The animated landscape is one big Uncanny Valley now, dominated by massive digital conglomerates. But a half-century ago, the world's animation powerhouse was an independent outfit run by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, creators of The Flintstones, Tom & Jerry, and Scooby-Doo. This previously unpublished gallery of imagery peeks inside their workshop as the tiny studio gained global prominence.
A 1960 issue of Life profiled the work of animators working on The Flintstones, with a handful of images by photographer Allan Grant. Cartoon Brew published a lovely selection and pointed us towards an incredible archive: 845 more photos by Grant that were never published. We pulled our own collection that gives insight into the painstaking yet fascinating process of animation during this golden age. I think my favorite one of all is seeing the animator making faces in a mirror to get Fred's mouth just right. Enjoy. [Cartoon Brew]