great-grandmas and great-grandpas, animation affects everyone uniquely and

effectively conveys a message or idea. Anything can be created and shown in an animation,

allowing the concepts of education, entertainment, and even marketing to flourish and be

successful.

Within the entertainment industry, “Animation… is the dominant media form of the 20th

century” (Levitt). Used in everything from a scene’s main focus to small background details,

animations are incorporated into almost everything we know. With the possibility of creating

anything, animators “can make any topic, product or service more relatable, and can be used to

explain, inform, or simply share a story in a more entertaining way than images or text alone”

(Pictures). Tons of time and effort go into creating these fulfilling animations, most notably with

the characters presented. Characters are the centerpiece of an animated story, attracting the

majority of the attention, so animators and writers must be “able to create characters who not

only entertain their audience but through which the audience understands the world better”

(Elezaj). In order to do so, “the majority of time is spent on creating the characters involved and

depicting them having a personality and almost a soul so that they seem more human-like”

(Sampson). These characters come in all different forms, the more unique one is, the more it will

attract viewers. One character that got an early start is Japanese holographic pop star Hatsune

Miku. Starting back in 2007 as simply a database for vocal sounds that was given an image of a

short teenage girl with turquoise pigtails and drawn in the typical anime style. Accompanied by a

rising industry, “Miku triggered an immediate effect: she became the subject of massively

collaborative fan produced videos” (Levitt). Becoming a major hit, the character became the
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center of many commercial products “Including a number of video games and a VR app”

(Levitt). With the popularization of characters like Miku, so did opportunities to convey

emotions and entertainment all within the unlimitless potential of animation.

One thing that goes largely unnoticed is the use of animation in marketing. Just as when

used for entertainment, animations can get a point across to large amounts of viewers quickly

and efficiently. A huge part of marketing is maximizing the amount of people who will view the

product, more views means more people will find a need for the product and buy it. One way to

maximize views is to contain catchy content that will appeal to the viewer and make them want

to show others. In an animation, more things become possible to depict including recreating or

referencing something from a popular game or show. By creating an animation that both gets the

message across and contains catchy content, it “has the potential of reaching millions of people

within a day of its release” (Elezaj). Another way to maximize views is to collaborate with

characters and icons like Hatsune Miku. Ever since she was created she had an enormous

following. “Just to give a sense of scale, by nine months after her release in 2007, over 36,000

Miku videos were shared on Nico Nico Douga (the Japanese Youtube)” (Levitt). With her

fanbase, she can introduce a product to a numerous audience that, depending on the brand, would

be influenced to purchase. The number of viewers, although, isn’t as important as the

effectiveness of the video itself. By being unconfined by the limits of real life, animation allows

for the use of minute, perfectly timed details that can catch your attention and effectively inform

viewers on a product or message. Also, “businesses have more flexibility with animation, and

can choose a style that is in keeping with their branding, ethos and message that they want to

portray with their animated video” (Pictures). When designing an animation, it is important to

keep the viewers attention as “the longer customers browse through a company’s website
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enjoying the animated videos therein, the more likely they are to buy from the company”

(Pictures). Given the quality and design of an animation meant to display and encourage viewers

to purchase a product or relay a message, companies can flourish as they bring in more and more

customers who not only saw the animation, but shared it and were influenced to spend their

money.

Perhaps the least appreciated method of animation is its application to learning. Whether

it be educating small children about their ABCs or helping catch your grandma up on the current

societal issues, an animation can provide an effective and simple way to inform and educate just

about anyone. Most people remember growing up watching cartoons after elementary school and

having learned little life lessons that stay with them to date, but what they might not remember is

learning topics in school through the use of animation. For younger children, simplicity and

attention grabbing works the best and an animation has the perfect tools to accomplish that. By

combining colorful, recognizable objects and catchy phrases children are more likely to catch on

than just attempting to explain a concept that is written down. Also, “these videos create a better

learning environment because they aren’t boring… they break the monotony of the teacher

explaining stuff all the time” (Elezaj). This translates into harder subjects as well and teachers

often “use educational animations to explain hard concepts to school kids and the results are

amazingly good” (Elezaj). Aside from strictly school related topics, animations provide a

medium to demonstrate or explain societal issues and concepts. Ranging from small things like

tying shoelace to even political issues from across the globe. Everyone has something they could

learn and animations provide a way to educate them on it. One very important way has to do

with health. “There are animations that explain how people should plan their diets, others

tutoring adults on the various family planning methods, while others instruct people on how to
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protect themselves from different diseases” (Elezaj). Animations are “also riddled with the

fraught issues around gender, race, and geopolitics that are operative everywhere” (Levitt).

Sensitive issues have long been tough to talk about and inform others on but through the use of

animations it is more effectively and accurately conveyed with a greatly reduced possibility of

misinterpretation. That also applies to the use of traditional education and how making things

simpler and easier to understand leads to a better understanding going forward.

Overall, animation has a big impact on the community, most notably in entertainment,

marketing, and learning. Not limited by the constraints of real life, animations can portray almost

anything one can think of and holds a surprising amount of influence on the communities we live

in.

Works Cited

"Animation." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 3 Jun. 2021.

school.eb.com/levels/high/article/animation/7644.

Anthony, & *, N. (2021, August 25). What are the most popular Western animated cartoons?

Diverse Tech Geek. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from

https://www.diversetechgeek.com/most-popular-western-animated-cartoons/.

"Computer animation." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 21 Jun. 2021.

school.eb.com/levels/high/article/computer-animation/472093.

“Computer Graphics.” Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, Jan. 2018, p. 1;

EBSCOhost,
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"Motion-picture technology." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 8 Jan. 2016.

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school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Pixar-Animation-Studios/574309.

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Elezaj, Rilind. “The Impact of Animated Videos in Modern Society.” AZ Big Media, 3 Dec. 2018

<https://azbigmedia.com/business/consumer-news-news/the-impact-of-animated-videos-i

n-modern-society/>

Levitt, Deborah. “How Does Animation Change Our Concept of Life and What Kind of Ethics

Does It Require?” Public Seminar, 5 Nov. 2018

<https://publicseminar.org/2018/10/how-does-animation-change-our-concept-of-life-and-

what-kind-of-ethics-does-it-require/>

Pictures, Will Dawson Who Is The Creative Director At Raw. “The Impact of Animation on

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<https://justentrepreneurs.co.uk/blog/the-impact-of-animation-on-businesses>

Sampson, Jack. Personal Interview. 12 March, 2022

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PU7dE/edit>