Animation

Derived from the Latin word for "soul", 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)
CineGroupe
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)
Pannonia Filmstudio (Hungary)
Red 3ye Productions (France)
Soyuzmultfilm (Russia)
Sullivan Bluth Studios (Ireland)
Synthesis Animation Studio (France)
Zagreb Film (Croatia)
Asia
Japan
Bandai Visual
BONES
GAINAX
Gonzo
Kyoto Animation
Madhouse Studios
Production I.G.