Pioneers of

animation.
Joseph Plateau:
Joseph plateau was a Belgian physicist born in 1801. he is known to be the
first person to demonstrate moving image. Plateau created a
phenakistoscope, which is a disk with images drawn on, that create the
illusion of a moving image when spun.
Clip of Plateaus work:
Information on Phenakistoscope:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94OHrt755QU

http://www.juxtapoz.com/illustration/short-history-of-the-
phenakistoscope

William Horner
William Horner was born in 1786, his profession was a head teacher and a
mathematician, he was more known however for inventing the Zoetrope
(Known as a Daedaleum at the time). The Zoetrope is a revolving drum that
has slits in to reveal pictures. Once spun it shows the moving image illusion
through the slits.
Horners work in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_8fX-N3Ji4
Information on Zoetrope: http://www.randommotion.com/html/zoe.html

Emile Reynaud:
Charles-Emile Reynaud was a French inventor born in 1844. Known for
inventing the Praxinoscope, and for his Theatre Optique. Reynaud went on to
project the first public animation movie. The Praxinsoscope is similar to the
Zoetrope, but is modified to project the image onto a surface. Other
Praxinoscopes have glass in the centre as opposed to the slits in the
Zoetrope.
Here is Reynauds work in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drv52xVuN9g
Here is some information on the Praxinoscope:
http://www.earlycinema.com/technology/praxinoscope.html

Eadweard Muybridge:
Eadweard Muybridge was a Photographer born in 1830, Muybridge shot his
wifes lover in 1874, but was acquitted for justifiable homicide, after this he
focused on creating moving images of animals and other images. Muybridge
is best know today for his moving image of a horse running.
Here is an example of Muybridges work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEqccPhsqgA
Here is information on Muybridge and his work:
http://www.biography.com/people/eadweard-muybridge-9419513#early-life

Thomas Edison:
Born in 1847, Thomas Edison was a businessman and inventor, known well
for a number of inventions including the long lasting Light bulb, the
Phonograph and the motion picture camera. Edison also had an invention
known as the Kinetoscope. The Kinetoscope is a form of early motion picture
exhibition. You view the motion picture through a peephole at the top of the
contraption.
Here is an example of Edisons work in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRIjUYh3MEs
Here is information on the Kinetoscope;
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/edhtml/edmvhist.html

The Lumiere brothers.
Auguste and Louis Lumiere were French film makers, known to be the first
film makers in history. The Lumiere brothers were also known for their
Cinematograph. The first ever motion picture they created was a shot of
people leaving a factory, but are perhaps best known for their Train film.
Here is the first motion picture ever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDnppCDhI9U
Here is some info on The Lumiere Brothers and their work:
http://www.alchemists.com/visual_alchemy/lumiere.html

George Pal:
George Pal was an American (Hungarian born) animator and film producer.
George Pal is best known for his films: Tom Thumb, The War of The Worlds,
Atlantis etc. George Pal was also known for his animation series: The
Puppetoons.
Here is an example of George Pals work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgFUzqrbKSc&list=PLF8B391BEA20681
58&index=2
Here is some info on George Pal and his work:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0657162/