Friday, February 09, 2007

Don Graham on Rotoscope

"The only thing an artist has is the fact that he can do something that can't be done with a machine. He should say to himself, "Am I going to let a machine work me out of a job and a profession?" That is what it is going to do, unless the artist keeps moving. It is up to him. As long as jobs have to be done, and have to be done economically, the rotoscope is the quickest way to do it, the challenge will always be there. So it is up to the artist to deliver. He must do a drawing and say, "See here - my drawing may not be perfect as far as realism is concerned, but it has a spirit the rotoscope can never give you." -Don Graham, July 26, 1937
Hans Perk has posted a series of transcriptions (starting February 5) of Disney action analysis classes from 1937, while Snow White was still in production. The above quote is only one of many interesting quotes about rotoscoping in the transcripts. As Hans points out, these same issues are now relevant to the use of motion capture.

5 comments:

Mitchel Kennedy said...

If you use rotoscope like the Fleischer's did, then it becomes a mixed-media art form. Taking a tap dance and adding surreal elements is certainly interesting and fun to watch.

If you use mocap like we see being done today, then it's nothing but a cheat. Relying heavily on the dumbed-down movement of live action, and then passing it off as animation is nothing but an insult to real animators. Nothing is added, and certainly things are lost in the translation.

Anonymous said...

Me, mocaper by day, but at night....

KEYFRAME MAN!

KEYFRAME MAN says:

Never let the producers own your artisitic spirit. If you do, you have no license to insult anyone, and you guarantee a future of frustration for yourself.

Compete or die!

Anonymous said...

Hey, Mark, head over to the GAC forums, I've posted something about the animation in "Mickey's Birthday Party" which should be of interest.

Chae said...

I'd like to send you an email.
I have a few questions to ask you
Your catapultproductions.com
address doesn;t seem to work. What can I do?

Mark Mayerson said...

My email is markmayerson(at)rogers(dot)com.