How Sound Revolutionized Animation

While Disney made his first experiments adding sound to shorts like "Plane Crazy," animators in Europe, like Oskar Fischinger, also experimented with sound in animation. Fischinger, an artist with a background in abstract painting, eventually found his way to animation as a way to enliven his paintings. Disney and Fischinger later crossed paths in working on Fantasia, Disney's grandiose feature movie composed of shorts set to orchestral pieces. Fischinger's work acted as the basis for a section set to Bach's Toccata and Fugue (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1z12_Ps-gk&playnext=1&list=PL1BD764D7D1503D76). However, the collaboration didn't last very long and ended rather unsweetly. Fed up with working for others, Fischinger returned to Germany to direct his efforts at his own artwork.

Unfortunately there are only few examples of Fischinger's work to be found online. However, on this obscure Chinese sight you'll find Fischinger's "Motion Painting No. 1": http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/PvmbCzO1q48/. All of the animation you see was done on plexiglass. This was his last major work. Notice how the sound and image come together in surprising ways.

But to really see how much sound can do for an animation, see this masterpiece by Chuck Jones--how have I not seen this until now?? It won him an Oscar in 1965 (for Best Animated Short)--well-deserved, in my opinion. Check it out. It really is a must see. You won't be disappointed.



-- post by Erik