ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of computer animation

Well kiddo, let's start with the basics. Animations are pictures or videos that can move on their own, like the cartoons you watch on TV.

Now, a long time ago, people used to draw each frame of an animation by hand, which was very time-consuming and difficult. But then, in the 1960s, people began using computers to create animations.

The first computer animation was made in 1963 by a man named Edward Catmull. He used a computer program to create a simple animation of a hand moving. This was a big breakthrough because it showed that computers could be used to create animations.

Over the next few decades, computer technology improved a lot, and people began creating more and more complex animations. In 1972, a computer-animated film called "A Computer Animated Hand" was created. This film was made by a man named Edwin Catmull, who was working at a company called NYIT.

As the technology improved, people began using computer animation for movies and TV shows. In fact, the first full-length computer-animated movie was made in 1995. It was called "Toy Story" and it was a huge success!

Today, computer animation is used in all kinds of ways. It's used to create movies, TV shows, video games, and even commercials. And all of this is possible because of the hard work and innovation of people like Edward Catmull and Edwin Catmull!