There’s no denying that animation and cartoons have shaped generations. Many of us were raised watching them, and still take pleasure in watching the classic old cartoons from our childhood. However the animation industry has changed over the decades, and the changes within the industry and technology used started to reshape what it meant to be an animator and the types of media we were given to enjoy. But through all of the changes, what didn’t change was the passes for the art and the craft of bringing animations to life.
Pencils vs. Pixels is a new documentary that examines the love and passion of animators for the industry and the artwork that we all enjoy watching. Narrated by Ming-Na Wen, known for her voice acting as Mulan and countless other characters and her role in Mandalorian, the film takes a look back at the history of the animation industry and the artist who made animating a true art form.
The movie takes viewers through the evolution of animation and the technology that started to change how things were done throughout the decades bringing us to where we are now – seeing a resurgence of line-drawn animation on television and even in some theaters. What used to take teams of hundreds of workers months to create, now can be done in days or even less time.
While interesting overall, the documentary actually is very eye-opening when it comes to some of your favorite animated films. While often, we think some of the movies we grew up with and loved were all done by hand, the movie reveals the early utilization of computer animation in them to create spaces and environments. While earlier computer-generated models were later printed and hand inked, it was the beginning of computer animation and using technology to bring the fantastic worlds to life.
Filled with big names within the animation industry, the documentary shows the true joy and love for animation in general. With underlying upbeat music throughout the film, it will leave you smiling and fascinated at just how much work and love goes into every cell we see (or don’t see) on screen.
Pencils Vs. Pixels is currently available to stream on demand.
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About Pencils Vs. Pixels
Pencils Vs Pixels is a celebration of the unique magic of 2D hand-drawn animation and an exploration of how the Disney Renaissance of the late 1980s and early 1990s led to an animation boom that was quickly upended by the computer animation revolution that followed. Narrated by Ming-Na Wen, PENCILS VS PIXELS features many of the legendary artists who brought these now-classic films to life as they guide us through the last few decades of animation and into the future that’s yet to come.
