The basic techniques in traditional animation haven't changed significantly from early landmarks such as Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie" (1928), and can be seen in 2011 animated offerings such as "Family Guy" and "The Simpsons." In traditional animation, an animator hand-paints each image on a transparent piece of celluloid, which is then placed atop a background cell and photographed. This is a laborious, time-consuming process, and an animated feature film can take hundreds of animators several years to complete.
Advances in computer technology have led to a new form of animation called computer-generated imagery, or CGI. In CGI, artists use computer software to produce detailed images, with the software allowing control over all aspects of the animation. As technology advances, so too does the quality of CGI animation. Pixar Studios remains a leader in CGI and has produced such groundbreaking animated films as "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo" and "WALL-E." CGI is also widely used to create special effects in non-animated films. Director James Cameron pushed the boundaries of CGI in his blockbuster hit "Avatar," which combined live-action and CGI.
Stop-motion animation is a meticulous, time-consuming process typified in the beloved holiday-themed TV special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Stop-motion animation involves the creation of small models made from latex or clay, typically covering a metal skeleton. Using a stationary camera, these models are photographed one frame at a time, with the model moved slightly each time to perform the required action. Although CGI has supplanted stop-motion, this technique is still used by directors who prize the tactile, three-dimensional look it creates. One of the masters of stop-motion animation was Ray Harryhausen, whose stop-motion effects appeared in such films as "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" and "Jason and the Argonauts." Director Tim Burton used stop-motion animation in two of his films, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "The Corpse Bride." Stop-motion is becoming easier for the novice filmmaker thanks to computer software specifically designed to create animation using this technique.
Cutout animation is one of the oldest animation techniques, although it produces a cruder, rougher form of animation. Cutout animation uses flat characters, props and backgrounds that are physically cut out from paper, fabric or old photos, which is then photographed frame by frame in the same manner as traditional and stop-motion animation. Terry Gilliam's distinctive cutout animation was an important element in the ground-breaking BBC comedy series "Monty Python's Flying Circus." The Comedy Central series "South Park" used cutout animation, although animators subsequently switched to a computer software program that mimicked the original cutout look.