Multimedia refers to the presentation of information by combining text, graphics, images, audio, video and animations by using computers, mobiles, tablets and other audio-visual devices and equipment. It also includes interactive elements such as voice command, mouse manipulation, text entry, touch screen, video capture, or live participation of the user. Some of the sectors where multimedia is used extensively are education, training, reference materials, business presentations, advertising and entertainment. One of the advantages of multimedia is that it can be made interactive.

but today, most animated movies are made with computer-generated imagery (CGI). Animation which is one of the important constituents of multimedia nowadays, refers to the illusion of movement created by showing a series of still pictures in rapid succession. In traditional animation, pictures are drawn or painted on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed. Early cartoons are examples of this, but today, most animated movies are made with computer-generated imagery (CGI).

Animation is more pervasive than many people think. The clarity of animation makes it a powerful tool for instruction, while its flexibility also allows exaggeration that can be employed to convey strong emotions and to play around with reality. It has therefore been widely used for other purposes than mere entertainment. So, apart from short films, feature films, television series, animated GIFs, and other media dedicated to the display of moving images, animation is also prevalent in video games, motion graphics, user interfaces, and visual effects in education, training & business development.

There are 5 different types of animation. These are:

Traditional Animation: This is one of the oldest forms of animation. In traditional animation, objects are drawn on celluloid transparent paper. In order to create the animated sequence, the animator must draw every frame. In the earlier years, the animator would draw on a table that had a light inside of it, so the creator could see his or her previous animation. Traditional is most often 2D animation.

2D vector-based animation: With Vector-based animation, the motion can be controlled by vectors rather than pixels. Images with familiar formats like JPG, GIF, BMP, are pixel images. These images cannot be enlarged or shrunk without affecting image quality. Vector graphics don’t need to worry about resolution and allow the animators to resize images easily, so motion is smooth.

3D Animation: This form of animation only became possible with innovations in computer graphics in the 1990s, and has become massively popular since then. The computer graphics allow the animator to create photo realistic images that earlier animation methods can’t. Also, powerful animation software allows for inbetweens, lighting, building crowds, environments and more. Because of this, it has become the most common form of animation used in the film industry today.

Motion Graphics: Motion Graphics are digital graphics that create the illusion of motion usually for ads, title sequences in films, but ultimately exist to communicate something to the viewer. They’re often combined with sound for multimedia projects. They’re a type of animation used mostly in business, usually with text as a main player.

Stop Motion: This form of animation involves taking individual photographs of physical models, objects, puppets or people as they are moved around, one frame at a time. It’s the most uncommon because of it being laborious and time consuming when it comes to creating the objects and sets, and taking individual pictures for every frame.