In-between artists and computers

[Rumpelstiltskin]

In the old days, everything in animation was done by hand, including the in-between frames. Today computers assists even that part of the process, creating smooth transitions between the keyframes. But when did Disney first use computers or other tools for this?

[pap64]

I believe it might have been when The Rescuers Down Under was in production. It was the first Disney film to use the CAPS system so maybe that applies to the in-between.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Yeah, that could have been a part of the software. But is there any place where it can be confirmed?

[Disney Duster]

I find a very hard time believing Disney would allow a computer to draw a frame in between human-hand drawn frames. That sounds really cheating, lazy, and at the same time creepy. And if they can do that, definately couldn't have done it for even up to Fantasia 2000. Technology wasn't that advanced.

[jpanimation]

Wow, I didn't know that computers inbetween on traditionally animated films too. Well if its anything like Maya, what I used to animate in 3D, then it's the worst inbetweener in the world

I doubt Disney would ever let a computer inbetween ever on a feature film, maybe television, but never a feature. You would definitely be able to tell if a computer was inbetweening as there would be no arcs, spacing and timing would be even and the whole thing would be robotic and floaty (basically like a Zemeckis mo-cap mess, BURN!!!). I do most of my inbetweening by hand once I have my timing down and the computer really only comes in handy when I use moving holds.

Trust me, if there was an automated inbetweener that didn't suck, animation companies wouldn't be outsourcing their inbetween work to Korea.

[goofystitch]

I find a very hard time believing Disney would allow a computer to draw a frame in between human-hand drawn frames. That sounds really cheating, lazy, and at the same time creepy. And if they can do that, definately couldn't have done it for even up to Fantasia 2000. Technology wasn't that advanced.

Computers don't do it by themselves. Disney still has in-betweeners. It's not like a computer program was created that automatically fills in the missing frames. The only difference is that the old method of doing it was to use paper and pencil. Now they are using computers and mouses. It still takes a lot of talent and is still a slow process. It just saves them the task of having to scan the paper into the computer (and also saves paper, so it's environmental ).

But for the original poster's question, I have no idea when Disney first started doing this and I would like to know as well.

[Disney Duster]

Oh thank God and thank you goofystitch. And now I would love to know as well.

[Elladorine]

Inbetweening for full-style animation can't be done by a computer itself, that's reserved for "vector-art"-type animation as seen in cartoons like Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.

Which is the whole reason I don't tend to care for vector-based animation, the movement feels weird and very unnatural to me.