SynthaVision Sample Reel (1974)

"Guess where I came from… a computer!"

Synthavision was an early computer CGI technology developed by MAGI (Mathematical Applications Group, Inc.), and one of the first systems to implement a ray-tracing algorithmic approach to hidden surface removal in rendering images, using solid primitives with combinatorial operators rather than the polygons or wireframe meshes that most CGI companies use today. This demo sampler was directed by golden age animator Jack Zander and designed by Joanne Mitchell, and showcases the technology and its capabilities through short segments of experimental animation and colorful compositions.