#TBT: How 101 Dalmatians Saved Disney
Smithsonianmag.com Recounts how innovation on 101 Dalmations saved Disney animation…
Do you know anyone who uses “Xerox” as slang for “make a copy?”
That’s because, “back in the day,” Xerox was the original innovator in the copy machine world. And, similar to “fridge” becoming ubiquitous with refrigerator (possibly) thanks to Frigidaire, Xerox became both a noun and a verb.
Of course, Walt Disney Animation looked to work smarter, not harder, particularly as they strove to pull together a new way of producing films. So, something like a copy machine would make things a whole lot easier.
And a lot cheaper.
How Xerox Saved Disney Animation
Image: Disney
In a truly fascinating article, SmithsonianMag.com’s Gia Yetikyel wrote:
Take a closer look at Walt Disney’s 1961 animated One Hundred and One Dalmatians film, and you may notice its animation style looks a little different from its predecessors… That’s because the film is completely Xeroxed. The technology, invented by American physicist Chester Carlson in the 1940s, completely streamlined the animation process and ultimately saved Disney’s beloved animation department.
Image: Disney/LA Times
Yetikyel spoke to Andreas Deja, who broke down the differences created by the Xerox process, namely, that the original animators’ actual work was present in most of the drawings.
And, on the business side, the Xerox method eliminated the need for other artists or assistants to trace them.
Moreover, considering Sleeping Beauty needed 1,000,000 drawings (and lost a million dollars), Disney needed to lower the overhead on their animated projects – and fast.
From Sleeping Beauty to Xeroxed Dogs
Smithsonian added:
With its dark outlines defining characters from backgrounds, its departure from the subtle and sensitive animation of Sleeping Beauty just two years prior was considered jarring to some.
However, even though it took a bit for Walt Disney to get on board as a viewer (if not an accountant), artists loved Xerox.
Image: Disney
“[Animators] felt like with each tracing step, the drawings lose life,” said Deja to SmithsonianMag.com. “And all of a sudden, their drawings were kept.”
And, as a result of 101 Dalmations’ success, Disney kept animation.
Be sure to read the entire Smithsonian Magazine article for the full story.
Tell us: Which animation style do you prefer. Sleeping Beauty or Dalmations?
Feature: Disney
