Basics Animation 02: Digital Animation

Andrew Chong is a graduate of Newcastle Polytechnic. He has worked as a freelancer in commercial video and broadcast television, and his assignments range from prop making through to computer graphics and live action video. He currently works at Loughborough University's Animation Academy under the direction of Professor Paul Wells, facilitating various research projects, from stop-frame animation to motion-capture.

Introduction. How to get the most out of this book. Foundations <1960: Early mechanical developments; The first animated films; The foundation of modern computing. Pioneers 1960-1980: Experimental animators; Early special effects; The birth of computer games; First CGI in cimena; GUIs and SIMs. Development 1980-1990: The first digital games; The animator's role; CGI aesthetics; Character animation; Computers for everyone; Digitally animated shorts; Digital animation in fine arts; Photorealism. Maturity 1990-2000: The internet and animation; Digital animation in cinema; Digital animation in television; Traditional skills in CGI; Digital worlds and digital actors. Integration 2000-2007: Digital tools for all; Digital feature films; Digital auteurism; Media crossover; Aesthetic confidence; Beyond cinema and television. Predictions 2007>: Machinima; Return to core values; Digital auteurism revisited. Glossary. A timeline of digital animation. Conclusion. References and bibliography. Further resources. Acknowledgements. Picture credits.