History of Animation In the Beginning... Edweard MuyBridge "Humans in Motion" stop motion photos - studied the dynamics of animal movement this way. Zoetrope Zoetrope (series of sequential images in a revolving drum) when the drum is revolved the slits in the drum creates the illusion of motion and becomes first movie- similarly film creates this illusion by having one image then black then image then black again. Thaumatrope (disk with one image on each side) twirl it and the two images superimpose on each other. two frame animation. French Brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere Technology for recording of sequential images on a flexible film base. (1895) - most of the first films were French and released in America... Norman McLaren - Canadian - organized the National Film Board of Canada. Cel and Paper Animation Technique By mid-1910s animation production in US already dominated by the techniques of cel and paper. cell animation was more popularized in America than in Europe because of assembly line Taylorism that had taken America by storm. Cell Animation was most appropriate to the assembly-line style of manufacturing because it took a whole line of persons working on very specific and simple repetitive duties. On the other hand, in Europe where the assembly-line style of work was not encouraged, clay animation and other forms of animation that required only a few individuals working on the set at a time was more popularized. Because the actual set could only afford a limited amount of individuals working at one time together and no more this style and other alternative forms of animation became more widely accepted. Disney - cell animation - draw each image one at a time using onion-skinning technique. Early Disney where mechanical techniques still used. Arms literally extend not stretch... Cell Animation Process Traditional cell animation - drawings created one by one animators create the keyframe and assistances create inbetweens; onion skinning process used to make easier the reference drawing of each additional image. Synched Sound: Steamboat Willie - released November 18, 1928 - Disney Disney created the first cartoon synchronized with sound entitled 'Steamboat Willie' At first Disney tried to reach a deal with RCA or Western Electric to record the soundtrack but were turned down. Instead Walt contracted with bootleg Powers Cinephone process and even with a disastrous first recording finally in a session recorded the soundtrack with a 15-piece band and his very own Mickey squeaks. The Future of Animation 3d Animation Toy Story - released November 22, 1995 On entrance of computers and 3d driven software... feature length films of high polish can be created virtually in 3d. Toy Story is considered to be a first animated feature ever generated completely on computers. Disney and Pixar partnered up to create this film. From storyboard to final render - the many steps in creation of digital imagery Combination of 3d and 2d Iron Giant - released 1999 Even if Iron Giant looks as if it were completely drawn the traditional way - cell by cell - the big giant robot is actually designed in 3d and output as a 2d image using Maya with the added help of proprietary software. One of the drawbacks of this method is the perfect and rigid quality of the line rendered out of a 3d package. The perfect line is what separated it from 2d techniques so the solution was to "simplifying the design somewhat and not having too many surface shading areas", says Brad Bird director of The Iron Giant. Secondly, Brian Gardner created a program that caused line imperfections on the Giant randomly. They called it Wobble. Most of the backgrounds although 2d in look were also 3d renderings. The backgrounds were stretched a bit so that it appeared as if you were going around something. Fishing - released 1999 -Pacific Data Images use of non-realistic photo realistic rendering in 3d - water color effects "Character Animation is all about what the character is thinking...At times, he was getting lost. Is he happy or sad? So we punched it up. Rather than having him just look up at the sky, we had him jump off the ground just a bit. That touch better communicates what he's thinking, what he's feeling. That's all I do all day long as a character animatormove 3d models to look like they're thinking." - David Gainey Dinosaur - released 2000 With each new step into the next generation of computer graphics comes new and more believable CGI characters such as those found in Dinosaur. In Dinosaur the creation and implementation of realistic digital hair on the lemurs is included. Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. It is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in a number of ways. The most common method of presenting animation is as a motion picture or video program, although several other forms of presenting animation also exist. Animation Tool - 3d Max - Adobe photoshop - Adobe illustrator - Coral painting - Draw pad - Pensil, brush, pen The History of Malaysia Animation!! Abstract Malaysian animation field has grown so well from the past of few years. There are many Malaysian films today are using animation to make it more interesting such as Cicakman, Brainscan, Susuk, Antoo Fighter and many more. 3D animation also has grown larger these days and more importantly, the Malaysian peoples with all ages have accept our animation. Some of the animation that has attracts Malaysian are Upin dan Ipin, Kacang, Saladin and Geng:Pengembaraan bermula... Year by year, there are large numbers of graduates entering the industry. There also many of animation school and course are made through the Malaysia. However, Malaysian animation is still at the crossroads. The delay of approving contracts by the government-owned TV station caused some producers to fold up or downsize. In the same time, many foreign animation, films, and TV series are flooding our TV channel. How could this happen while our products still floating nowhere? As a Malaysian, we must support our local products first no matter animations, films, TV series and also musics. Action is urgently required to prevents Malaysian animation from stagnating. In this post, I will give expose about our animation history in order to for us to more appreciate our animation industry and people before us who are fighting to make animation are accepted in this country. I hope with this expose, we can continue the journey of making animation more development in Malaysia. The Beginning Wayang Kulit(shadowplay) are said to one of the earliest animation in Malaysia. It is a puppet with articulating arms and manipulated by the Tok Dalang(storyteller). Wayang Kulit give the inspiration to a German animator, Lotte Reiniger to do her film, THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED. However, animation in Malaysia are formaly began in 1946 after the establishment of Malayan Film Unit(now Filem Negara). It is first was made only for government documentaries and advertisement. In 1963, the first short animation, HIKAYAT SANG KANCIL, was made handled by Anandam Xavier, a set designer who was intrained in animation. He planned, animated and did all the background with only one assistant, Goh Meng Huat. The animation was completed in 1978 but screened in 1983. The successful of this animation led to making other 5 short film that is: 1. SANG KANCIL DAN MONYET (1984) 2. SANG KANCIL DAN BUAYA (1987) 3. GAGAK YANG BIJAK (1985) 4. ARNAB YANG SOMBONG (1986) 5. SINGA YANG HALOBA(1986) The 2 commercial animation studios are then was established, FilmArt(1984) and Lensamation(1987), led to the training and creation of many animators. A number Japanese animation were post-animated at Lensamation. Live action features films began to include animated titles and animation sequences. At this time, all animation are done manually. The Turning Point When Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia's fourth Prime Minister, came in 1981, he immediately initiated the push for the use of digital technology. This resulting in the producing of the long-form animation industry came in 1994 to promote locally-made animated TV series. The aim was to cut down on foreign imports as well as increase local contents. The first TV series animation was screened in 1995, that is Usop Sontorian. In less than 10 years, the industry has produced numerous animation TV series, feature films and telemovies. 50% of these animation were animated with the direct-to-system method(drawing directly into the computer). List of animation produced in less than 10 years: 1. SILAT LAGENDA (1998; first feature film) 2. PUTEH (2001; film) 3. KARTINI (1997; telemovies) 4. NIEN RESURRECTION (2000; first 3D) 5. SKYLAND (2001; 21 episode 3D animation TV series) A number of Malaysian cartoonist had their characters tuned into animation: 1. LAT - Kampung Boy (developed in US and animated in Philippines) 2. IMUDA - Mat Gelap ( first combination of live action and animation) 3. NAN - Din Teksi 4. UJANG - Usop Sontorian (first TV Series) However, Malaysia still lacking an adult audience because, as usuall, Malaysia people mindset is still regarded as local animation are catering only for children. Even if the animation for adults could be done, there is no market locally. Both Silat Lagenda and Puteh lost money. Local Animation films, like serious local live action films do not sell in Malaysia. Conclusions Animation in Malaysia have grown so big day by days. As a Malaysia we must support our animation industry and not just to 'judge the book by its cover'.