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The Beginning of Film (Early Animation)
In 1887, H. W. Goodman invented a type of film (nitrate celluloid), a combonation of gun cotton and gum camphor. In 1893, Thomas Edison invented the Kinetsoscope which is a machine that allows film to be strecthed out over a set of wheels and allowed one person at a time to watch to view the pictures as the film rolled. "Art Noveau" appeared in Europe during this year as well. -
Pantent of the Cinematograhpe
Louis Lumiere and his brother invented a device called the cinematoograph late in 1894 that was later pattented early in 1895. This lightweight printer/projector/camera was hand cranked and was used to project reels of film onto a screen. As well as this, the motion picture was copyrighted by Thomas Edison, "The Record of a Sneeze". -
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Further Developements
In 1895, Max Scaldanowsky presented films in Berlin with a two projectored device called the Bioscope. The first American comic strip called "Hogan's Alley" was also published during this year. First magnetic recording of sound was achieved in 1899 -
First Animation
What is considered to be the first actual animation, "Humorous Phases of Funny Faces," was achieved in 1906 by a man named James Stuart Blackton. This was shot frame by frame using a blackboard, chalk drawings, and cutouts. -
Animations that followed
THe same man made a new animation the folowing year. "The Haunted Hotel," which was one of the main introductions to 3D technology through its stop motion and special effects. One called "Hotel Electro" was released that same yeaer by a man in Spain. An animation similar to "Humorous Phases of Funny Faces" was released in England as well, showing how fast the idea of animated films was spreading. -
Emile Cohl
A man in France, a well known comic strip artist before he went into animation, came out with Fantasmagorie. He made 250 animations between the years 1908 and 1921. He was influenced by a group called the "Incoherents" who's philosophy was that 'insanity, dreams, hallucinations, and nightmares are sources of aesthetic inspiration.' -
"The Sinking of the Lusitania"
This animation came out in 1918, the US having entered World War I just one year before. This animation was considered war propaganda, the first of its kind even though the Lusitania actually sunk in 1915. While it is historic in that sense, it also shows that doing events like this with animation can cause several problems as well as be doubted in its actual use as propaganda since the war ended that year. -
Felix the Cat
This cartoon was the most popular series and had the most popular character os its period. What started as Feline Follies from Sullivan's studio became a show of sorts that came out nce every two weeks. Otto Messmer created Felix, did the stories, and directed this show. -
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The Start of Walt Disney's Career
Walter Elias Disney started working at the Kansas City Slide Company with his friend Ub Iwerks in Kansas City in the year 1920. They both used "Animated Cartoons: How they are Made, their origin and Development" by Edwin G. Lutz in order to get into the swing of animation. By 1922, they have started their own animation studio called Laugh-O-Grams Films which goes bankrupt the following year. Following this event, Disney moves to California and is put under contract to do "Alice Comedies." -
The Concept of Mickey Mouse
When Disney's contract on "Oswald the Rabbit" went up for renewal, he asked for a raise that the company was not willing to give and as a result he left the studio. He came up with the concept of "Mickey Mouse" soon after and made the animated shorts "Plane Crazy" and "Galloping Gaucho" without a distributor. After that, the breakthrough of motion picture sound came into play and he used it in the making of "Steamboat Willy," the first successful sound animated film. -
New Animation Companies
Warner Brothers came onto the scene with its first short called "Sinking in the Bathtub," the main character Bosko a take off of Mickey Mouse. Looney Tunes were quick to follow as well, the condition that each short must contain a Warners song bringing it into being. The 'Silly Symphonies', as the were called, became a hit, one reason thought for it being so successful was the company's philosophy, "Our policy has always been laughs, the more the better." -
Disney Becomes More Popular
In 1932, Disney wins the academy award for "Flowers and Trees." This was the first film to use 3 strip Technicolor in its animation. This is also the year that the character Goofy came into play, his debut animation called "Mickey's Revue." The famous character Pluto had also been created by this time. His first appearance was made in the animation "The Picnic" in 1930. -
New Cartoons
Disney wins his second academy award for the animation "The Three Little Pigs." "Night on Bald Mountain" was created by Alexander Alexeieff and Claire Parker in Paris using something called pinscreen animation. "Popeye," based off of the comic strip "Popeye the Sailor," is animated by Max Fleischer. -
Major Accomplishments
Disney came up with the original concept for "Snow White" many years before, in fact the first staff meeting that he mentioned it was in 1934. This was Disney's first animated picture and it was produced in 1937 (general release in 1938). Disney also won an Academy Award for "Old Mill" in 1937. -
Big Name Movies
Walt Disney put out quite a few movies from the years 1940-1943. In 1940, "Fanasia" and "Pinocchio" were both produced with "Dumbo" following suit in 1941. In 1942, "Bambi" was released and in 1943 a compiliation of shorts was produced called "Saludos Amigos."