Squigglevision
Encyclopedia
Squigglevision is a patented method of computer animation
in which the outlines of shapes are made to wiggle
and undulate. Tom Snyder of Tom Snyder Productions invented the technique, which his animation studio Soup2Nuts
subsequently popularized in several successful animated series.
Compared with traditional animation
, Squigglevision is relatively fast and easy to produce. The non-stop motion of the “squiggling” outlines reduces the need for more complex animations in order to make a scene feel dynamic. Tom Snyder describes the result as “economy of motion.” “There are almost no disadvantages,” Snyder asserts. “It costs just as much to do a helicopter scene as it does to do a living room scene.” However, some viewers have described Squigglevision as distracting and annoying, and some even claim Squigglevision gives them headaches. The animated series Home Movies
used Squigglevision in its first season, but later replaced it with Flash.
In order to create the line oscillation effects that characterize Squigglevision, Tom Snyder Productions’ animators loop five slightly different drawings in a sequence called a flick. The animators then operate software from Avid Technology
to merge the flicks into the scene, and synchronize them with the soundtrack
.
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
in which the outlines of shapes are made to wiggle
Wiggle
Wiggle may refer to:*The Wiggle, a bike route in San Francisco that avoids steep grades*The Wiggles, an Australian children's band*Wiggle , an album by Screeching Weasel*Wiggle , a children's book by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin...
and undulate. Tom Snyder of Tom Snyder Productions invented the technique, which his animation studio Soup2Nuts
Soup2Nuts
Soup2Nuts is an American animation studio founded by Tom Snyder, Loren Bouchard, Brendon Small, Jody Snider, and Amanda Normoyle. It is known for its animated comedy series...
subsequently popularized in several successful animated series.
Compared with traditional animation
Traditional animation
Traditional animation, is an animation technique where each frame is drawn by hand...
, Squigglevision is relatively fast and easy to produce. The non-stop motion of the “squiggling” outlines reduces the need for more complex animations in order to make a scene feel dynamic. Tom Snyder describes the result as “economy of motion.” “There are almost no disadvantages,” Snyder asserts. “It costs just as much to do a helicopter scene as it does to do a living room scene.” However, some viewers have described Squigglevision as distracting and annoying, and some even claim Squigglevision gives them headaches. The animated series Home Movies
Home Movies (TV series)
Home Movies is a dialogue-driven American animated series that originally aired from 1999 to 2004. The plot surrounds eight-year-old Brendon Small , who makes films with his friends Melissa Robbins and Jason Penopolis in his spare time...
used Squigglevision in its first season, but later replaced it with Flash.
In order to create the line oscillation effects that characterize Squigglevision, Tom Snyder Productions’ animators loop five slightly different drawings in a sequence called a flick. The animators then operate software from Avid Technology
Avid Technology
Avid Technology, Inc. is an American company specializing in video and audio production technology; specifically, digital non-linear editing systems, management and distribution services. It was created in 1987 and became a publicly traded company in 1993...
to merge the flicks into the scene, and synchronize them with the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
.
Animated series produced in Squigglevision
- Dick and Paula Celebrity SpecialDick and Paula Celebrity SpecialDick and Paula Celebrity Special was a Soup2Nuts animated series that aired on FX from 1999 to 2000.The premise of the show was that Dick and Paula hosted a talk show where famous individuals, usually deceased, talked about their work or what made them widely known...
- Dr. Katz, Professional TherapistDr. Katz, Professional TherapistDr. Katz, Professional Therapist is an American animated series that originally ran on Comedy Central from May 28, 1995 to December 24, 1999,–with a final set of three shelved episodes airing in 2002–starring Jonathan Katz, Jon Benjamin, and Laura Silverman...
- RoobarbRoobarbRoobarb is a British animated television programme for children, originally shown on BBC1 just before the evening news. Each cartoon, written by Grange Calveley and animated by Bob Godfrey, was about five minutes long. Thirty episodes were made, and the show was first shown on October 21, 1974...
- Home MoviesHome Movies (TV series)Home Movies is a dialogue-driven American animated series that originally aired from 1999 to 2004. The plot surrounds eight-year-old Brendon Small , who makes films with his friends Melissa Robbins and Jason Penopolis in his spare time...
- O'GradyO'GradyO'Grady is an animated television show created by Tom Snyder and Carl Adams and developed for TV by co-star Holly Schlesinger. It used to air on The N in the US, on MTV in Latin America, Nickelodeon in the United Kingdom and on 2x2 in Russia. It stars Melissa Bardin Galsky and H...
- Science CourtScience CourtScience Court, an edutainment animated series from Tom Snyder Productions, aired on ABC's One Saturday Morning from 1997 to 2002. It was the closing show to Disney's One Saturday Morning as it aired at 11:30 am/12:30 pm...
- Ed, Edd n EddyEd, Edd n EddyEd, Edd n Eddy is an original animated television series created by Danny Antonucci and produced by Canadian-based a.k.a. Cartoon. It premiered on Cartoon Network on January 4, 1999. Ed, Edd n Eddy was one of Cartoon Network's longest running and most successful franchises and the longest-running...