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In 1968, Lee Harrison III made significant strides in the field of computer graphics and animation with his projects "Beautiful Noise" and "The Dynne." These works represented pioneering efforts in face motion capture and the creation of the first singing CGI character.
Harrison, building on his earlier work with the "Animac" system, developed "Beautiful Noise," which featured a more advanced digital puppet than its predecessor, "The Stick Man."
This character incorporated complex oscillations and a sine/cosine mouth that opened and closed in sync with a vocalist track. The animations were generated using the Animac system and recorded on 16mm film, showcasing a synchronization of visual and audio elements that was groundbreaking for its time.
Following this, Harrison created "The Dynne," a digital puppet that featured harness-controlled arms, legs, and head movements, as well as animated eyes and a lip-circuit mouth that synced with an audio track. This character demonstrated further advancements in digital puppetry, utilizing more sophisticated mechanical harnesses and animation techniques to create lifelike movements and expressions.
The song used in "The Dynne" was an early demo recording of "Noise, Noise, Beautiful Noise" from MGM’s 1970 live-action/animated fantasy musical film "The Phantom Tollbooth," directed by Chuck Jones. This integration of music and digital animation marked a significant leap in the capabilities of CGI characters.
The process involved rigging a body suit with potentiometers to capture the movements of a performer, which were then translated into real-time animations on a CRT screen. This early form of motion capture allowed for accurate depiction of human movements and expressions, enhancing the realism of the animations.
"Beautiful Noise" and "The Dynne" showcased the potential of computer graphics in creating lifelike and expressive digital characters. These projects were not only technical achievements but also artistic milestones, demonstrating the innovative use of technology in animation and setting the stage for future advancements in CGI.