Tuesday 28 January 2014

Multiplane camera - Urb Irwek

The multiplane camera was invented by urb irwek and is a special motion picture camera used in the traditional animation process. It that allows you to move a number of pieces of artwork past the camera at various speeds and at various distances from one another, this creates a three-dimensional effect.
Parts of the artwork layers are left transparent, to allow other layers to be seen behind them. The movements are calculated and photographed frame-by-frame, with the result being an illusion of depth by having several layers of artwork moving at different speeds - the further away from the camera, the slower the speed. This technique was used by Lotte Reiniger who is know as a pioneer of silhouette animation, and also one of my favorite animators of all time. 


Alot of clever techniques could be used with the multiplane camera, and was later used by Walt Disney in his animations. An example of this is when the background and foreground are moved in opposite directions, this creates an effect of rotation. Walt Disney did this in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs where the evil Queen drinks her potion, and the surroundings appear to spin around her.


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