Animation is a way of making a movie from many still images. The images are put together one after another, and then played at a fast speed to give the illusion of movement. 

Animation is a relatively new art form, and though the idea of moving images has been a theme throughout ancient civilizations, it was not until late into the 19th century that experimental animation truly began.  Today, the industry of animation is booming, making up a huge commercial enterprise.  

A person who makes animations is called an animator. 

There are three ways to animate:

 Draw each frame
 Use stop-motion: make a model scene and change it to create a new image (frame)
 Make computer graphics

Overview 

Because it is expensive to make, most animation comes from professional companies. However, independent animators have existed since the 1950s in America, with many of those people entering the professional industry. In Europe, the independent movement has existed since the 1910s, with animators like pre-revolutionary Russia's Ladislas Starevich and Germany's Lotte Reiniger.

Many people use a computer animation program called Adobe Flash to create animations.  Flash uses a combination of drawing and computer graphics to make animations.  Many animations on the internet are made in Flash.  Most animators on the internet do not work for professional companies.

Many television shows, especially those made for children, use limited animation. Companies such as UPA and Hanna-Barbera Productions do this. Simple, limited movement makes the images easier to draw, which allows faster and cheaper production of animation.

Famous names in the business 

 Tex Avery
 Ralph Bakshi
 Joseph Barbera
 Brad Bird
 Seth McFarlane
 Don Bluth
 Sylvain Chomet
 Gabor Csupo
 Stephen Hillenburg
 Gene Deitch
 Walt Disney
 Adam Elliot
 Max Fleischer
 Friz Freleng
 Matt Groening
 Yoram Gross
 William Hanna
 Ray Harryhausen
 Ub Iwerks
 Henry Selick
 Chuck Jones
 Mike Judge
 Glen Keane
 Arlene Klasky
 Walter Lantz
 John Lasseter
 Winsor McCay
 Norman McLaren
 Hayao Miyazaki
 Yuriy Norshteyn
 Katsuhiro Otomo
 Nick Park
 Trey Parker
 Bill Plympton
 Matt Stone
 Will Vinton
 Bob Clampett
 Richard Williams

Famous animation studios

United States 
 DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
 DreamWorks SKG
Nickelodeon Movies
 Film Roman
 Filmation
 Hanna-Barbera (now Cartoon Network Studios)
Sony Pictures Animation
 Klasky Csupo
 MGM
Reel FX Creative Studios
Laika (company)
 Pixar
Blue Sky Studios
Illumination Entertainment
 UPA
 Walt Disney Pictures
 Warner Bros.
Warner Animation Group

Canada 
 Atkinson Film-Arts
 Cinar (now Cookie Jar Entertainment)
 CinéGroupe
 National Film Board of Canada
 Nelvana

Europe 
 Aardman Animations (United Kingdom)
 Arsyn Video Interactive (France)
 Belvision (Belgium)
 Centre for Animated Films Cacak (Serbia)
 Chromosomos (Spain)
 Cosgrove Hall Films (United Kingdom)
 CreaSyn Studio (France)
 DIC (France)
 Ellipse Programme (France)
 France Animation (France)
 Grand Slamm Children's Films (United Kingdom)
 kaViArt (France)
 MacGuff (France)
 Pannónia Filmstúdió (Hungary)
 Red 3ye Productions (France)
 Soyuzmultfilm (Russia)
 Sullivan Bluth Studios (Ireland)
 Synthĕsis Animation Studio (France)
 Zagreb Film (Croatia)

Asia

Japan 
 Bandai Visual
 BONES
 GAINAX
 Gonzo
 Kyoto Animation
 Madhouse Studios
 Production I.G.
 Pierrot
 Studio Ghibli
 Sunrise
 Tatsunoko Productions
 Toei

China 
 Beijing Xie Art (mainland)
 Colorland (Hong Kong)
 Wang Film Productions (Taiwan)

Philippines 
 Toon City

Australia 
 DisneyToon Studios
 Liquid Animation
 Yoram Gross Films / Flying Bark Productions

Related pages 
 Anime
 Cartoon
 CGI animation
 Movie
 Stop-Motion
 CGI ImageMovers And PlayTone

Movie industry