Pioneers from Varshini1999
Sunday, 28 May 2017
Tuesday, 23 May 2017
The PRAXINOSCOPE
The Praxinoscope was invented in 1877 by the Frenchman Charles Reynaud. It was the first device to overcome the picture distortion triggered by viewing through moving slots. The images produces brought a change and was advanced that any other previous devices. Due to this advance, it was instantly replaced the Zoetrope in popularity.
The fusion of moving picture 'toys' and vaudeville (show/entertainment) exhibition devices such as the magic lantern was unavoidable and one of the first successful attempts at such a marriage came in the form of the Praxinoscope. In essence, it was an adaptation of Horner's Zoetrope which at the time had become extremely popular.
Using a drum designed which revolved, as with the Zoetrope, a band of pictures is placed inside a shallow outer cylinder, so that each pictures is bounced back off by the inner set of mirrors. The number of mirrors is equal to the number of pictures, and the images of the pictures are viewed in the mirrors. When the outer cylinder rotates, the quick succession of reflected pictures provides the illusion of a moving picture.
The result was flawless animation without the sense of loss of luminosity in movement which was evident with the Zoetrope.
Reynaud upgraded the existing device so that the animated pictures could be projected. The replacement of the opaque drawings with transparent drawings meant that light could be shone through them. The mirror prism reflected the light that was shone though the pictures, and focused it onto a screen through a lens.
In 1872 Reynaud took this idea and altered it into theatrical entertainment. Animation toys had been limited to repetitive images. Reynaud recorded this and devised a method of painting a series of pictures on small glass plates which fused together in a single flexible strip. The animate characters were project onto a screen from behind. He called this the "Theatre Optique", he utilized a long roll of paper to increase the number of images, and thus was able to make a much longer show for an audience.
Reynaud displayed his projecting Praxinoscope providing public performances utilizing long broad strips of hand painted frames. The response was successful but was jerky and slow. In addition to this, labour needed to draw the strips meant that Reynaud's films could not easily be reproduced.
Reynaud's Theatre Optique created a huge name and was really close to the cinema- all that it lacked was the addition of photography.
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
- Courses.ncssm.edu. (n.d.). Praxinoscope, Top View. [online] Available at: http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collections/toys/html/exhibit11.htm#top [Accessed 23 May 2017].
- Earlycinema.com. (n.d.). EarlyCinema.com. [online] Available at: http://www.earlycinema.com/technology/praxinoscope.html [Accessed 23 May 2017].
The PHENAKISTISCOPE
It was an early animation device made by Joseph Plateau ,
it was inspired by Faraday's wheel Joseph Plateau in Brussels and Simon von Stampfer in Vienna invented the Phenakistiscope independently of one another in 1832. Stampfer called it the stroboscope in England it was known as the Fanta Scope. The phenakistiscope utilizes the persistence of motion principle to create an illusion of motion. Although this principle had been recognised by the Greek mathematician Euclid and later in experiments by Newton, it was not until 1829 that this principle became firmly established by Joseph Plateau.
The device was created just after the Zoetrope and its reception was much better received. This device like majority of the stop motion animation utilizes the theory of persistence of vision for it to function. Persistence of vision was a theory of the optics and how eyes view images.
It sound very similar to the Zoetrope using a circular disk attached to a mount which permitted it to rotate 360 degrees. Phenakistiscope was a device taken in much better than the others that were around at that time. This was due to the fact that it was more condensed in size and it is very easy to change disks. In addition, it was the first portable animation device, meaning that they were very much desirable than other early animation devices and came in trend under the name of toys.
The Phenakistiscope is quite unique when compared to other animation devices, though they use the same technique to animate, such as a rotating drum, and 'windows', they are actually rather different from an engineering standpoint. The Zoetrope is a upright device which the drum rotates along the horizontal axis. Meaning that it can be set on a surface and looked straight through. Where as the Phenakistiscope is meant to be portable and as such rotate along the vertical axis. So it was very popular and is very good for animation on the go, but it typically was of much lower quality in terms of materials and durability, which resulted in a fragile device. Another major distinctive element with these two animation devices often seen as being the same (but one a portable version) is the Phenakistiscope did not have a light source attached, thus natural light was necessary to utilize it or a well lit room, however the Zoetrope (not all models) didn't need as much light due to the fact that it wasn't portable. You are able to use it in the dark, this was later picked up on and the Zoetrope was expanded to be one of the first 'night lights' used as a children 'bedtime' lamp. This was accomplished by having the still images cut out and held in place rather than being stuck to the inside of the drum, when the low key light hit them a shadow would be projected on the ceiling, further improvement on positioning of these also lead to the projection being animated. This could have perhaps been some of the earliest forms of projectors.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The
phenakistoscope consisted of two discs mounted on the same axis. The
first disc had slots around the edge, and the second contained drawings of
successive action, drawn around the disc in concentric circles. Unlike
Faraday's Wheel, whose pair of discs spun in opposite directions, a
phenakistoscope's discs spin together in the same direction. When viewed
in a mirror through the first disc's slots, the pictures on the second disc
will appear to move.
The device was created just after the Zoetrope and its reception was much better received. This device like majority of the stop motion animation utilizes the theory of persistence of vision for it to function. Persistence of vision was a theory of the optics and how eyes view images.
It sound very similar to the Zoetrope using a circular disk attached to a mount which permitted it to rotate 360 degrees. Phenakistiscope was a device taken in much better than the others that were around at that time. This was due to the fact that it was more condensed in size and it is very easy to change disks. In addition, it was the first portable animation device, meaning that they were very much desirable than other early animation devices and came in trend under the name of toys.
The Phenakistiscope is quite unique when compared to other animation devices, though they use the same technique to animate, such as a rotating drum, and 'windows', they are actually rather different from an engineering standpoint. The Zoetrope is a upright device which the drum rotates along the horizontal axis. Meaning that it can be set on a surface and looked straight through. Where as the Phenakistiscope is meant to be portable and as such rotate along the vertical axis. So it was very popular and is very good for animation on the go, but it typically was of much lower quality in terms of materials and durability, which resulted in a fragile device. Another major distinctive element with these two animation devices often seen as being the same (but one a portable version) is the Phenakistiscope did not have a light source attached, thus natural light was necessary to utilize it or a well lit room, however the Zoetrope (not all models) didn't need as much light due to the fact that it wasn't portable. You are able to use it in the dark, this was later picked up on and the Zoetrope was expanded to be one of the first 'night lights' used as a children 'bedtime' lamp. This was accomplished by having the still images cut out and held in place rather than being stuck to the inside of the drum, when the low key light hit them a shadow would be projected on the ceiling, further improvement on positioning of these also lead to the projection being animated. This could have perhaps been some of the earliest forms of projectors.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Courses.ncssm.edu. (n.d.). Phenakistiscope. [online] Available at: http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collections/toys/html/exhibit07.htm [Accessed 23 May 2017].
The ZOETROPE
It was a very primitive animation device, originated in 180AS by Tin Huan under the name of 'chao hua chich kuan' (the pipe that makes fantasies appear), it was utilizes as a way of warding off spirits, rather than entertainment.
It wasn't reinvented until 1834 by William Horner (mathematician), who originally called it a Daedalum ("wheel of the Devil"). It is similar to Plateau's Phenakistoscope, but was more convenient since it did not need a viewing mirror and let more than one person to use it at the same time. His invention for some reason became forgotten for nearly 30 years until 1867, when it became patented in England by M. Bradley, and in America by William F. Lincoln. Lincoln renamed the Daedalum, giving it the name of "Zoetrope", or "Wheel of Life".
The Zoetrope is the 3rd major optical toy, after the Thaumatrope and Phenakistoscope, that utilizes the persistence of motion principle to create an illusion of motion. It is a simple drum with an open top, supported on a central axis. A sequence of hand-drawn pictures on strips of paper are placed around the inner bottom of the drum. Slots are cut at equal distances around the outer surface of the drum, just above where the picture strips were to be positioned.
In order to create an illusion of motion, the drum is spun; the faster the rate of spin, the smoother the progression of images. A viewer can look through the wall of the zoetrope from any point around it., and see a rapid progression of images. Since of its design, more than one individual could use it at the same time.
It wasn't a very fruitful animation device, partially due to the Phenakistoscope being released so closely. There has been various forms of Zoetrope and spin offs from the initial device all altering the method utilized to exhibit and make it easier to view. A good example of this was the use of a centre pole which had mirrors attached to it, this would reflect the images off the paper in the middle and eliminated the need for viewing windows.
Zoetrope is pretty much extinct now, it is an impractical way to animate because of its limited frames available, increasing the number of images results in either scaling the device up, consuming more space and money, or making the images smaller, which will end up making it harder to observe animations as the sizes are minimized.
Modern day Zoetropes' are created utilizing modern engineering and digitalisation to make a device with no limit to frames, this works by rather than using paper and TV screens. Each projected distinctive images that would swap when they were used, meaning longer production could be made, nevertheless, the creation of this modern spin was a gimmick more than any form of evolution.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
It wasn't reinvented until 1834 by William Horner (mathematician), who originally called it a Daedalum ("wheel of the Devil"). It is similar to Plateau's Phenakistoscope, but was more convenient since it did not need a viewing mirror and let more than one person to use it at the same time. His invention for some reason became forgotten for nearly 30 years until 1867, when it became patented in England by M. Bradley, and in America by William F. Lincoln. Lincoln renamed the Daedalum, giving it the name of "Zoetrope", or "Wheel of Life".
The Zoetrope is the 3rd major optical toy, after the Thaumatrope and Phenakistoscope, that utilizes the persistence of motion principle to create an illusion of motion. It is a simple drum with an open top, supported on a central axis. A sequence of hand-drawn pictures on strips of paper are placed around the inner bottom of the drum. Slots are cut at equal distances around the outer surface of the drum, just above where the picture strips were to be positioned.
In order to create an illusion of motion, the drum is spun; the faster the rate of spin, the smoother the progression of images. A viewer can look through the wall of the zoetrope from any point around it., and see a rapid progression of images. Since of its design, more than one individual could use it at the same time.
It wasn't a very fruitful animation device, partially due to the Phenakistoscope being released so closely. There has been various forms of Zoetrope and spin offs from the initial device all altering the method utilized to exhibit and make it easier to view. A good example of this was the use of a centre pole which had mirrors attached to it, this would reflect the images off the paper in the middle and eliminated the need for viewing windows.
Zoetrope is pretty much extinct now, it is an impractical way to animate because of its limited frames available, increasing the number of images results in either scaling the device up, consuming more space and money, or making the images smaller, which will end up making it harder to observe animations as the sizes are minimized.
Modern day Zoetropes' are created utilizing modern engineering and digitalisation to make a device with no limit to frames, this works by rather than using paper and TV screens. Each projected distinctive images that would swap when they were used, meaning longer production could be made, nevertheless, the creation of this modern spin was a gimmick more than any form of evolution.
In conclusion, the device itself is a very old and interesting attempt at an animation device, primarily used as a source of entertainment but its value is interfered by its frame limitation. Nevertheless, the size of this animation device does mean it was both affordable and usable in homes.
This is what a viewer would see before looking through the slots. The space between every two slots tend to darken the movie image.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Courses.ncssm.edu. (n.d.). Zoetrope, Top View. [online] Available at: http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collections/toys/html/exhibit10.htm [Accessed 23 May 2017].
Friday, 19 May 2017
Sunday, 14 May 2017
Frame Rates
DEFINITION:
Each individual image or picture in an
animation is referred to as a frame. The more frames utilizes the slower the
action will appear, and using fewer frames would create a faster action. Small
movements tend to be smooth when compared to large movement as it will either
be jerky or animation won’t take place. Typically, smooth actions are slow and
use a lot of frames.
What is it?
Traditional animation uses 24 frames for
every second. This is recorded as 24FPS (Frames per Second). However, some
modern animators only use 12 FPS.
We all know the motion picture is a lie. The movement on the screen we see is just a bunch of still images. Still images that seem more like believable, realistic, lifelike motion the faster they flicker along. The faster the better, and that 48 frame-per-second version of The Hobbit was just the beginning.
The rate at which these frames are shown is exhibited in frames per second (FPS) for conventional celluloid film, and as a "refresh rate" measured in hertz (Hz) for digital films and display monitors. In both cases, the value shows how rapidly the still images can flicker, and the faster they can flicker, the more lifelike and natural the motion appears.
FPS and refresh rate are similar, however they are not exactly the same. It all starts back from an old projectionist trick. In order to decrease the jumpiness of 24 FPS films (the standard speed), projectionists would flash the same frame 2 or 3 times before the next frame came up. The frame rate is the number of complete still images projected every second- so that would be 24 FPS- yet the refresh rate is the total sum of times any image flashes over the course of a second, in this case it would be 72 Hz. Thus a 24 FPS film can still have a refresh rate of 72 Hz if each frame is being projected 2 times, or a refresh rate of 48 Hz if they're only being flashed twice.
How is it seen?
The human eye can identify the difference between 10 and 12 still images per second before it starts just seeing it as motion. That is, at an FPS of 12 or less, the brain knows that it is just a bunch of still images in rapid series, not a seamless animation. Once the frame rate rises up to around 18 to 26 FPS, the motion effects tends to take effect on the brain and fools it into thinking that the individual images are actually a moving scene.
We all know the motion picture is a lie. The movement on the screen we see is just a bunch of still images. Still images that seem more like believable, realistic, lifelike motion the faster they flicker along. The faster the better, and that 48 frame-per-second version of The Hobbit was just the beginning.
The rate at which these frames are shown is exhibited in frames per second (FPS) for conventional celluloid film, and as a "refresh rate" measured in hertz (Hz) for digital films and display monitors. In both cases, the value shows how rapidly the still images can flicker, and the faster they can flicker, the more lifelike and natural the motion appears.
FPS and refresh rate are similar, however they are not exactly the same. It all starts back from an old projectionist trick. In order to decrease the jumpiness of 24 FPS films (the standard speed), projectionists would flash the same frame 2 or 3 times before the next frame came up. The frame rate is the number of complete still images projected every second- so that would be 24 FPS- yet the refresh rate is the total sum of times any image flashes over the course of a second, in this case it would be 72 Hz. Thus a 24 FPS film can still have a refresh rate of 72 Hz if each frame is being projected 2 times, or a refresh rate of 48 Hz if they're only being flashed twice.
1 second
|
24
Frames
|
10 seconds
|
240
Frames
|
A 30 second animated advert
|
720
Frames
|
1 minute
|
1,440
Frames
|
A 10 minute children’s animated TV programme
|
14,400
Frames
|
A 30 minute animated TV programme
|
43,200
Frames
|
A 90 minute animated feature film
|
129,600
Frames
|
The human eye can identify the difference between 10 and 12 still images per second before it starts just seeing it as motion. That is, at an FPS of 12 or less, the brain knows that it is just a bunch of still images in rapid series, not a seamless animation. Once the frame rate rises up to around 18 to 26 FPS, the motion effects tends to take effect on the brain and fools it into thinking that the individual images are actually a moving scene.
If a frame rate is too slow, the motion will look jagged, but being too fast can also cause problems too. Live-action movies filmed at 48 FPS usually have that certain soap-opera effect people aren't really fond of and this is slightly evident in The Hobbit. This is due to one major component of making the motion seem real and lifelike is motion blur.
The current industry standard is 24 FPS- that figure was mainly decided on for economic rather than theatrical purposes, yet more on that in a second- and that's what's determined what movies look like for use. However that is hardly the maximum we can see. Both current technology and the innate visual ability of the human eye can handle far higher rates than what we see on TV.
A frame rate for every media
Lately cinematic rates have been getting undercut by the economic interests of the moving-making industry. The earliest silent movie were shot at around 16 to 20 FPS- since that was the bare minimum that generated the continuous motion effect- though limited due to the arm strength of the cameraman, who would actually have to crank a reel of film through the camera.
Thomas Edison was a very early follower of higher frame rates. When Talkies hit in 1926, projectionists could no longer vary the frame rate on the fly like they were able to, as it would throw off the pitch of the sound playback, meaning that the film industry had to choose a stable frame rate at which to project. The industry settled on 24 FPS, mainly based on the fact that it was the slowest (and thus least extensive to produce) frame rate that could still support audio when played from a 35mm reel.
Now we have 3 primary frame rate standards- 24p, 25p, and 30p and the alternative frame rates include 48p, this is what Peter Jackson used to film The Hobbit. If we go higher there is 90p and 100p, which are options on the GoPro Hero, and 120p, which is the new standard in UHD televisions. The highest current commercially available frame rate is 300 FPS, which the BBC has been utilizing for some of its sports broadcasts.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Tarantola, A. (2015). Cite a Website - Cite This For Me. [online] Gizmodo.com. Available at: http://gizmodo.com/why-frame-rate-matters-1675153198 [Accessed 14 May 2017].
Wednesday, 10 May 2017
STOP-MOTION ANIMATION
It is also referred to as Stop Frame Animation. It animation that is captured one frame at a time, with physical objects that are moved between frames. When you replay the images rapidly, it generates the illusion of movement. The basic procedure of animation involves taking a photograph of your object or characters, moving them slightly, and capturing another photograph. When you replay the images consecutively, the objects or characters look like they are moving on their own.
Stop motion animation takes place everywhere- commercials, music videos, television shows and feature films- even if you don't realise it. While it is normal for people to think of stop motion as just one specific style, like clay animation, the reality is that stop motion techniques can be utilized to create a wide range of film styles:
Examples of Stop Motion Animation Feature Films:
An example of Stop Motion Animation TV Show/ Cartoon:
An example of Stop Motion Animation Music Video:
An example of Stop Motion Animation Advert:
Stop-motion animation is conducted using a simple process. The artist place all the articles to be animated in their initial positions. An image of the objects is then captured on film or an another media such as a memory card. Then the articles positions are slightly altered and another image is captured. Normally, this is done minimum hundreds of times.
For instance, if you want to create a video utilizing stop-motion animation featuring a bunch of pens that move in a circular pattern. You would have to begin by positioning the pens in a circle and take a picture of it. Alter the pens slightly in a clockwise direction and capture it again. Do this process over and over until you have captured hundreds of photographs. You then transfer the images on to the computer where you will have to use special software in order to create a video which rapidly projects the photographs chronologically. As you play the video, the pens move in a circle just as you would have wanted it to. This is stop-motion animation.
Early Stop-Motion Animation
Early stop motion was taken with film cameras. Animators wouldn't be able to see how it's turned out until the film has been processed. They utilized surface gages in order to keep track of where the artists were, and how far to move them. On the off chance that the animation didn't turn out to be fluid, if the set had been bumped, or if the lighting was bad, work was lost and the animator would have had to start it all over again.
After when the special video machine were invented, it allowed the animator to watch the last one or two frames, and compare those to the live video from the camera. This permitted then to get a sense of how the animation was progressing...
Stop-Motion Animation Techniques
Object Animation, Clay Animation, Puppet Animation and Cutout Animation. The main difference between these techniques is the specification of object utilized to create animation. Compositing is a fusion of both stop-motion animation and live action movie/video footage. Object Animation is one of the most widely used stop-motion techniques. Simple objects are used to create the animation. For instance, a photographer might use a child's rubber duck to a detailed chicken model with movable body parts.
Puppet Animation is a type of stop-motion animation that uses more complex models with detailed textures and movable parts. It derives its name from the fact that the complex models utilized look and move like puppets. Tim Burton's film The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) was created utilizing stop-motion puppet animation.
Using DSLRs for Stop-Motion Animation
In 2005, Corpse Bride was taken with the Canon EOS-1D Mark II, making it the 1st stop motion feature film shot with a digital still camera. Early DSLRs didn't have live view, a feature where the camera can offer a video stream of the image through the lens. Thus, the studio had to use a secondary video camera to provide the video assist.
In 2007, Canon and Nikon announced DSLRs with live view, Since then, DSLRs have been used in order to capture most of the professional quality stop-motion animation. From feature films to music videos to broadcast TV series and adverts.
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
Stop motion animation takes place everywhere- commercials, music videos, television shows and feature films- even if you don't realise it. While it is normal for people to think of stop motion as just one specific style, like clay animation, the reality is that stop motion techniques can be utilized to create a wide range of film styles:
Examples of Stop Motion Animation Feature Films:
An example of Stop Motion Animation TV Show/ Cartoon:
An example of Stop Motion Animation Music Video:
An example of Stop Motion Animation Advert:
Stop-motion animation is conducted using a simple process. The artist place all the articles to be animated in their initial positions. An image of the objects is then captured on film or an another media such as a memory card. Then the articles positions are slightly altered and another image is captured. Normally, this is done minimum hundreds of times.
For instance, if you want to create a video utilizing stop-motion animation featuring a bunch of pens that move in a circular pattern. You would have to begin by positioning the pens in a circle and take a picture of it. Alter the pens slightly in a clockwise direction and capture it again. Do this process over and over until you have captured hundreds of photographs. You then transfer the images on to the computer where you will have to use special software in order to create a video which rapidly projects the photographs chronologically. As you play the video, the pens move in a circle just as you would have wanted it to. This is stop-motion animation.
Early Stop-Motion Animation
Early stop motion was taken with film cameras. Animators wouldn't be able to see how it's turned out until the film has been processed. They utilized surface gages in order to keep track of where the artists were, and how far to move them. On the off chance that the animation didn't turn out to be fluid, if the set had been bumped, or if the lighting was bad, work was lost and the animator would have had to start it all over again.
After when the special video machine were invented, it allowed the animator to watch the last one or two frames, and compare those to the live video from the camera. This permitted then to get a sense of how the animation was progressing...
Stop-Motion Animation Techniques
Object Animation, Clay Animation, Puppet Animation and Cutout Animation. The main difference between these techniques is the specification of object utilized to create animation. Compositing is a fusion of both stop-motion animation and live action movie/video footage. Object Animation is one of the most widely used stop-motion techniques. Simple objects are used to create the animation. For instance, a photographer might use a child's rubber duck to a detailed chicken model with movable body parts.
Puppet Animation is a type of stop-motion animation that uses more complex models with detailed textures and movable parts. It derives its name from the fact that the complex models utilized look and move like puppets. Tim Burton's film The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) was created utilizing stop-motion puppet animation.
Using DSLRs for Stop-Motion Animation
In 2005, Corpse Bride was taken with the Canon EOS-1D Mark II, making it the 1st stop motion feature film shot with a digital still camera. Early DSLRs didn't have live view, a feature where the camera can offer a video stream of the image through the lens. Thus, the studio had to use a secondary video camera to provide the video assist.
In 2007, Canon and Nikon announced DSLRs with live view, Since then, DSLRs have been used in order to capture most of the professional quality stop-motion animation. From feature films to music videos to broadcast TV series and adverts.
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
- Valentino, M. (n.d.). What is Stop-Motion Animation? - Definition & Techniques | Study.com. [online] Study.com. Available at: http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-stop-motion-animation-definition-techniques.html [Accessed 10 May 2017]
- Systems, D. (n.d.). Introduction to Stop Motion Animation - Dragonframe. [online] Dragonframe. Available at: http://www.dragonframe.com/introduction-stop-motion-animation/ [Accessed 10 May 2017].
Wednesday, 3 May 2017
PERSISTENCE OF VISION
Sallie Gardner at a Gallop from 1878 is cited as the earliest film
Animated sequence of a race horse galloping. Photos taken by Eadweard Muybridge (died 1904), first published in 1887 at Philadelphia (Animal Locomotion).
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Contemporary Work from Varshini1999
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DEFINITION: Each individual image or picture in an animation is referred to as a frame. The more frames utilizes the slower the action wi...
-
It was an early animation device made by Joseph Plateau , it was inspired by Faraday's wheel Joseph Plateau in Brussels and Simon von S...
