The Origin Of Animation: The Father Of Modern Animation

Animation came into being at about the same time silent films did, and has been a part of the cinema ever since. At its most concrete definition, animation is a group of pictures, called frames, which are quickly cycled through in front of a camera to create the illusion of movement. However, animation is not just technical, it is emotional, and it tells stories through the graphic arts. It wisps us to faraway places, and enthralls us with stunning graphics and magnificent backdrops. In order to understand this medium, it is important to give some historical context, describing the origin of cartoons and how they developed into modern animation, and finally, where it could go in the future.

Animation arose in the early twentieth century from the artistic manipulation of comics, drawing inspiration from early silent films and the first black and white movies. In fact, the first recorded animated work was probably “FANTASMAGORIE,” the very first animated feature to be shown in a theater. A grainy set of images flashed before the audience, who would experience this medium for the very first time. Emil Cohl, a French cartoonist who combined film and comics for the first time, created it. In fact, many of the first great animators had backgrounds in comics. Another great animator, named Winsor McCay, could be considered the father of modern animation. McCay was also a comic book artist, and his work is some of the most beautiful and progressive of the time. He was the first to prove that both comics and animation were a viable field of work, and left a legacy that still inspires animators even to this day. The limitless possibilities for a character’s movement gave these first animators an advantage over live-action films, creating dy...

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...ren. This is probably because my generation grew up on animated works and learned to love them. This means, however, that animators have to produce better and better works, with easter eggs thrown in for the adults.

To conclude, I think it is important to elaborate on why animation is important for this generation and for future generations. Long ago, fantasy lived in the stories and songs of people, and was passed on to the public orally; those same stories, songs, and poems provided an escape from the beige color of life. Similarly, animation serves as a venue by which those stories and songs are reimagined. It provides the same things that stories did: characters to laugh with, cry with, and grow with. Animation is the same as the stories of old. This means that animation provides an escape from reality, a refuge in fantasy that we can identify with and cherish.