ALTHOUGH THIS SHORT film is well known in the annals of the animated cartoon, much of it is live action. Featuired in the non-animated portions of the film are the cartoonist/creator Mr. Windsor McCay (himself), the famous George McManus (writer/illustrator of Maggie & Jiggs in BRING UP FATHER) and John Bunny (stage Actor and the first film comedy star).
THESE ABOVE MENTIONED men, along with some others, are present to set up the dare or bet made by McCay with McManus, Bunny & Company, that he could in one month deliver 4,000 drawings; to be used in creating an animated cartoon by the Vitagraph Film Company.
BEING THE PRE-EMINENT cartoonist/draftsman that he truly was, Mr. McCay is portrayed busy in his studio; which is set up in much the same mode of a cartoon panel. Huge boxes and containers are delivered and artistically placed around and about the room.
TRUE TO HIS word, Windsor delivers the goods on time and under budget. The fine, hand coloured images of Little Nemo and two or three other characters follow.
THE NUMBER OF 4,000 drawings is no case of runaway hyperbole; as the artist did at least that number of full page illustrations. We must realize that this was prior to the use of background paintings, with the characters being drawn on a clear plastic cell. Everything, be they background or character, had to be redrawn in every page.
IN ADDITION TO the live action sequence's being an introduction and set-up for the later animation, the scenes featuring McCay, McManus, Bunny and the others had a connection to reality. Some have said that it was this sort of friendly ribbing each other and even, perhaps some wagering that led to the dare.
IT WAS ALSO an opportunity for the cartoonists to ham it up on the screen and be seen by their adoring public.
THESE ABOVE MENTIONED men, along with some others, are present to set up the dare or bet made by McCay with McManus, Bunny & Company, that he could in one month deliver 4,000 drawings; to be used in creating an animated cartoon by the Vitagraph Film Company.
BEING THE PRE-EMINENT cartoonist/draftsman that he truly was, Mr. McCay is portrayed busy in his studio; which is set up in much the same mode of a cartoon panel. Huge boxes and containers are delivered and artistically placed around and about the room.
TRUE TO HIS word, Windsor delivers the goods on time and under budget. The fine, hand coloured images of Little Nemo and two or three other characters follow.
THE NUMBER OF 4,000 drawings is no case of runaway hyperbole; as the artist did at least that number of full page illustrations. We must realize that this was prior to the use of background paintings, with the characters being drawn on a clear plastic cell. Everything, be they background or character, had to be redrawn in every page.
IN ADDITION TO the live action sequence's being an introduction and set-up for the later animation, the scenes featuring McCay, McManus, Bunny and the others had a connection to reality. Some have said that it was this sort of friendly ribbing each other and even, perhaps some wagering that led to the dare.
IT WAS ALSO an opportunity for the cartoonists to ham it up on the screen and be seen by their adoring public.