The document discusses the history and development of animation. It describes early pioneers like Joseph Plateau who created the phenakistoscope in 1832, and William Horner who invented the zoetrope in 1834. Later innovators included Emile Reynaud who created the praxinoscope in 1877, Eadweard Muybridge's pioneering work in motion photography, and Thomas Edison's kinetoscope in the 1890s. Major animation developers mentioned were the Lumiere Brothers, Wills O'Brien, Ray Harryhausen, Jan Svankmajer, the Brothers Quay, Tim Burton, and Aardman Animations.