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Animated elevators are virtual animations of elevators made using Microsoft Paint, PowerPoint, or other similar softwares. This term is created by BigElevatorDude707 in April 2009[1].

Overview[]

Method of making[]

Most people who made animated elevators draw the elevator first on a drawing software, usually Paint[2] or Microsoft PowerPoint using shapes as well as adding textures and colors. To make them look more realistic, custom animation elements are often added, such as moving elevator doors, cabs, direction arrows, etc.[3]). Some people also add sound effects, such as elevator chimes and floor passing beeps, door opening and closing sounds, etc.[4]).

Sometimes, animated elevators may also feature one or more elevator filmers, normally seen in a form of shapes or just a basic stick person drawing. Only a few elevator filmer use different style of characters.  

  • Reza Tanaka use the manga-style characters on his animated elevator video[5]. The first character aired on Reza Tanaka's 2nd channel, Hollow RT (formerly known as Uzumaki Hisaichi or Yoshi Raditya), was the manga drawings of himself and a Japanese singer, which on the story of first elevator videos he and that Japanese singer ride two of Otis Autotronic elevators in Tanakagakure, Reza Tanaka's fictional city (or in the first elevator animations known as Beckland City)[6].  
  • CubsRule2040 uses his GoAnimate characters on his animated elevators[7].  
  • NingSama1vs100 and AudioAnimatronic1874 uses characters generated from Chibi Maker on DeviantArt.  
  • JimLiElevators uses Microsoft Paint for the elevator itself, and a green screen cutout of him when in front of a mirror for visual effect.  
  • HJ2127 uses characters generated from Gacha Life (Early episodes) and Gacha Club (Later episodes).  

After they have done making the animated elevators, they started videotaping the animated elevators directly, either using digital cameras or screen recorder (like Bandicam). Some people prefer converting the animated elevators into a video directly, like what IDLift3000, Sumosoftinc, Reza Tanaka and Test Tower usually done. They made animated elevators using Microsoft PowerPoint, save it, and converting the file using PowerPoint to video converter software or internal PowerPoint to video converter feature which is available on the newer version of PowerPoint (2010 and latest).

CubsRule2040 makes his animated elevator videos in a rather different way than mentioned above. He uses Microsoft PowerPoint and the QuickTime screen recorder, but he edits the videos in iMovie. He downloads his real elevator videos and imports them into iMovie, where he adds audio-only clips from his real elevator videos to his animated ones.[8] Since 2014, he has been making animated elevators using GoAnimate, and still does to this day. He uses the QuickTime screen recorder to record the doors opening and closing, takes screenshot still photos of the buttons and the floor indicator, and uploads them to GoAnimate to make the video.[9]

Most people uploaded their animated elevator videos on their main YouTube channel, but some people prefer uploading their videos on a separate channel.

Most animated elevator are based on elevators from the imagination, but sometimes people can make animated elevators based on real elevators. This is commonly happens if an elevator filmer has an imagination of an old elevator need to be modernized, the abandoned elevator operates again, or also, the elevator which has been demolished or modernized which is usually labeled "ANIMATED, IN MEMORIAM").

Accepting request by others[]

Some animated elevators creators may accept animated elevator request by other people.

Texture testing purpose[]

Some creators may only making animated elevators for testing their texture for some software such as Skyscraper Simulator.

Animated elevator series[]

Some creators making animated elevators as a series like NingSama1vs100, which add some elements in animated elevators such as story plot, transportation, slice of life and even parody of pop culture. Most creator making series plot based on daily life or real life. Only NingSama1vs100 made animated elevator series in an urban fantasy and adventure tone.

Guide for animating elevators (The "Plan & Create" method)[]

HJ2127 has created a guide[10] in January 2021, which is dedicated to animators (especially for new animators) on how to create a good elevator animation. Some animation skills are also provided.

Notable animators[]

These are the people who made animated elevators:

Current[]

Former[]

  • 10111213141511regit (stopped, secondary channel terminated due to copyright reason)
  • Alex Ellis (stopped)
  • AudioAnimatronic1874
  • Benobve (only made one video)
  • Ben Elf
  • CubsRule2040 (stopped?)
  • ElevNick0222212 (retired)
  • elevatorman812
  • elife TV (only animated an elevator indicator)[11]
  • Fantech0104 (retired 2023, unknown whether he will start making animations again)
  • Fabbria Italiana Ascensori Montacarichi Lift the Company (Lift Wong)
  • JimLiElevators
  • K7 (only animated an elevator indicator)[12]
  • LiftEB960[13]
  • Maalit72 | Israel Elevators Animations (retired)
  • MelvinMan10 | MelvinM10Productions (retired, secondary channel closed in January 29 2016)
  • Mensan めんさん
  • NingSama1vs100 | Elevanian Saga Official (retired)
  • Orisa Pradito (no effects, his animated elevator videos doesn't show moving objects and only simulated via subtitles) (stopped)
  • Reza Tanaka | Hollow RT (stopped, secondary channel closed in May 2017)
  • IDLift3000 | AnimatedLift Productions or ALP (formerly SL74Offtopic) (stopped since 2015)
  • Tamovie1975
  • TG97Elevators | TG97Animations (retired since 2014?)
  • TrueWolverine87
  • JoshCraver9000
  • SGElevators Productions
  • Senn Elevators (only 1 animated elevator. Only the indicators are moving. No any effects such as door opening and no inside the elevator)

Fictional countries and/or cities[]

Most elevator animators put their elevators in fictional cities or countries that they have created. Some of the best known cities/countries include Elevationville, Jamerica, New Liftland, Nothingville, Somethingville, Margaritaville, and many others. Some people prefers using their shared universe for animated elevators, while a few people, including NingSama1vs100[14], prefers using their own universe instead.

Fictional animated elevator companies[]

Some Elevator Animators have chosen to create their own fictional elevator manufacturers. The two most well known of these are "Manhattan Lifts", which is a generic company created by Maalit72 and "A.E. Systems", which is major company created by Alex Ellis, based int he fictional country of "New Liftland" (also created by Alex Ellis, a parody of New Zealand, where he lives).

Criticism[]

Some elevator enthusiasts have criticized animated elevator videos for getting more views than real elevator videos, and that animated elevators don't look realistic due to the nature of animation. Others also criticize that nowadays some people who make animated elevators are acting as if they are real elevators.  As a result, some elevator enthusiasts dislike animated elevators.

Trivia[]

  • Sometimes, the elevator tour can be combined in an animated elevator video. This concept was created by Alex Ellis.
    • Currently, the longest animated elevator video was made by HJ2127. Total 1 hour, 32 minutes and 51 seconds.[15]
  • Benobve has only got one Animated video, we don't know if he will do again. (Chequers House)
  • NingSama1vs100 is the first person who made animated elevator videos from PowerPoint in 16:9 aspect ratio using Microsoft PowerPoint 2013.


See also[]

External links[]

  1. A Very Fast OTIS Traction Elevator Animation Full Video
  2. How To Make An Elevator Animation Pts. 1 & 2: Vertical Rectangle for the Doors, Elevator Call Button (by JimLiElevators)
  3. Example: [Animated] Tour of the Lifts at the shops in Island Nations Street, Townstead (from Skyscraper Stuff by Test Tower)
  4. Example: (Merry Christmas!) (Animated) Sigma Traction Elevators at Candatawa9 Office Tower (by sumosoftinc)
  5. For the characters, Reza Tanaka usually make characters from a "manga character base" which provided by several DeviantArt users. Then, he add clothes, hairs, and accessories using Adobe Photoshop. After he done make characters, he exported the characters into interlaced PNG and then he imports that PNG image to PowerPoint
  6. Example: [ANIMATED, Otanjoubi SchindlerLift1874] Elevators at Centro Kuroko Building, Bangtanmachi (by Reza Tanaka)
  7. Example: [Animated] Modded Otis Hydraulic Elevator @ Sears North Star Elevation Mall in Elevation Springs (by CubsRule2040)
  8. Example: Animated: Otis Series 10 Gen2 MRL Elevator @ the Hampton Inn Midtown Elevation Springs (by CubsRule2040)
  9. Animated: Dover Impulse Hydraulic Elevator @ Macy's North Star Elevation Mall (by CubsRule2040)
  10. Guide for animating elevators - Fictional Places and Things Wiki
  11. 東芝・スペーセルGR 液晶再現
  12. 【Aviutl動作確認テスト2】JRセントラルタワーズスカイシャトルの液晶表示を再現した
  13. https://www.bilibili.com/video/av26710015
  14. All characters and cities in her universe are not a part of any elevator animator universes.
  15. [Longest elevator animation!]EPIC Lift tour @ Northland Point, Northland Townstead
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