In animated movies, drawings or illustrations of much-loved characters, objects and places are photographed frame by frame, which is also known as stop-frame cinematography. The photographs are then shown really fast at 24 frames per second which creates a movement in the photographs. The first-ever fully animated film was “Fantasmagorie” (1908) by French animator Émile Cohl and it was created by hand, frame by frame. In animated films, the inanimate objects (such as the candle holder, teapot and the closet in “Beauty and the Beast” (1991) came to life when Belle went into the Beasts’ castle) take on the roles of villains or heroes when mixed with movement, bringing the motionless two-dimensional (2D) drawings to life.
Animated films may seem to be portrayed only for children’s entertainment, but labelling or categorising it only for kids would not do it justice. Children may be the target audience of these films, but it is actually enjoyed by people of all ages. As Walt Disney, the creator of Disney, said: “You’re dead if you only aim for the kids. Adults are only kids grown up anyway.” For example, the American computer-animated movie ‘Inside Out’ (2015) by Pixer is loved by children due to the animated portrayal of all the emotions of the characters. However, adults can realise from this movie that the mental health of all people, regardless of their age, is important and it is okay to not be okay. For children, it helps recognise their emotions.
Another Disney animation film is “Encanto” (2021), which is loved by everyone due to its vibrant colour, beautiful and scenic portrayal of Colombian culture and obviously, the music. Encanto gives various messages, which are important for all age groups. For example, it is okay to be imperfect. Humans are made to have flaws, and these flaws, failings and foibles make them unique. In a family, a member does need to prove his or her ability to get love and attention from other members. And finally, one should go to such an extent to make their family proud, for reasons best known to themselves. These lessons are not just for children but for everyone because everyone, at some point in their lives, might have gone through some sort of hardship with their family and with accepting themselves as they are. Pictures, drawings or illustrations are silent and ‘silence has more stories in it than a crow’.
To sum up, animation is a combination of live action with 3D. Animated movies are made of moving pictures and many stories are told through them, which have eventually become the medium of learning or realisation. All things considered, animations are not only for the entertainment and learning of children, but also for everyone who loves a good story.
