Animated elevators are virtual animations of elevators made using Microsoft Paint, PowerPoint, or other similar softwares. This term is created by BigElevatorDude707 on April 2009[1].
Overview
Making method
Most people who made animated elevators first made the elevator drawing first on a drawing software, usually Paint[2] or Microsoft PowerPoint using shapes and adding some textures and colors[3]. To make them look more realistic, they add some custom animation elements (such as moving elevator doors, cabs, direction arrows, etc.[4]) and sound effects (such as elevator chimes and floor passing beeps, door opening and closing sounds, etc.[5]).
Some animations also featuring 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 the different style of characters.
- Reza Tanaka use the manga-style characters on his animated elevator video[6]. 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)[7].
- CubsRule2040 uses his GoAnimate characters on his animated elevators[8].
- 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.
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 SchindlerLift1874, 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.[9] 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.[10]
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 like SchindlerLift1874 (AnimatedLift Productions) usually do.
Texture testing purpose
Some creators may only making animated elevators for testing their texture for some software such as Skyscraper Simulator before the textures release like SchindlerLift1874.
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.
Notable people
These are the people who made animated elevators:
- 10111213141511regit
- Alex Ellis
- AudioAnimatronic1874
- Benobve (only one animated elevator)
- BigElevatorDude707
- CubsRule2040
- ElevNick0222212
- elevatorman812
- fantech0104
- JimLiElevators
- JoshCraver9000
- HJ2127_ATR1
- Maalit72 (Israel Elevators Animations)
- NingSama1vs100[11] (Elevanian Saga Official)[12]
- Orisa Pradito (no effects, his animated elevator videos doesn't show moving objects and only simulated via subtitles).
- Reza Tanaka (Hollow RT)[13]
- SchindlerLift1874 (SL74Offtopic / AnimatedLift Productions)
- Sumosoftinc (sumosoftofftopic / NS Media)
- Tamovie1975
- Test Tower (Skyscraper Stuff by Test Tower)
- TG97Elevators (TG97Animations)
- TrueWolverine87
- SGElevators Productions
Fictional Countries/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 elevators video. This concept was created by Alex Ellis
- Currently, the longest animated elevator video was made by JoshCraver9000. Total 31 minutes and 21 seconds.[15]
- JimLiElevators is the person who was made the most animated elevators of anyone in the elevator community.
- 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
- Fictional Elevator Wiki - a wiki about some fictional thing in animated elevators.
- ↑ A Very Fast OTIS Traction Elevator Animation Full Video
- ↑ How To Make An Elevator Animation Pts. 1 & 2: Vertical Rectangle for the Doors, Elevator Call Button (by JimLiElevators)
- ↑ ALP Guide - How to Make 3D Animated Elevator Exterior (by SchindlerLift1874)
- ↑ Example: [Animated] Tour of the Lifts at the shops in Island Nations Street, Townstead (from Skyscraper Stuff by Test Tower)
- ↑ Example: (Merry Christmas!) (Animated) Sigma Traction Elevators at Candatawa9 Office Tower (by sumosoftinc)
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Example: [ANIMATED, Otanjoubi SchindlerLift1874] Elevators at Centro Kuroko Building, Bangtanmachi (by Reza Tanaka)
- ↑ Example: [Animated] Modded Otis Hydraulic Elevator @ Sears North Star Elevation Mall in Elevation Springs (by CubsRule2040)
- ↑ Example: Animated: Otis Series 10 Gen2 MRL Elevator @ the Hampton Inn Midtown Elevation Springs (by CubsRule2040)
- ↑ Animated: Dover Impulse Hydraulic Elevator @ Macy's North Star Elevation Mall (by CubsRule2040)
- ↑ Most animated elevator videos are animated elevator series.
- ↑ Older videos are uploaded in her main channel.
- ↑ No longer available as the channel was closed in May 2017
- ↑ All characters and cities in her universe are not a part of any elevator animator universes.
- ↑ Animated: Tour of the Elevators at Burghassen Mall in Liftburg