Channel Frederator Blog

Watch as Walt Disney explains the multiplane camera. In 1937, he released “The Old Mill,” the first short subject to utilize the multiplane camera technique.

That’s a very impressive accomplishment, especially for such an innovation created seventy years ago. But wait! Not so fast! Have a look at this…

That’s a much more impressive effect, in my opinion. That bit of film was created by Max Fleischer’s camera, the Rotograph.

The Rotograph, patent #2054414, was invented by animator Max Fleischer in 1936 (although the documents for the patent were submitted in 1933, according to the scans available from the Patent Office). The camera set up is essentially an enormous, revolving, circular miniature set built in forced perspective.

It amazes me that this technology was invented and used to such stunning effect over 70 years ago. Imagine what the Fleischer brothers and Walt Disney would and could do with computer technology!

Keep innovating!
-Floyd Bishop