Advent of Computing Episode 88 - BEFLIX, Early Digital Animation
Aug 7, 2022
A dive into how Bell Labs turned early computers into movie machines, using microfilm plotters and clever scanner tricks. Learn about the SC4020 plotter, the BFLIX bitmap language and its collage-with-blur technique for grayscale. Hear stories of prank prints, wireframe motion experiments, and the practical production workflow behind 1960s computer films.
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Animation Started By Bridging Digital And Analog
- Early computer animation at Bell Labs emerged from combining digital programs with analog output like microfilm rather than CRT playback.
- Ken Knowlton and colleagues recorded frames directly to microfilm using a Stromberg‑Carlson SC4020 plotter to project films.
Twelve Foot Prank That Launched Visual Experiments
- Ken Knowlton made a 12‑foot computer print of a reclining nude as a prank and art piece at Bell Labs.
- The image was generated by composing small custom symbols into a large collage and printed via microfilm/plotter workflows.
How The SC4020 Wrote Images To Film
- The SC4020 microfilm plotter used a special Characteron CRT with a stencil mask to expose crisp characters onto film.
- It accepted magnetic tape commands and a FORTRAN PLOT library produced the SC4020 instruction tapes for output.