Gertie the Dinosaur

This groundbreaking animated film, often misperceived as the pioneer in feature-length animation, actually marked an important milestone in the development of character-driven cartoons. Unlike its predecessors, such as the works of Blackton and Cohl known as trick films, this movie introduced a character with a relatable personality that captured viewers' hearts. This defining trait made it the forerunner to beloved cartoon series by Walt Disney and others that followed. Furthermore, this film is historically significant as it employed keyframe animation, a technique that revolutionized animation production by allowing smoother movements and more precise character expressions.