Animation has a long, extensive history, with each milestone bringing new methods, and technologies to the surface for us to appreciate and analyze. Of these technologies, the process of using the Rotoscope at Walt Disney’s Animation Studio, is a fascinating and intriguing method used for their animated films. Rotoscoping, or as it is also called, using a “Live-Action Reference” is a method which would make use of real actors, who were filmed in various costumes, at various angles, to help the animators at the studio better visualize the scenes they were building for their films. This method was used by other animation studios, who could take the captured footage, and trace over the actors to get fluid results, frame by frame. The scene would be staged, and filmed. Then, once all the footage is gathered, the film would be projected onto a frosted piece of glass. From there, animators were able to place paper on top of the glass, to trace over the visual reference, projected. Disney, however, did not adapt this tracing technique directly, instead used the footage gathered as a reference to make new, original animations with a more natural flow, by adding additional steps to their rotoscoping process. Disney animators relied on a 3-step process to create their animations with rotoscoping. Animators would trace over the rotoscoped footage a total of three times, each getting passed down to different animators, to enhance the visuals, and use their knowledge of the principles of animation to create a more natural, fluid movement and visually appealing characters. Disney first used this method on their first feature length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and would continue to adapt this rotoscoping method in future films. The methods were used in films such as, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and Cinderella. Disney continued to use their new approach to rotoscoping through the years, with each of their animated films, delivering high quality results. That being said, no technology is without its flaws, and the rotoscope is certainly no exception to that. Although the rotoscope allowed the animators to create fluid movements, the cost of this was the large amounts of time it would take to successfully rotoscope an animated film. Rotoscoping is done frame by frame, so it is a very time consuming process, especially with Disney’s three step process to creating their original animations, because of how the animators traced over their work three times for more accurate results. But how has rotoscoping changed since Disney and the other Animation companies adapted it? What else is rotoscoping used for? Rotoscoping through the years had later found its place in blockbuster films, in the visual effects department, by coming up with new ways to make use of the rotoscoping technology. Newly found rotoscoping techniques allowed visual effects artists to create matts, which could be used to include cartoon backgrounds and animations within a live action space. This method was famously used by Disney in the live action film Mary, Poppins. Rotoscoping would even later go on to assist in the creation of the visual effects of Star Wars, by allowing visual effect artists to mask over the lightsaber blades seen in the film, giving them the iconic colored, glowing look. The Rotoscope, despite some of its lengthy flaws, proves to be a tool that is not only creative, but also an effective tool for animators and film editors alike. It adapts to the ideals from those who use them, bringing new things to the big screen with each new idea the rotoscope users come up with. It’s become an inspirational tool that can also help serve as a reminder to those who believe that true are only comes from those who do not use references with their work, that is simply incorrect. The rotoscope is an inspiring piece of technology that has left a significant mark on history, and continues to leave its mark, in the present day. The Rotoscope today, is still used in the digital era, with people still finding new ways to use it, just as Disney did back then, continuing to assist artists with creating films for viewers all over the world to enjoy and study with each passing generation. I hope to one day use the same technology for unique creations of my own.
Rotoscoping, or as it is also called, using a “Live-Action Reference” is a method which would make use of real actors, who were filmed in various costumes, at various angles, to help the animators at the studio better visualize the scenes they were building for their films. This method was used by other animation studios, who could take the captured footage, and trace over the actors to get fluid results, frame by frame. The scene would be staged, and filmed. Then, once all the footage is gathered, the film would be projected onto a frosted piece of glass. From there, animators were able to place paper on top of the glass, to trace over the visual reference, projected. Disney, however, did not adapt this tracing technique directly, instead used the footage gathered as a reference to make new, original animations with a more natural flow, by adding additional steps to their rotoscoping process. Disney animators relied on a 3-step process to create their animations with rotoscoping. Animators would trace over the rotoscoped footage a total of three times, each getting passed down to different animators, to enhance the visuals, and use their knowledge of the principles of animation to create a more natural, fluid movement and visually appealing characters. Disney first used this method on their first feature length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and would continue to adapt this rotoscoping method in future films. The methods were used in films such as, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and Cinderella. Disney continued to use their new approach to rotoscoping through the years, with each of their animated films, delivering high quality results. That being said, no technology is without its flaws, and the rotoscope is certainly no exception to that. Although the rotoscope allowed the animators to create fluid movements, the cost of this was the large amounts of time it would take to successfully rotoscope an animated film. Rotoscoping is done frame by frame, so it is a very time consuming process, especially with Disney’s three step process to creating their original animations, because of how the animators traced over their work three times for more accurate results. But how has rotoscoping changed since Disney and the other Animation companies adapted it? What else is rotoscoping used for?
Rotoscoping through the years had later found its place in blockbuster films, in the visual effects department, by coming up with new ways to make use of the rotoscoping technology. Newly found rotoscoping techniques allowed visual effects artists to create matts, which could be used to include cartoon backgrounds and animations within a live action space. This method was famously used by Disney in the live action film Mary, Poppins. Rotoscoping would even later go on to assist in the creation of the visual effects of Star Wars, by allowing visual effect artists to mask over the lightsaber blades seen in the film, giving them the iconic colored, glowing look. The Rotoscope, despite some of its lengthy flaws, proves to be a tool that is not only creative, but also an effective tool for animators and film editors alike. It adapts to the ideals from those who use them, bringing new things to the big screen with each new idea the rotoscope users come up with. It’s become an inspirational tool that can also help serve as a reminder to those who believe that true are only comes from those who do not use references with their work, that is simply incorrect. The rotoscope is an inspiring piece of technology that has left a significant mark on history, and continues to leave its mark, in the present day.
The Rotoscope today, is still used in the digital era, with people still finding new ways to use it, just as Disney did back then, continuing to assist artists with creating films for viewers all over the world to enjoy and study with each passing generation. I hope to one day use the same technology for unique creations of my own.
References
U Funk (2013). “Disney Rotoscoping-How Disney shot live action scenes to help his animators”. From http://www.ufunk.net/en/insolite/disney-rotoscoping/ [Inernet example]
Lomography (unknown) “Rotoscoping in classic Disney films” From https://www.lomography.com/magazine/281907-rotoscoping-in-classic-disney-films [Internet example]
Maher, Michael. Rocketstock (2015). “Rotoscoping: from early animation to blockbuster VFX”. From https://www.rocketstock.com/blog/rotoscoping-from-early-animation-to-blockbuster-vfx/ [Internet example]