Development in Animation

Development in Animation

William Horner

William Horner was a british mathematician who invented the animation device called the zoetrope, originally named the Daedaleum, in 1834. based on the idea of the original Zoetrope, 'The pipe which makes fantasies appear', Horner created a device on a spindle that when spun, the user would look through the slits and see an illusion of the images moving. 

Émile Reynaud

Charles-Émile Reynaud was a french science teacher who is responsible for the invention of the first ever projected animation. this invention was called the Praxinoscope in 1877. It wasn't until 28th October 1892 where he had the first ever public projected animation. The Praxinoscope was similar to the Zoetrope but instead of having slits to look through, it had a selection of mirrors in the center to reflect the image and then projecting it on a wall. 

Edward Muybridge

This man was a photographic pioneer who had the invention of the Zoopraxiscope. This was the a small glass disc that contained images on which was then projected onto a wall. The disc would then rotate and in rapid succession the image projected would appear as if it was moving. 

Lumiére Brothers

Auguste and Louis Lumiére are known to be the earliest filmmakers with their production of the cinematograph. Making their first film in 1894 using this the movie was debuted in the L'Eden, the worlds first and oldest cinema. The cinematograph served two prepossess, the first being able to film, and second being able to project the filmed footage. 

Willis H. O'Brien 

Responsible for the visual effects in films such as the classic monster films, 'King Kong' from 1933 and 'The Lost World' in 1925. using a style of stop-motion animation incorporated into the movie, O'Brien changed the possibilities of what someone could do with film. 

Ray Harryhausen 

Harryhausen is another visual effects who has developed O'Briens technique even further. He had done this by using a stop-motion style known as 'Dynamation'. Being part of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Harryhausen has worked on many sets creating models for the likes of 'Jason and the Argonauts' and 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad'. 

Henry Selick 

Henry Selick brought a new dark style of animation using stop-motion claymation. This started with the film 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' where working with Tim Burton he achieved an animation style which would be dark and bleak by the movement of the characters and the imagery. Showing he was not a "one hit wonder" Selick continued this animation in his latest film 'Coraline' and has been used by other filmmakers seen in the film 'Paranorman'. 

Aardman

Sticking with claymation, the animation studio company Aardman have been producing comedic British shorts on our TV's for years. With their hit show, Wallace and Gromit, Aardman have grown and had become one of the biggest and well known animation studios in the UK. By this having an affect on the company Aardman have produced full length feature movie, and has had many cinema releases including the first stop-motion using hair for a whole character.