World’s First Artistic Computer Animation
Created by Norman McLaren & Rene Pardo
In 1967, working at the National Film Board, Rene Pardo created while playing on a Digital PDP 8, 338 graphic workstation, an abstract “cartoon” character which Norman McLaren called a “Birdling”.
At the time, computer art and computer animation was largely scientific in nature, with much use of mathematical transformations and calculations. The artist, lacking knowledge in programming computers tended to work with programmers. (Reference World’s First Computer Art Exhibit co-organized by Rene Pardo, Remy Landau while at the National Film Board & with the Junior Association of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts).
What influenced Rene Pardo for the rest of his life was Norman McLaren’s complete openness to using computer technology for animation. Norman told him that had he been born at this time (1967) that he would have gone into the computer medium. These words and attitude was coming from the grandfather of animation, known for his drawing on every frame, including scratching sound on the sound track of films – pure control of visual rhythm. Norman’s humility, creativity and complete openness in the context of his greatness and genius as an animator provided a role model for Rene for the rest of his life to whenever possible encourage, finance and help creative, talented individuals actualize their dreams, potential and talents.
Norman’s sign on his wall, “It’s not what’s on the frames that counts, it’s what’s between them” – Rene extrapolated into the observation of the universality of the notion of the ‘betweeness’ and ‘relationships’ (and ‘rhythm’) being more important than the items themselves- whether music, words, photography, architecture, moods, problem solving and the destiny of individuals. (Reference www.4mytreasure.com user name “mytreasure” password “special”)
Combining his passion for creativity, talent, openmindedness, and patents Rene has spent his life supporting research & development, and encouraging inventors and creative individuals to actualize their visions and dreams.
While making the film “Birdlings” with Rene, Norman keep being frustrated by not being able to control the glow which trailed the dance of the Birdlings on the screen. This glow was caused by the decay of the phosphor on the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). “Pas De Deux” (above article) which had many parallel in the storyline (ballet dancer beginning alone, another appearing coming in and out of the screen, circling each other at an accelerating pace and so on) showed his incredible control of the silhouettes trailing the ballet dancers using cinematic optical techniques, which he had not been able to exercise the same kind of control over on the computer screen.
Illustrating again the lovely simplicity of thinking Norman possessed in his work, when following listening to students hypothesizing as to why Norman used the Number “0” in his film Rhymetic (above) more frequently than other numbers dancing on the screen – (eg representing the world of nothingness/meaningless ; the parallel of the orange light in between red and green; etc) Rene asked Norman why he had done so. His response as he moved his fingers referring to the shape of the “0”, “It squashes easily”.
The film “Birdlings” was featured at Cinemateque, the International Film Festival during EXPO 67. Below is the front page of the program schedule of the Film Festival. (Rene Pardo with Norman Mclaren and Eve Lambart)