rotoscoping

Rotoscoping is a technique in animation and visual effects in which live-action footage is traced frame by frame to produce realistic motion. The method dates to 1915, when Max Fleischer and his studio developed the rotoscope, a device that projected filmed motion onto a drawing surface to guide animators. Tracing can be done by hand or later with digital tools.

Historically, rotoscoping gave early animators access to natural human movement and complex action. Disney used it to study acting and movement for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Pinocchio. In the 1960s-70s, Ralph Bakshi applied rotoscoped animation to address adult subjects and lifelike figures in films such as Fritz the Cat and The Lord of the Rings (1978).

In contemporary production, rotoscoping often refers to digital masking and compositing. Artists trace around characters or objects to apply effects, remove wires, or separate elements for color grading and CGI integration. Tools such as Adobe After Effects Roto Brush and Nuke provide semi-automatic and manual rotoscoping capabilities; traditional frame-by-frame tracing remains time-consuming but remains a standard technique for precise work.

Rotoscoped imagery has also been used for stylistic effect in feature films and animation, notably Richard Linklater's Waking Life (2001) and A Scanner Darkly (2006). Today, it remains a core technique in visual effects and animation, valued for its ability to achieve realistic movement or a distinct hand-drawn look from filmed footage.