On this day in 1989, CAPS (the Computer Animation Production System) was used for the first time in a feature film on the second-to-last shot of ‘The Little Mermaid.’ In the scene, King Triton and the merfolk wave to Ariel and Eric sailing away under a sparkling rainbow. The new technology of CAPS, with its connected computer workstations, scanning system, and proprietary software, helped Disney revolutionize the animation process for the digital age. [35 years ago in 2024]
