Editor Chelsea directed the Blog class to write about one of her favorite topics: animation. Katelin combined the directive with the recent hoopla regarding last night’s Academy Awards. Did you know Snow White received an Oscar, and seven miniature ones?
By Katelin Mei
The 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was revolutionary for the film and animation industry. It was the first film ever to make use of a multiplane camera and was awarded a special Oscar, along with seven miniature ones. Here is how this special film was made.
First, the writers made a story and illustrated the high points of that story. Then, the story was taken to a music director, where he timed out the score for each scene carefully. Then, the animators drew out each scene carefully using a light table. After, the pencil drawings were sent to the inking department, where they would be traced over with ink on sheets of celluloid.
Afterwards, the pictures were painted. The studio had more than 800 shades of colour carefully made for this purpose. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs required 250,000 celluloids painted in such a way.
In another department, artists painted the backgrounds for every scene using watercolour. Then, the celluloids and backgrounds would be photographed by a camera, one plane at a time. After one photo was finished, the technicians moved on to the next one, until the whole film was photographed. For Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this had to be repeated more than half a million times.
Afterwards, the sound effects were recorded. Finally, an orchestra was recorded, playing the score. Then, the film was featured in Hollywood. After, it was released to theatres, where it made a million and a half dollars.
Source Referenced:
Animation Editor: Chelsea
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