I’m convinced animators are some of the greatest geniuses. If we didn’t have any animation today, this world, like, I can’t imagine a life without it, like that magical blend of art and illusion is just so fascinating for it to not exist. I’m going to first start with the device phenakistoscope, which used spinning disks and vision to create the illusion of motion and was one of the first experiments in bringing still images to life. Alreadyy fascinating. This was my first time seeing that device, and I was left speechless. Now I’m going to talk about zoetropes, like the one installed in the Brooklyn Subway, which is now on my bucket list. I have to go see it. This was really connecting because I already find other trains passing by as a form of art. I love standing and looking out the doors and observing everything, especially when the train is going down a tunnel. It’s like a moving art gallery, with glimpses of graffiti. It’s moments like these that make me appreciate the creativity and innovation of artists who can turn something ordinary into something just so extraordinary, at least to those who also appreciate art. Then the flip books came along. To this day, I love flip books, especially those that record a special moment with a loved one. I used to love this flip book I got from a museum with an ex-partner. It was a small book with so many pages, but all with a specific image that captured a different memory we shared together. Flipping through the book always brought a smile to my face as I remembered each special moment frozen in time. Yes, something as simple as flipping through pages can bring back such vivid memories and emotions. To this day I still have that flip book; it is a cherished reminder of a love that has faded but will always hold a special place in my heart…. But to continue with the assignment over time, animation evolved into a true art form because why wouldn’t it? Animators are literal geniuses who understand the beauty of simplicity but also the power of storytelling through movement. I wish I saw or was present for the first moments where animators started thinking out of the box to then bring characters to life and create entire worlds out of nothing. Like, that’s so crazy to me. I feel like I have always been fascinated by the skills and creativity that go into making all these animated films, and I admire that passion animators put into their work because it takes so much time and so much dedication to even create a few seconds of animation. Animation truly is a form of magic. Moving on to the early cartoon era, like Steamboat Willie, it just right away started off strong and set the bar highhhh. They showed how animation was supposed to be funny, lively and could even include some musical. I also just loved how they animated the cow lol. I’d also like to talk about anime, because after watching all these videos, I think I’m going to start watching anime, Astro Boy. I feel like everyone has heard of him, but at least for me, I never knew that anime was so old. And to conclude this, I want to talk about “B E A U T Y,” by Rino Stefano Tagliafierro. This film, which I rewatched twice, truly captured the essence of beauty through some of the most stunning animations and imagery. The way he brought classic paintings to life was just incredible. The attention to detail and emotion in each frame is like, woahhh. The way music paired with the visuals, too, it just created that tone for us viewers; it literally went from beauty to chaos to then peace once again, but the world was then evolving. But that’s it, thank you, professor, for this lesson, I enjoyed it very much!