Once upon a time, animation in feature films was a tedious, expensive process. Each animation cel went through numerous processes. First they were hand-sketched, then cleaned up, then copied, then colored. The 1959 film Sleeping Beauty required a million animated cels that went through numerous hands, at a cost of six million dollars. And then it only made five million in its initial run. Something had to change.
Take a closer look at Walt Disney’s 1961 animated One Hundred and One Dalmatians film, and you may notice its animation style looks a little different from its predecessors. With its dark outlines defining characters from backgrounds, its departure from the subtle and sensitive animation of Sleeping Beauty just two years prior was considered jarring to some.
That’s because the film is completely Xeroxed. The technology, invented by American physicist Chester Carlson in the 1940s, completely streamlined the animation process, and ultimately saved Disney’s beloved animation department.
One Hundred and One Dalmatians proved that a good story and cute animals were more important than beautiful artwork, or at least more cost-effective. Read how Disney adopted Xerox technology and how it changed the industry at Smithsonian.
Sit, Rick ! Good dog, now lime down.