Film animation, from Pixar to The Avengers, is so common within modern film that its novelty tends to wear off. It can be easy to forget that animation in its early forms was actually a marvel of ingenuity, timing and technological advancement. Most notably, rotoscope animation pushed the limits of what film and photography could become.

It depicts human experience (our thoughts, emotions and behaviors) through a combination of live-action and illustration, to make the artist’s vision a moving reality. Rotoscoping in many ways is the foundation of modern animation, a technique that, in its execution, can be difficult. But in principle, it is quite straightforward.

What is Rotoscoping? 

Rotoscoping is a technique used by animators to trace over motion picture footage. The artist will draw over the footage, frame by frame, to portray realistic movement and action when played through. 

This technique was invented by Polish-American animator Max Fleischer. In 1915, Fleischer invented this with the goal of creating animation that had more realistic movement and texture. He would project photographs of live-action onto a glass panel and trace over them. 

The rotoscope is the equipment he used to pull it off (see below).

A Breakthrough in Rotoscope Animation

Earlier forms of animation were more like herky-jerky drawings rather than the fluid movement seen in movies like in Disney’s first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 

Early rotoscope animation really was a breakthrough because it allowed for more complex movements to be depicted, while saving a lot of time. Why? Because not everything had to be drawn by hand. 

Rotoscoping is also used in live-action films, when filmmakers create a matte to extract an object or individual from a scene so it can be used in a different background. Examples of this can be seen in films today like Guardians of the Galaxy or A Scanner Darkly.

Rotoscope is synonymous with Max Fleischer. He famously filmed his brother Dave dancing in a clown suit to capture the first rotoscoped cartoon ever: “Koko the Clown.”

This dancing clown was an animation marvel because Fleischer’s predecessors were never quite able to capture the realistic qualities of body movement, depth of field and dimensionality that he did with Koko. 

In this video you can see how realistic Koko’s movements are: 

Rotoscope Animation Today 

Fleischer’s patent expired in 1934, which meant that anyone and everyone was free to use his technique. Rotoscoping today has come a long way from tracing photos over glass. 

Now, there’s plenty of rotoscope animation software available for aspiring filmmakers and pros like James Gunn, who relied heavily on a real-life raccoon named Oreo to portray the precise movements of the raccoon in the film. 

This combination of live-action footage with rotoscoping techniques is where rotoscoping today is most commonly seen. Partial rotoscoping allows artists to use tracings from live- action footage and then supplement it with caricature drawings to exaggerate certain features and body movements. This enables them to create realistic animated characters while maintaining a unique drawing style. 

Early rotoscoping remains one of the most fascinating origins of modern film and illustration. The blending of drawing and live-action footage has helped create some of the most unique and powerful films to date!

The post Early Rotoscope Animation  first appeared on History In Memes.

George Lucas’ 1977 film, “Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope” was light-years ahead of its time. The Star Wars movie franchise has made more than $65 billion in total revenue – with countless movies, tv shows, games, toys and more. But back in the 70s, no one – even the Star Wars cast – could have guessed just how successful the film would become.

The Star Wars Cast Back in 1977

Back in 1977, before the first movie was released, Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo) were just a crew of fresh-faced, up-and-coming stars. And no one could prepare them for the massive stardom they, along with the franchise, was on the cusp of.

The main cast of “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” ditched their lightsabers, costumes, and TIE fighters to promote the movie and take casual photos with each other in their streetwear. Pictured below (left to right) is Harrison Ford (Han Solo), David Prowse (Darth Vader), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), and (Kenny Baker (R2-D2).

Let’s take a trip further down memory lane, before all the glitz and glam, and look at more shots from that day:

Enemies no longer! Harrison, Mark and Carrie casually pose next to the Clone Troopers who they battle frequently throughout the film. 

Star Wars Box Office Success

“Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope” was released on May 25, 1977. Memorial Day Weekend typically is a successful opening weekend for a film to premiere and is the start of the summer blockbuster releases. And the first Star Wars did just that. For context, the first Star Wars film had a budget of $11 million. The film ended up earning $461 million dollars in US ticket sales and $775 million worldwide. Not only was the sci-fi action-adventure a success with audiences, but critics adored it! The film received 10 Academy Award nominations and won seven (including Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Score). 

The film even started a tradition among Hollywood film directors in which they ended each other congratulatory notes when they pass box office records. 

What Is Going On with the Star Wars Franchise Now?

Years later, Star Wars has become a larger-than life, pop culture phenomenon. It has made its way from just nerd fandoms to mainstream praise. Walt Disney Company bought LucasFilms and the rights to Star Wars back in 2012, and have since made three film trilogies, two solo spin-off films and a handful of animated and live action shows including “The Mandalorian”, “The Book of Boba Fett”, and “Andor.”

The post Looking Back: Star Wars Cast in 1977 first appeared on History In Memes.

No picture is more late 80’s and early 90’s than this one. This photo showcases so many icons from Macaulay Culkin to Reebok sneakers to a DeLorean. 10-year-old Macaulay Culkin, best known for his role as Kevin McCallister in the Christmas classic movie, Home Alone, is photographed standing next to a DeLorean car. 

Macaulay Culkin: An Iconic 90s Movie Star

At this time Macaulay Culkin was just on the cusp of reaching global stardom as he rose to becoming one of the most-well known child actors. Culkin dominated the 1990s as being Hollywood’s “it” kid and making audiences fall in love with him in his starring roles in both Home Alone and Home Alone 2, as well as My Girl and Richie Rich.

Why This Photo Is So Iconic

Culkin is pictured with the DMC DeLorean vehicle. You probably recognize this car from the Back to the Future films. As a refresher, this was the car turned time-machine that Doc and Marty McFly used to go, well, back to the future. 

The gull-wing doors and the fact that time-traveling Marty McFly drove around in the DeLorean made it the dream car of every 90’s kid. I mean who doesn’t want to skirt around town in a time machine? And to top it all off – Macaulay is rocking the Reebok Pump Twilight Zones. The Reebok Pump Twilight Zones originally launched with the price tag of $170 for a pair. But Malcuay wasn’t the only name in Hollywood to rock these shoes. Atlanta Hawks small forward, Dominique Wilkins,  played in these sneakers on the court during the 90s. 

All the pieces that make up this photo from the Home Alone movie, Back to the Future Part 3 movie, and Reebok Pump Twilight Zone sneakers – were all released in the year of 1990! 

Man, this photo makes me feel old.

The post Kevin McCallister Goes Back to the Future first appeared on History In Memes.

Actor Heath Ledger, best known for his iconic portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s 2008 The Dark Knight, was someone with tremendous talent, grace and wisdom.

Ledger got his acting start in the ‘90s and early 2000s in movies like 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot and A Knight’s Tale. He even received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal in the 2005 groundbreaking, LGBTQ film Brokeback Mountain. Then came the role of a lifetime of playing the most recognizable villain opposite of Christian Bale’s Batman. His casting was met with a lot of hate and disagreement from fans. After wrapping filming for The Dark Knight in 2008, Heath suffered from an accidental overdose.

The film was released later that year, and Ledger’s performance was met with widespread critical and audience praise. He posthumously won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the Joker. His performance as the Clown Prince of Gotham is still widely held to high esteem and has made the role “intimidating” to fellow actors who take the role.

In a recent GQ interview, Christian Bale praised co-star Ledger’s performance. 

“I was watching him going, ‘This is absolutely fantastic. Are we in trouble here?’ When [director Christopher Nolan] and I first sat down we said, ‘You know the problem with Batman is that the villains are always more interesting. Batman is actually very close to being a villain himself, so let’s never let him become dull by comparison. Unfortunately, I was sitting there going, ‘I feel a little bit dull by comparison,’ because Heath is just killing this. But I’m so proud of that film, I love it. The Dark Knight is absolutely extraordinary, and it was such a pleasure to have got to work with Heath.”

Here are six quotes from the incredible actor, Heath Ledger.

1. “Everyone you meet always asks if you have a career, are married or own a house as if life was some kind of grocery list. But nobody ever asks if you are happy.” – Heath Ledger

2. “If you make decisions based upon people’s reactions or judgments then you make really boring choices.” – Heath Ledger

3. I”‘m still a kid. I’m like six years old. But it’s just a matter of wanting to get up, it’s just a big journey. I felt like when I left home that I was on a journey, and I still am.” – Heath Ledger

4. “I’ve never had high expectations of my work and I certainly am not going to let that plague my thoughts. I’m just going to continue to choose what feels right for me at the time and go with it.” – Heath Ledger

5. “The reason that you dance and sing is to make the audience feel like they’re dancing and singing. As long as you’re having fun with it and giving it 100 percent, they’re gonna feel that.” – Heath Ledger

6. “It was important to try to find a somewhat iconic voice and laugh [for the Joker]. I ended up landing more in the realm of a psychopath — someone with very little to no conscience towards his acts. He’s just an absolute sociopath, a cold-blooded, mass-murdering clown.” – Heath Ledger on playing The Joker

Fans remember Heath Ledger for more than just his filmography and awards. They remember him as someone with an enormous heart, immense talent, and genuineness that is difficult to find in Hollywood.

The post 6 Incredible Quotes from Actor Heath Ledger first appeared on History In Memes.