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Analysis on the Evolution of CG-Animation

Animation is about creating the illusion of life. And you can't create it if you don't have one.  — Brad Bird

The franchise of Toy Story was a known pioneer for computer-generated animation which began in 1995. Hailed as the “first full-length CG-animated feature film”, its fame and recognition would undoubtedly stay for generations to come. Being the first to pave the way for this kind of motion picture, surely would be hard having to thinking up ways for it come to life. The age of computers and its potential for the animation industry as well as its evolution can be described from comparing to the first and fourth film of the franchise.

One of the most important factors in how Pixar was able to fulfill such accomplishment was through rendering. Rendering is the process of producing a representation of this world that can be displayed using whatever two-dimensional output devices are available (Blanksteen & Bruce, n.d.). It involves getting the final generated scenes in a sequence of individual frames. In retrospect, the finished work was outstanding given the limitations faced by the creators. The perspective of plastic toys made it easier to venture into the possibility as the movements of toys were sort of animated already making it efficient for rendering given the technology before. They even had to make a special model program from scratch. Of course, as computers developed to support more graphics and more talented individuals gathered, a noticeable amount of effort was seen in the making of Toy Story 4 as it was smoother and more efficient.

There is no denying that the highest priority of a Pixar film is giving a good story to its audience. As said by Reeves, “Story is king in Pixar”. Before comparing the elements that have evolved through the years, the process of pre-production (the creation of a storyboard) was consistent however changes in presenting it occurred wherein rudimentary sound effects, scratch sound track, and pre-recorded temporary dialogue were added. What more to pair with a good story, if not the visual and auditory elements?

 Significant changes made between the two films were how the model’s movements were generated and manipulated. The making before consisted of individual codes that correspond to the points (considered them as particles) in the character while it progressed into an easier approach were models were now rigged with a moveable skeleton. This helped in creating humans and clothing movement that the first avoided. Other elements such as shading, lighting, and texture the amount of painstaking detail the first film already possessed developed into a more tangible, natural, and real look/feel. The time spent into creation was shorter so audio recording was guided with the work rather than only relying on the director before.

References

Ankel, S. (2019, June 23) ‌ How Toy Story animation has evolved over 24 years. indy100. https://www.indy100.com/ents/toy-story-animation-pixar-evolved-film-1995-2019-woody-buzz-lightyear-8970906

Blanksteen, S.  & Bruce, L. (n.d.). Rendering and Animation. Www.hitl.washington.edu. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from http://www.hitl.washington.edu/projects/knowledge_base/virtual-worlds/EVE/I.A.3.RenderAnimation.html

 Phillips, I., & Desiderio, K. (2019, June 20). How Pixar’s animation has evolved over 24 years, from “Toy Story” to “Toy Story 4” - Insider. Insider; Insider. https://www.insider.com/pixars-animation-evolved-toy-story-2019-6

 Schmidt, K. (2019, May 28) Disney-Pixar history: How the first Pixar film “Toy Story” evolved to “Toy Story 4.”  Inside the Magic. https://insidethemagic.net/2019/05/disney-pixar-history-ba1/