Animated Films are ones in which individual drawings, paintings, or illustrations are

photographed frame by frame (stop-frame cinematography). Usually, each frame differs slightly
from the one preceding it, giving the illusion of movement when frames are projected in rapid
succession at 24 frames per second. The earliest cinema animation was composed of frame-by-
frame, hand-drawn images. When combined with movement, the illustrator's two-dimensional
static art came alive and created pure and imaginative cinematic images - animals and other
inanimate objects could become evil villains or heroes.
Animations are not a strictly-defined genre category, but rather a film technique, although they
often contain genre-like elements. Animation, fairy tales, and stop-motion films often appeal to
children, but it would marginalize animations to view them only as "children's entertainment."
Animated films are often directed to, or appeal most to children, but easily can be enjoyed by all.
Animated film is a collection of illustrations that are photographed frame-by-frame and then
played in a quick succession. Since its inception, animation has had a creative and imaginative
tendency. Being able to bring animals and objects to life, this genre has catered towards fairy
tales and children’s stories. However, animation has long been a genre enjoyed by all ages. As
of recent, there has even been an influx of animation geared towards adults. Animation is
commonly thought of as a technique, thus it’s ability to span over many different genres.
To create the animations, individually-created images were painted directly onto the frames of a
flexible strip of transparent gelatine (with film perforations on the edges), and run through his
projection system. Depending upon one's definition of terms, some consider Pauvre Pierrot the
oldest-surviving animated film ever made and publicly broadcast.
Émile Reynaud’s Pauvre Pierrot (1892) was created by using a longer image roll for the
praxinoscope, allowing for a longer viewing time. Pauvre Pierrot is often credited as the first
animated film because Reynaud’s picture roll was hand-painted with 500 individual images
(rather than using photographs).
The Praxinoscope is a typical optical toy from the 19th century. It consists of a cylinder and a
strip of paper showing twelve frames for animation. As the cylinder rotates, stationary mirrors in
the centre reveal a 'single image' in motion.

ANIMATED FILM SUB-GENRE

Adult Animation
Adult Animation is a sub-genre that uses animation to appeal to an older audience. The
storyline of the film may be more sophisticated than a traditional animated film. It may be
considered an Adult Animated film because of the portrayal of adult topics- such as drugs, sex,
and violence. Adult Animation is usually considered cutting edge and risqué. Many of the more
famous Adult Animated films are part animated and part live-action.
Examples: Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Aqua Teen Hunger
Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters.

Animated Children
Animated Children film is a sub-genre that caters to a young and specific age demographic.
This sub-genre usually explores a fantastical world with vivid animation. The tone of these films
is light and fun, and musical numbers are often incorporated into the plot. The story usually
centers on a protagonist who must battle in a “good-over-evil” scenario.
Examples: Aladdin, Fern Gully, Beauty and the Beast.

Animated Musical
Animated Musicals are animated films that incorporate large musical numbers into the narrative.
These films usually appeal to children and families. This sub-genre has been dominated by
Disney productions, especially with the surge of Animated Disney Musicals in the 1950s and
1990s. Like children’s animation, these stories usually show the battle of good defeating evil
with likable protagonists of moral fiber.
Examples: Snow White, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast.

Animated Family
Animated Family film is a sub-genre that has a large target audience. Many classic Animated
Family films incorporate musical numbers to engage younger audiences, but more
contemporary Animated Family films have developed a dual sided form of humor – appealing to
children and adults.
Examples: Toy Story, Despicable Me, Cars.

5 Forms of Animation
 Traditional Animation
 2D Animation
 3D Animation
 Motion Graphics
 Stop Motion

There are many different types of animation but most of them fall into five major categories.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each of them depending on how the artist prefers
to create. Knowing the different kinds of animation can help artists to choose their careers in
animation.

1. Traditional Animation
Traditional animation can also be referred to as cell animation. This type of animation requires
the animator to draw every single frame by hand to create an animated scene. This is usually
done on a light table that allows the artists to see the previous drawing through the top layer of
paper. Well-known companies like Disney are known for using this type of animation. Traditional
animation is still done today on computers with special tablets.

2. 2D Animation
2D animation refers to vector-based animations similar to the ones used in Flash. This style of
animation has been growing in popularity because the technology is so accessible. Although
artists have the option of editing frame by frame, vector-based animation gives the artist the
option to create rigs for the characters and move single body parts at a time rather than
constantly redrawing the characters. It gives more flexibility to beginners in animation because
they don’t have to rely so heavily on drawing skills.

3. 3D Animation
3D animation is also known as computer animation and it is currently the most commonly used
form of animation. The process of 3D animation is very different from the traditional style but
they both require the artist to share the same principles of movement and composition in
animation. 3D animation has less to do with drawing and more to do with moving a character in
a program. The National Science Foundation emphasizes how heavily 3D animators must rely
on physics to create realistic animations. The animator creates keyframes or specific
movements and lets the computer fill in the rest.

4. Motion Graphics
Unlike the previously mentioned types of animation, motion graphics are not driven by
characters or storylines. This art form focuses on the ability to move graphic elements, shapes,
and text. This process is commonly used for things like television promotions, explainer videos,
and animated logos. The skillset necessary for the other types of animation doesn’t apply to
motion graphics because there’s no need to mimic body movement or facial expressions.
Advertisements rely heavily on motion graphics and present plenty of career opportunities.

5. Stop Motion
Stop motion animation is very similar to traditional animation because it combines a series of
still images that are slightly different to show movement. The largest difference is that stop
motion uses photography and captures real objects. With stop motion, the artists take a photo of
an object or scene and slightly moves the objects before taking another photo. The artist
repeats this process until the scene is completed and uses each photo as a frame in the
animation. It’s similar to a flipbook with photos.