Illustration: This animation moves at 10 frames per second. Illustration: This animation moves at 2 frames per second. At this rate, the individual frames should be discernable.
Animation refers to the process in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model (see claymation and stop motion), and then photographing the result. When the frames are strung together and the resulting film is viewed at a speed of 16 or more frames per second, there is an illusion of continuous movement (due to the persistence of vision). Generating such a film is very labour intensive and tedious, though the development of computer animation has greatly sped up the process.
GIF is a graphics file format that allows animation to be viewed on a computer. Another format called Flash, created by Macromedia, allows for animation to be viewed over the Internet.
Limited animation is a way of increasing production and decreasing costs of animation by using "short cuts" in the animation process. This method was pioneered by UPA, then adapted by other studios as cartoons moved from movie theaters to television.
Because animation is very time-consuming and often very expensive to produce, the majority of animation for TV and movies comes from professional animation studios. However, the field of independent animation has existed at least since the 1950s, with animation being produced by independent studios (and sometimes by a single person). Several independent animation producers have gone on to enter the professional animation industry.
Illustration: The animations shown before consist of these 6 frames.
The history of film animation begins with the earliest days of silent film and continues through the present day.
The first animated cartoon was from Frenchman Émile Reynaud, who created praxynoscope, animation system of 12 pictures, and films of about 500~600 pictures, projected on its own théatre optique, system near from modern film projector, at Musée Grévin in Paris, France, the october 28, 1892.
The first animated cartoon on modern picture film projector was Fantasmagorie by the French director Émile Courtet (also called Émile Cohl), projected for the first time August 17, 1908 at 'Théâtre du Gymnase', in Paris. Émile Courtet went to Fort Lee, New York near New York City in 1912, where he worked for French studio Éclair and spread its technique in the US.
The first animated feature-length film was El Apóstol (1917) from Argentine Quirino Cristiani, shown in Argentina.
Because the history of animation as an art form has undergone many changes in its hundred-year history, it is examined in detail in the History of animation series.
Keyframe - The Animation Resource Features sections for animated shorts, series and films, as well as studio information and news. http://www.keyframeonline.com/
Jurassic Punk The original web collection of movie and animation clips and trailers. http://www.jurassicpunk.com/anim.html
Internet Movie Database Searchable index of more than 10,000 animated TV series and movies. http://us.imdb.com/Sections/Genres/Animation/
American Memory - Origins of Animation Development of early American animation represented by collection of 21 animated films and 2 fragments, spanning the years 1900 - 1921. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/oahtml/oahome.html
All-Reviews.com Reviews of animated movies. http://www.all-reviews.com/video-lists/Animation.htm
Animation World Network: Film News Headline news related to animated films, or theatrical films using animation. http://news.awn.com/index.php3?ltype=cat&category1=Films
Upcoming Theatrical Releases Presented by Animation World Network - lists production details and related links for animated feature films, direct-to-video and DVD, as well as live-action films which include computer/digital animation. http://releases.awn.com
Animated Features Page Animation news, pages on various feature films with information on cast and crew, pictures, profiles, and interviews. http://animated-features.tripod.com/
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