International Animation Day on October 28 traces back to an 1892 Paris show

International Animation Day is observed around the world on October 28 every year. The day is not only a celebration of fictional characters seen on screen. It also honours the work of the millions of animators, digital artists and technicians who bring those characters to life. From children's favourite cartoons to the dazzling visual effects (VFX) of big-screen films, animation has taken human imagination to new heights.

In today's digital age, animation is an important part of everyday life. It is used in short social media reels, mobile games, Hollywood and Bollywood action films, and even in 3D models for medical education. The day's importance is therefore not limited to artists; it is also considered highly valuable in the world of information technology.

The story of its beginning is an interesting one. On October 28, 1892, French inventor Émile Reynaud showed an animation show to the public for the first time at the Musée Grévin in Paris, using his device, the Théâtre Optique. It was the first successful experiment in showing movement on a screen with the help of strips of hundreds of hand-painted pictures.

In memory of this historic experiment, the International Animated Film Association (ASIFA) officially declared October 28 International Animation Day in 2002. Later, with the support of UNESCO, the day began to be marked across the world through workshops, film festivals and exhibitions.

Over the past few decades, the animation industry has brought big changes to the world of technology. There was a time when every frame of 2D animation was drawn by hand on paper, which took a great deal of time and effort. The picture changed completely after the arrival of computers.

Computer-generated imagery (CGI) gave animated characters life and depth. The journey that began with Toy Story, the first fully 3D animated film, has now reached the fantasy worlds of Avatar and Marvel. In motion capture (Mo-Cap) technology, the movements and facial expressions of real performers are transferred to digital characters, making the animation look extremely real.

The use of AI and virtual reality (VR) in animation has also grown. This has speeded up gaming and film-making many times over, and audiences are getting a different kind of 360-degree experience.

Animation is no longer confined to cinema and television serials. In medicine, 3D animation helps in understanding complex surgeries, while in education animated videos are proving very effective in explaining difficult concepts in simple ways.

The spread of digital media and the gaming industry has created many career opportunities in the field. The new generation is making big strides as visual artists, rigging experts, 3D modellers, character designers and VFX specialists. International Animation Day teaches that imagination has no limits and that, with the right technology, dreams too can be brought alive on screen.