Tal Sharir

The Simpsons have always been known for their subtle use of product placement, and one of the most notable examples is the incorporation of Apple products. For example, the episode “Mypods and Boomsticks,” has various Apple references, including iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks integrated into the show’s storyline. The episode even features a “Mapple Store” (Apple stores’ reference), as well as a reference to Steve Jobs (referred to as “Steve Mobbs”). It’s clear that the writers of The Simpsons are masters at product placement in their stories in a way that feels natural and entertaining.

“Rooty Toot Toot” has simplistic drawings and an interesting style. The backgrounds are mainly abstract and with simple patterns that add visual interest. The popping colors and the distinct movement of each character made the animation a visually appealing experience for me as a viewer. 

I think that the story was effectively told using this simplistic and abstract style. UPA has been pioneers in their style of animation, and they created animations that were both easy to produce along with being able to concentrate on storytelling rather than using traditional animation techniques. By making these animations, they inspired many other animators that follow this style, as the minimal animation style and the flat and abstract backgrounds were captivating.

WWII had a tremendous effect on the world as we once knew it. There was a distinct division between the western and the eastern worldviews that can also be seen in the animation that was produced by its style, aesthetic, and purpose.

Firstly, it is noteworthy that before WWII, western animation studios such as Disney dominated the animation industry and had a worldwide distribution. In contrast, many of the pre-war animations in eastern culture were destroyed or banned.

In the east, the governments almost entirely controlled and funded the animation industry. These governments knew that animation was a great way to gain more power and use it for educational purposes. The animation was produced for propaganda and to promote these governments’ socialist values and the communist agenda. In Japan, there was the film control committee (created in 1934) that made sure that film production was entirely overlooked by the government. It was also looking to limit the influence of foreign cultures (especially western influence) and ideologies by preventing animation imports. The eastern aesthetic was more superficial and constantly tried to avoid mimicking the Disney style, and each country has created its own animation style.

In the west, we can see that animation studios are privately owned, such as Disney studios in the US and Halas & Batchelor studios in Europe. Even though the government was sponsoring some of the studio’s projects, especially during the war, these studios were never under the government’s control. The governments of the western side encouraged local productions and studios, and these studios balanced between advertising and government-sponsored projects and personal productions and entertainment films. The western countries’ aesthetics usually mimicked the Disney style at the time and tended to be more detailed.

Emil Cohls’s “Fantasmagorie” was created in 1908 and is considered the first fully animated film.
Throughout the animation, we can see how the main character is constantly moving and transitioning without a plot or storyline.

McCay’s “Gertie the dinosaur” was created in 1914 and was shown alongside McCay as part of his act. McCay created an interesting storyline of Gertie, a dinosaur whose behavior is similar to a pet (such as a dog or a cat), and he timed the animation to move precisely according to his show so that Gertie appeared to be responsive to McCay while he talked.

I noticed some similarities between the two animations. In both, there is a main character, and they are both drawn in black and white, without color. On the other hand, the two animations have many differences. Unlike McCay’s animation, Cohls’s has no background and no storyline. The Fantasamagorie is a bit abstract, while Gertie the dinosaur has more concrete elements. In addition, Gertie’s movements has an illusion of depth, making her appear either closer or further away from the viewer. Cohl’s drawings are relatively simple, while McCay’s illustrations are more detailed and precise, especially in Gertie’s movements and the background.

In many aspects, I think that there is much effort that was put into both works. However, the work of McCay stands out because it had innovative techniques that are now considered the standard in the animation industry, more detailed drawings and storyline.