History of Animation & Visual Effects
Module II - Class 11
Prepared by George John. H.O.D. Animation. SJCC
Major Animation Studios
Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Animation Studios, headquartered at Burbank, California, is an
American animation studio that creates animated feature films, short films, and
television specials for The Walt Disney Company. The studio has produced 56 feature
films, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) to Raya and the Last Dragon
(2021).
It was founded as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in 1923 and incorporated as
Walt Disney Productions in 1929. The studio was exclusively dedicated to producing
short films until it expanded into feature production in 1934. In 1983, Walt Disney
Productions named its live-action film studio Walt Disney Pictures. During a
corporate restructuring in 1986, Walt Disney Productions was renamed The Walt
Disney Company and the animation division, renamed Walt Disney Feature
Animation, became a subsidiary of its film division, The Walt Disney Studios.
In 2007, Walt Disney Feature Animation took on its current name, Walt Disney
Animation Studios after Pixar Animation Studios was acquired by Disney in the same
year.
UPA Animation Studios
United Productions of America, also known as UPA, was an American
animation studio active from the 1940s through the 1970s. UPA began with
industrial and World War II training films, they eventually produced theatrical
shorts for Columbia Pictures, notably the Mr. Magoo series. UPA pioneered the
technique of limited animation. The UPA style of limited animation was adopted
by other animation studios, especially by TV cartoon studios such as
Hanna-Barbera Productions. However, this procedure was implemented as a
cost-cutting measure rather than an artistic choice.
UPA was founded in the wake of the Disney animators' strike of 1941, which
resulted in the exodus of a number of long-time Walt Disney staff members.
Among them was John Hubley, a layout artist who was unhappy with the
ultra-realistic style of animation that Disney had been advocating. Along with a
number of his colleagues, Hubley believed that animation did not have to be a
painstakingly realistic imitation of real life; they felt that the medium of
animation had been constrained by efforts to depict cinematic reality. Hubley,
Bobe Cannon, and others at UPA, sought to produce animated films with
sufficient freedom to express design ideas considered radical by other
established studios.
Limited Animation and Full Animation
Limited animation involves the use of less detailed or more stylized drawings and methods of
movement, usually choppy or "skippy" movement. Limited animation uses fewer drawings
per second, thereby limiting the fluidity of the animation. Limited animation can be used as a
method of stylized artistic expression, pioneered by the artists at the American studio United
Productions of America (UPA). Its primary use, however, has been in producing cost-effective
animated content for television.
Full animation refers to the process of producing high-quality traditionally animated films that
regularly use detailed drawings and plausible movement, having a smooth animation. Fully
animated films can be made in a variety of styles, from more realistically animated works like
those produced by the Walt Disney studio to the more 'cartoon' styles of the Warner Bros.
animation studio.
Many of the Disney animated features are examples of full animation, as are non-Disney
works like The Iron Giant in 1999. Fully animated films are animated at 24 frames per
second, with a combination of animation on ones and twos, meaning that drawings can be
held for one frame out of 24 or two frames out of 24.
Limited Animation
Mr. Magoo
The Quincy Magoo or simply Mr. Magoo character was created by Millard
Kaufman and John Hubley at the UPA animation studio in 1949. Mr. Magoo is
a cartoon character voiced by Jim Backus.
Mr. Magoo is a wealthy, short-statured retiree who gets into a series of comical
situations as a result of his nearsightedness, compounded by his stubborn refusal
to admit the problem. However, through uncanny streaks of luck, the situation
always seems to work itself out for him, leaving him no worse than before. Mr.
Magoo has won 2 Oscars for Best Short Subject (Cartoons).
Warner Bros Studios
The company's name originates from the four founding Warner brothers Harry,
Albert, Sam and Jack. They emigrated as small children with their parents to Canada
from Poland. The three elder brothers began in the movie theater business and opened
their first theater in Pennsylvania in 1903. Warner Bros. was a pioneer of films with
synchronized sound (then known as "talking pictures" or "talkies").
Warner Brothers seethe of nostalgia and craftsmanship, and many of us grew up
watching shows like Looney Tunes, Batman: The Animated Series and Space Jam.
Their shows are a different class act altogether. The journey of the studio has been
less than perfect with the studio shutting down for 11 years in 1969. After reopening
in 1980 with the industry seeing a resurgence in animated content, the loyal fanbase
returned and grew over the years. It is not just TV shows that Warner Brothers has
broken into but also movies and video games. The LEGO video game series boasts of
over a dozen games and more in the works. With the studio growing at a rapid pace,
we can only expect great things to come our way.
Hanna-Barbera was an American animation studio that dominated American television
animation for nearly three decades in the 20th century. It was formed in 1957 by
former MGM animation directors William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. For over thirty
years, Hanna-Barbera produced many successful cartoons, including Tom and Jerry,
The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo and The Smurfs. Hanna-Barbera
was known not only for its vast variety of series and characters, but for building upon
and popularizing the concepts and uses of limited animation. Hanna-Barbera was one
of the first animation studios to successfully produce cartoons especially for
television.
Hanna-Barbera was sold to Taft Broadcasting in late 1966. It was purchased from Taft
by the Great American Broadcasting later known by the name, Turner Broadcasting
System in 1991, who used much of its back catalog to program its new channel,
Cartoon Network. Turner merged with Time Warner in 1996, and the studio became a
subsidiary of Warner Bros. Animation. With Hanna's death in 2001, it was absorbed
into its parent, and Cartoon Network Studios continued the projects for the channel's Founders William Hanna (left) and Joseph Barbera pose with
output. Barbera continued to work for Warner Bros. Animation until his death in 2006. several of the Emmy awards the Hanna-Barbera studio has won.
Pixar Animation Studio
Pixar is a prime example of how creativity breeds excellence.
For decades, the studio has managed to create characters that we
have all grown to love. Pixar has managed to tell stories that
appeal to all ages and not just the younger audience. From the
Toy Story franchise to WALL-E, Pixar has managed to captivate
the audience time and again and we have no doubt that they will
continue to do so for years to come.
It is not just the movies that make it to theaters that stand out;
even the short films manage to surprise us with the sheer amount
of detail. Even after all these years, Pixar continues to impress
us with new titles like Cars 3, Coco and Incredibles 2.
Story of Pixar Animation Studio
In 1979 George Lucas recruits Ed Catmull from the New York Institute
of Technology to head Lucasfilm’s Computer Division, a group
charged with developing state-of-the-art computer technology for the
film industry. Lucas’s wish list: a digital film editing system, a digital
sound editing system, a laser film printer, and further exploration of
computer graphics. Ed Catmull
In 1986 Steve Jobs purchases the Computer Division from George
Lucas and establishes the group as an independent company, “Pixar.”
At this time about 40 people are employed.
Pixar and Disney begin collaboration on CAPS, the Computer
Animation Production System, which would revolutionize the creation
of traditional animated films. The first check written to Pixar by a
client after its incorporation is from Disney, for work on this project.
Steve Jobs
Story of Pixar Animation Studio
In 1991 Disney and Pixar announce an agreement “to make and
distribute at least one computer-generated animated movie.” Pixar
begins work on the project that will become Toy Story.
In 1995 Toy Story, the world’s first computer animated feature film, is
released in theaters. It become the highest grossing film of the year,
making $192 million domestically and $362 million worldwide.
In 1997 the Walt Disney Studios and Pixar Animation Studios announce
an agreement to jointly produce five movies over 10 years.
In 2006 The Walt Disney Company announces that it has agreed to
purchase Pixar Animation Studios. Ed Catmull and John Lasseter also
assume leadership of Walt Disney Animation Studios.
In 2020 Toy Story 4 wins the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the
92nd Academy Awards.
Dreamwork Animation Studio
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio
based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films,
television programs and online virtual worlds. Dreamworks Animation
has always lived under the shadow of giants like Pixar and Disney, but
no matter how you look at them, the studio is one of the best at
producing fine animated films. From theaters to televisions, the studio is
yet to fail at delivering compelling stories that are beautifully crafted.
After all, the studio was co-founded by none other than the great Steven
Spielberg and along with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. With
some of the best animators working at the studio, we experienced some
of the best franchises over the years with Shrek and Kung Fu Panda
being two of their most notable movie series. While other studios may
have the edge over Dreamworks, the studio will be regarded as one of
the greats as time goes by.
Questions
Part A
1. Write a short note on UPA Animation Studio.
2. Write a short note on Mr. Magoo.
Part B
3. Write a short essay on Pixar Animation Studio.
4. Explain limited animation with examples.
