About Animation

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animation Animation means, literally, to breathe life into some thing. A transformation is involved, what was still now moves. Here we explore its place in stimulating learning In the English language animation is mostly associated with the work of film makers. Illustrators create action from a series of images and we have the illusion of something living. In French and Italian especially, it takes on a further meaning. It is linked to the activities of community workers, arts workers and others, for example: Using theatre and play as means of self-expression with community groups, children and people with special learning needs. (sometimes called creative-expressive animation). Working with people and groups so that they participate in and manage the communities in which they live (sometimes called socio-cultural animation). Developing opportunities for pre-school and school-children such as adventure playgrounds, toy libraries, outdoor activity centres, and organized sports activities (sometimes called leisure-time animation). If we return to the word’s Greek origins then we are likely to be drawn to Aristotle and his distinction between that which is alive - and that which is inanimate. The thing that marks the former off from the latter is psuche (from which 'psychology' is derived) and this can be variously translated as soul, breathe or life. At one level, thus, we can talk of animation as 'making things move or happen' - much as animators do of cartoon pictures. In this way, in some of the literature concerned with community development, animators are discussed as 'motivators'. At another level there is something more - soul. Some definitions for starters A fairly standard way of approaching animation in a European context is via 'community development'. The following definition is taken from a Report of the European Cultural Foundation in 1973