Walt Disney | How They Created Cartoon Animations

Summary

The video explains the evolution of the cartoon camera used in animation, particularly focusing on the creation of a Mickey Mouse short film. It highlights the process of photographing the character, Mickey, who has been inked and painted on transparent celluloid sheets, with backgrounds moving behind him to create the illusion of motion. The video introduces the concept of the multi-plane camera, which separates different elements in the scene based on their distance from the camera, allowing for realistic movement and depth in the animation. This innovation was a significant step in advancing the art of animation.

Takeaways

• 😀 The pre-feature cartoon camera was simple in construction and operation, yet effective for its purpose.
• 😀 The process of creating a Mickey Mouse short involved inking and painting on transparent celluloid sheets.
• 😀 The panorama effect used in early animation made the character walk in place while the background moved behind him.
• 😀 For each frame of animation, a new cell of Mickey and the background had to be photographed, with the background moved a fraction of an inch each time.
• 😀 The goal was to take a painted background and make it behave like real scenery in motion under the camera.
• 😀 The challenge in early animation was photographing a flat, two-dimensional background, which lacked depth or motion.
• 😀 A solution to the problem was the development of the multi-plane camera, designed to separate different elements in the scene based on their distances from the viewer.
• 😀 By breaking down the original picture into layers, the multi-plane camera allowed the control of the relative speed of each element moving toward or away from the camera.
• 😀 The moon, being the farthest element in the scene, remained static and did not grow or shrink in size during the animation process.
• 😀 The multi-plane camera was positioned above the scene and shot downward, rather than horizontally, to capture the layers effectively.

Q & A

What is the primary function of the early cartoon camera described in the transcript?

The primary function of the early cartoon camera was to photograph animated characters and backgrounds frame by frame to create motion picture films. The camera was simple in construction and operation but effective in capturing basic animation techniques.

How did the panorama effect work in early animation?

In the panorama effect, the character, such as Mickey Mouse, would walk in one place while the background moved behind him, creating the illusion of motion. The background had to be adjusted slightly for each frame to maintain this effect.

What challenge did animators face when using flat two-dimensional backgrounds?

The challenge with flat, two-dimensional backgrounds was that they did not provide depth or realistic movement. Animators struggled to create the illusion of three-dimensional space, especially when trying to make scenes with moving backgrounds.

What innovation did the multi-plane camera introduce?

The multi-plane camera allowed animators to separate elements of a scene according to their distances from the viewer. By placing background elements on different planes, it created a more dynamic, three-dimensional effect by moving each plane at different speeds.

Why was it important for the moon in the scene to remain static in size?

The moon remained static in size to maintain the illusion of depth and realism. By placing it on the farthest plane, the moon did not appear to grow or shrink as the camera moved, preserving its consistent presence in the scene.

How did the multi-plane camera solve the problem of flat backgrounds?

The multi-plane camera solved the problem by creating layers in the scene that could move at different speeds, giving the illusion of depth. This allowed the foreground elements to move at a faster rate than the distant background elements, making the scene feel more three-dimensional.

What was the role of transparent cels in early animation?

Transparent cels were used to draw and paint characters and other elements in animation. These cels were photographed one frame at a time in front of a static background to create the illusion of movement.

What is the significance of breaking down the original picture into separate planes?

Breaking down the original picture into separate planes allowed animators to control how each element of the scene moved in relation to the camera. This created a more realistic sense of motion and depth, especially when elements moved at different speeds.

How did the multi-plane camera's method differ from the traditional animation camera?

The multi-plane camera differed from traditional cameras by using multiple planes in the scene, each of which could move at different rates. Traditional animation cameras, by contrast, typically photographed a flat background with characters in front, without the depth or separation of planes.

What problem did animators encounter when trying to photograph a flat background, and how was it addressed?

Animators encountered the problem that a flat background did not behave like real scenery under the camera, which made creating depth difficult. The problem was addressed by using the multi-plane camera to separate elements in the scene by distance, allowing for control over how each element moved relative to the camera.