Animation and Gaming in the Past, Present and Future

In the book review, Moving Innovation, the history of animation is discussed in reference to "convergent technologies and techniques throughout history that would ultimately result in modern CG". (Carter, 2014) While Toy Story (1996) was the first movie made with computer animation (Carter, 2014), the history of animation goes back beyond Muybridge and his use of multiple images to record motion. 

Researchers postulate that the multiple images characteristic of cave paintings could be due to the painters' attempts to create moving images of animals in the flickering of the torchlight which lit caves.In an article in Antiquity, "archaeologist Marc Azéma of the University of Toulouse–Le Mirail in France and independent French artist Florent Rivère argued that by about‭ ‬30,000‭ ‬years ago Paleolithic artists used "animation effects" in their paintings. To render the movement, they deconstructed it in successive images." Here is a link to an animation archaeologist Marc Azema made demonstrating these theories:

http://www.miramax.com/subscript/lascaux-cave-paintings-animation-video/(Azema, 2011) On the website Passe Simple, http://www.passesimple.net/index.phpthere is a film which introduces the book Prehistoire du Cinema written by Marc Azema where he discusses these theories in depth. This short film shows several animated cave paintings as well as toys made from bones which were found in caves. These bone toys featured drawings of animals which were strung on what appear to be strips of rawhide. Similar to Victorian toys, when twirled, they created a sense of animated movement. (Azema, 2011)

In the review of Moving Image, experimental art films were also discussed as the precursors of computer animations. The work of Oskar Fischinger is cited as an early pioneer of cinema. (Carter, 2014) Fischinger made films in the 1920's-1940's or 50's. Using colored geometric shapes against painted backgrounds, his animations create abstract compositional explorations reminiscent of such art movements as Cubism, Rayonism and Futurism. Links to his works can be found at The Center for Visual Music: 

http://centerforvisualmusic.org/Fischinger/ There are animation cells on this website and if you have a Vimeo account, you can see his animation, Radio Dynamics, at this link:
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/34629/123382579

In the review,"Digital visual effects in cinema",  it is pointed out that ‘special effects’ and ‘visual effects’are 2 completely different processes. While special effects can create elements that the audience notices, visual effects are supposed to integrate seemlessly, perpetuating the cinematic illusion.(Floquet, 2014) It was also postulated that as films are a combination of film footage, visual effects and special effects, all films should be considered animations.

"Such an issue has too often and for too many years been ignored, as if animation should not be worthy of recognition." (Floquet, 2014)

Multi award winning Tutsy NAvArAthnA explores the interface of virtual reality and reality in his experimental films. Semi autobiographical in narrative, he uses an avatar as his main character to represent a film director exploring the fictional and real aspects of his world. Mixing machinima made in virtual reality (primarily Second Life) with film footage of real world scenes as well as images taken from historical sources and early cartoons, his movies are multimedia creations where multiple realities are expressed through the different image styles. These juxtapositions are further enhanced by special effects such as using color filters to change black and white film footage to red or green or adding graphic lines to create the idea of video scrambling as a part of the visual narrative. The juxtaposition of image styles creates films which explore the multilevel nature of what is considered to be reality. Rather than flat cartoon characters, the avatars are revealed as complex characters through the use of these special effects. As an example, he uses live footage walking from the first person perspective of a person looking at his feet with footage of the avatar shown from his back. This further conveys the idea of multiple realities and the end result are films which explore the multilevel nature of consciousness.

The science fiction film, Journey into the Metaverse, centers around a journey made by an avatar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw5md8RpfWs While his avatar is the subject, this is also what appears to be a personal journey taken in reality as well as virtual reality. One finds that a quest of self discovery taken through virtual reality and the real world is central to the meaning of the film.

In the Last Syllable of Recorded Time, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDSB4NnmyG0 his avatar urges people to create art or work that matters rather than being consumers or maneuvered like players on a chess board. Using the multiple images of the hands of a clock ticking in the sky as a walking skeleton plays a grand piano with a classical painting on the lid creates a visually stunning collage which is atmospheric. His use of stark black and white images mixed with vivid color creates a memorable and profoundly poetic contemplation about the brevity of life. Layering images he creates atmospheric collages which represent complex ideas with poetic subjectivity. As it was pointed out in Digital Visual Effects in Cinema, the use of animations and avatars does not detract from the message of the film but enhances it. (Floquet, 2014)

As was pointed out in the review, "Digital Visual Effects of Cinema", many film makers are using virtual reality to create films which do not use actors. (Floquet, 2014). Rather than losing empathy, these filmmakers integrate the conflict between reality and virtual reality into the narrative of their films and freely discuss this as an existential element of their films.  This creates a connection with the audience. Animation is an area that many innovative films are being made and this area will continue to expand as people are able to explore their creativity as digital tools increase access to this art form.

References

Azema, M., n.d. "Sequential Animation: The First Paleolithic Animated Pictures", Miramax Blog, Miramax.com.

retrieved from:http://www.miramax.com/subscript/lascaux-cave-paintings-animation-video/

Azema, M. 2011. Passe Simple website retrieved from: http://www.passesimple.net/index.php

Carter, C. (2014). Book review: Moving Innovation: A History of Computer Animation. Animation, 7 (3), 358–361. doi:10.1177/1746847714546254

Floquet, P. (2014). Book review: Digital Visual Effects in Cinema: The Seduction of Reality. Animation, 9, (3), 352–355. doi:10.1177/1746847714546252

Lorenzi, R., 2013, Stoneage Artists Created Prehistoric Movies, Archaeology Blog, NewsDiscovery,com June 8, 2012.

retrieved from http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/prehistoric-movies-120608.htm

NAvArAthnA, T., 2011. Journey into the Metaverse, YouTube.
retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw5md8RpfWs

NAvArAthnA, T., 2012. Last Symbol of Recorded Time, YouTube.
retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDSB4NnmyG0