Model animation is a form of

stop motion Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames ...

animation designed to merge with live-action footage to create the

illusion An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the mind normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort the human perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people. Illusions may ...

of a real-world fantasy sequence.

Techniques

Many types of models have been created and developed, and the choice mainly depends on the budget of the film: Clay Models: Unlike most clay figures used for animation, clay models have an inner metal skeleton designed to allow them realistic movements and expressions. Built-Up Models: These types of models are more expensive and detailed than clay models. They are made by building up pieces of foam on a metal skeleton to create a body, and then either brushing on several layers of liquid latex or casting soft rubbery skins and attaching then to the padded armature. "Cast" Models: These types of models are the most expensive used in the industry and are longer-lasting than the other types. They start as clay sculptures onto which two- (or more) part molds are made in order to reproduce all the details. Then the mold parts are assembled with an armature inside, and they are filled with a liquid material (foam latex, silicone rubber, urethane foam, etc.) that then forms a soft rubbery "flesh" over the skeleton.

Works

Model animation was pioneered by

Willis O'Brien Willis Harold O'Brien (March 2, 1886 – November 8, 1962) was an American motion picture special effects and stop-motion animation pioneer, who according to ASIFA-Hollywood "was responsible for some of the best-known images in cinema history ...

, and it was first used in '' The Lost World'' (1925). His work also includes *''

King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...

'' (1933) *''

The Son of Kong ''The Son of Kong'' (also known and publicized simply as ''Son of Kong'') is a 1933 American Pre-Code adventure monster film produced by RKO Pictures. Directed by Ernest Schoedsack and featuring special effects by Willis O'Brien and Buzz Gibso ...

'' (1933) *'' Mighty Joe Young'' (1949) *'' The Black Scorpion'' (1957) *'' The Giant Behemoth'' (1958) Picking up the model animation baton from O'Brien, and refining the process further, introducing color and smoother animation, was his protégé,

Ray Harryhausen Raymond Frederick Harryhausen (June 29, 1920 – May 7, 2013) was an American-British animator and special effects creator who created a form of stop motion model animation known as "Dynamation". His works include the animation for '' Mig ...

. Assisting O'Brien in ''Mighty Joe Young'' in 1949, Harryhausen went on to do model animation (and other special visual effects) on a series of feature-length films, such as: *'' The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms'' (1953) *'' It Came from Beneath the Sea'' (1955) *'' Earth vs. the Flying Saucers'' (1956) *'' The Animal World'' (Opening Dinosaur sequence, with O'Brien, 1956) *'' 20 Million Miles To Earth'' (1957) *'' The 7th Voyage of Sinbad'' (1958) *''

The Three Worlds of Gulliver ''The 3 Worlds of Gulliver'' is a 1960 Eastmancolor Columbia Pictures fantasy film loosely based upon the 1726 novel ''Gulliver's Travels'' by Jonathan Swift. The film stars Kerwin Mathews as the title character, June Thorburn as his fiancé ...

'' (1960) *''

Mysterious Island ''The Mysterious Island'' (french: L'Île mystérieuse) is a novel by Jules Verne, published in 1875. The original edition, published by Hetzel, contains a number of illustrations by Jules Férat. The novel is a crossover sequel to Verne's fam ...

'' (1961) *'' Jason and the Argonauts'' (1963) *'' First Men in the Moon'' (1964) *'' One Million Years B.C.'' (1967) *'' The Valley of Gwangi'' (1969) *'' The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'' (1974) *'' Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger'' (1977) *'' Clash of the Titans'' (with Jim Danforth, 1981) The third generation of model animators featured such notables as Jim Danforth, David Allen, and Phil Tippett.

References

Works cited

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Techniques

Works

References

Works cited

See also