3D Animation before CGI. (1 Viewer)

[StephenDH]

In the pre-CGI world, how was 3D animation created? I worked in animation for years but 3D was so rare in those days that no one seemed to know how it was done, apart from the Disney Multiplane camera, which wasn't actually 3D but looked like it.
It's unlikely two sets of drawings were used so I guess the artwork must have been offset somehow to create a second image, as Ray Zone did for his 3D comics. Does anyone know the details?

 

[Lord Dalek]

The Fleischer "Stereoscopic" process involved photographic cells onto a live action model mounted to a turntable.

You can see it demonstrated here (the short they're working on is "Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp"):

 

[Paul Hillenbrand]

In the pre-CGI world, how was 3D animation created? I worked in animation for years but 3D was so rare in those days that no one seemed to know how it was done, apart from the Disney Multiplane camera, which wasn't actually 3D but looked like it.
It's unlikely two sets of drawings were used so I guess the artwork must have been offset somehow to create a second image, as Ray Zone did for his 3D comics. Does anyone know the details?

The Disney 1953 cell-drawn "Working For Peanuts" animated cartoon in 3D is my only experience.
It was mostly a layer of 2D drawings, the multiple plane positions producing visual depth (comic book effect). There are a few rare moments where the cell extends into the z-plane. i.e. An elephant reaching out with his trunk, peanuts being shot out of the screen, stars moving forward from a hit in the head (see picture), and a tree branch extending outward.

 

[Lord Dalek]

On Popeye The Ace of Space, they used two prints (one with a left eye image and one with the right) going at the same time. Most tv prints I've seen only use the left eye "foreground" print

 

[StephenDH]

I think Max Fleischer was mixing up stereoscopy with parallax, hoping no one would know the difference.
That said, his cel animation plus background model technique works very well.

 

[StephenDH]

On Popeye The Ace of Space, they used two prints (one with a left eye image and one with the right) going at the same time. Most tv prints I've seen only use the left eye "foreground" print

This is what puzzles me: would two identical prints, offset and separated by polarisation be enough to create true 3D?
If not, how did the two prints differ?

 

[StephenDH]

The Fleischer "Stereoscopic" process involved photographic cells onto a live action model mounted to a turntable.

You can see it demonstrated here (the short they're working on is "Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp"):

Thanks. That brought back a lot of terrifying memories. They must have cut the scene showing the animator spending 10 minutes arguing with the cameraman, trying to convince him to actually do some work.
I can see why the horizontal rostrum camera never caught on.
Disney's output was more polished but the Fleischers' movies were much more fun, "Superman" being a particularly outstanding example.