Disney) 3D Animation Disney, Regarded

¶ … Disney) 3D animation

Disney, regarded as the abode of animation, continues to play a dominant role in the world of animation since the last six decades. The first section unfolds about the birth of animation at Disney and the twelve principles of animation. It also mentions about different cartoon films starting with Snow White. Next we come to how Disney saw future opportunity in the world 3D animation with several films with the current one being Rapunzel Unbraided which is considered a major landmark in the 3D animation arena. The next section contains the details of the happening in the world of 3D animation and how it is transforming the concept of 3D animation in more ways than one. In this section the locomotion of the humble insect that led to the creation of 3D animation is an amazing eye-opener. This is because insects possess the shape, form and the texture that aligns perfectly well within the realm of computer technology and the restricted movement.

Disney -- the birth of animation:

It was the early 1930s at Disney when the 12 principles relating to animation had been formed by the animators. Application of these 12 types of principles had been made to direct production as well as creative talks and also to impart training to young animation experts in an improved and quick manner. These 12 principles came to be known as the bedrock of cartoon character animation, helped animation transform into an innovation art form. Through the application of these principles to their work, these innovative animators gave birth to a lot of the initial animated feature films which went on to become classics. These were Snow White during 1937, Pinochio and Fantasia during 1940, Dumbo in 1941 and Bambi in 1942. The twelve principles cover broadly five things. These are giving life to the characters so that they act their performance, and providing direction to the performance, showing reality via the use of modeling, drawing as well as rendering, understanding physics in the real world, and giving editing techniques to a series of actions. (Applying the 12 principles to 3D animation)

The original characters continue to be relevant till the present day since they facilitate to create characters that are increasingly believable in situations. They are capable of applying to nearly any nature of animation, although they are found to more useful in comedy. However, some of these principles need updates and some more principles are required to handle the new methods and styles of 3D computer animation. A good use in 3D animation happens to the strategy relating to anticipation which enables to lead the eyes of the viewer to where the activity is supposed to happen. Anticipation, along with motion is immense for unfolding the surprise element. Further in 3D computer animation, the same could be adjusted through the "use of digital time editing sources like timelines, time sheets and also curves." (Applying the 12 principles to 3D animation) it is important to note that more anticipation leads to less suspense. (Applying the 12 principles to 3D animation)

Disney's foray into 3D animation:

Disney's first plunge into 3D animation started with the film Chicken Little. Disney's animation legacy was in a serious dent and this film gave the company to redeem its long standing popularity in the realm of competitive Computer Graphics -- CG marketplace. Meanwhile Disney bought out Pixar the giant animation studio company. It is Disney's own acknowledgement that Chicken Little scripts a new chapter in voice over. It was a marked difference in storytelling as Chicken Little's father Buck Cluck departs from the conventional nature of storytelling fashion and just starts when matters turned bad. Disney thereafter continued with its 3D animation movies with good titles like Robinsons in 2006, American Dog in 2007. Its Rapunzel Unbraided in 2008 is carving out a niche in itself. Interestingly, there was an overwhelming response for these 3D-animated movies in the last few years. Disney is about to ride on the popularity of these 3D movies to script a new success and continue to occupy a leadership position in the world of animation. (Chicken Little & Beyond: Disney Rediscovers its Legacy through 3D Animation)

Disney is committed to present before its audiences what has conventionally been the hallmark of Disney. These continue to be superb storytelling with beautiful character setting and thriving movies having a deep feeling. Looking back, it is interesting to find that following the release of Lion King some years back a lot of design studios felt that making 2D movies were easy and its is an easy means to earn. The same thing is all set to be repeated in the CG arena with 3D animation. The transition from 2D animation into 3D has been burdened with a lot of difficulties even for Disney also. A digital pipeline was required to be established for Chicken Little. Besides, the infrastructure was also needed to be refurbished. Steve Goldberg, one of Disney's ruling CG expert and supervisor for visual effects for the Lion King and Fantasia2000 was in charge of leading the changeover. (Chicken Little & Beyond: Disney Rediscovers its Legacy through 3D Animation)

The 3D animated movie Rapunzel Unbraied was regarded as a true transition from 2D to 3D. Longtime Disney animator Glen Keane of 'The Rescuers', the Little Mermaid, Tarzan and Treasure Planet fame has faced his own epiphany in changing over from 2D to 3D as a debutant director on the Rapunzel Unbraied film. In a lot of ways, Keanne's test happens to be the most determined among all since he attempts to redefine 3D animation and also the distinguished Disney fairy tale. Rapunzel is the benchmark in which, Keane endeavored to bring drawing into the CG arena through the application of fundamental design principles. He acknowledges that it is going to be giant step ahead for character performance as a well as environment. (Chicken Little & Beyond: Disney Rediscovers its Legacy through 3D Animation)

It is important that in a fairy tale, the entire scenario is supposed to be romantic and vibrant. In that an image of a tree caused the entire theatre to burst in accolades, which has been considered by Keane to be a giant leap in the 3D animation. In order to perform a 3D tree which has the leaves that are able to turn, but still feels it has a life is indeed a challenge. Keane also assures that he is returning to the literary origins of Rapunzel in order to perform a conventional, character-driven fairy tale which is able to speak to an audience of the modern era. It is a tale of the imperatives of every person to be who they are believed to be and for a parent to make them free such that they are able to become that. Disney is rightly poised to do that as it has comedy as well as music in its armory as its design tools. At this juncture it is important that Rapunzel is not Cindrella or Sleeping Beauty or the Little Mermaid or the Beauty and the Beast. This will grow into what it must be in its independent style. It is just difficult to state as regards the impact it is going to put on the future of fairy tales which Disney does. (Chicken Little & Beyond: Disney Rediscovers its Legacy through 3D Animation)

3D animation -the evolving scene:

3D animation continues to be unchallenged in the realm of animated special effect --F/X also. F/X spans from the incredible artificial creations seen in the "Final Fantasy" or the creature characters which blend in a realistic manner into movies full of life like the Jurassic Park and the Lord of the Rings. 3D animation has a long journey to perform prior to the unfolding of it natural evolution. Hence, it is considered too early to recommend very strongly that has by now developed truism and formulas. Similar to the situation when the emergence of Disney started with the mouse, Pixar's embryonic kingdom started with the Toy Story and with that 3D animation and design was beginning to surface out of the astonishing stage. (White, 32)

The issue was not that this novel form of art wasn't capable to build characters and personalities in the manner which 2D animation could; the fact that one could observe a traveling, nearly true from the photographic point-of-view, 3D object twisting and rotating, and morphing and traveling depth, breadth as also scale was not sufficient. Since it was truly wonderful as also technically, the conventional 2D animators were rest assured that their turf was safe and they could not face challenges as regards character animation was concerned. But their perception was blown off with the launch of "Luxo Jr." At this point it is interesting to note that 3D was not prepared to challenge the accepted universe of blockbuster animated movies as yet. Nevertheless, it was prepared to do so in cautiously examined moves. After having won over toy animation, animators were required to look for a new character sphere that would give itself to the 3D medium. (White, 33)

And it was rightly found in a life form which we encounter daily in our real lives- insects. Rightly, insects possess the shape, form as also the texture that aligns perfectly within the realm of computer technology and the restricted movement was also not a vital challenge to the evolving medium of animation. This started with "A Bug's Life." From then onwards, the Pixar Studio has gone even more into the details of character design which were not believed to be possible till that period, like fantasy monster, fishes and cartoon superheroes. Like the 2D animation prior to that, 3D is yet to defeat the human form in any means in which the characters are able to act in a natural manner and no look like models made of plastic or wooden sculptures in the absence of the life form inside them. (White, 33)