The Speed of
Nostalgia✳
Were cartoons really slower when we were kids?
We remember the images. But do we remember their rhythm?
Memory keeps the characters, the colors, a joke. It rarely keeps a stopwatch.
To look beyond that first impression, we follow one part of a film’s rhythm: how long an image sequence lasts before the next edit. First, Spring will show us what to look for. Then we will compare three cartoons made decades apart.
Three works are examples, not a history of animation. Movement, sound and everything happening inside a shot also shape its pace.
Before the data,
an image.
Four intervals. Four durations.
A frame is one image. A shot is a continuous stretch of images, separated from the next by a cut or transition. A scene can contain several shots.
These are four neighboring intervals. What changes if we keep their time and take their images away?
6.792 sInterval 6
13.167 sInterval 7
5.333 sInterval 8
4.083 sInterval 9Different images, different durations. Notice the wider second interval.
© Blender Foundation | cloud.blender.org/spring · CC BY 4.0 · Source
One boundary, frame by frame
Now do the same for the whole film.
Every space below is one retained interval. Its width is its share of the film’s running time. This is the fingerprint: a film with its images removed and its time left intact.
Spring
The four intervals we just saw (6–9) are marked near the beginning. The whole strip is the complete film; the other intervals follow the same rule.
Each point is an interval. Its height shows how long it lasts; its horizontal position shows where it falls in the film. Select one to find it in the fingerprint too.
All 97 intervals
| Interval | Start | End | Duration (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0:00.000 | 0:07.000 | 7.000 |
| 2 | 0:07.000 | 0:12.000 | 5.000 |
| 3 | 0:12.000 | 0:15.625 | 3.625 |
| 4 | 0:15.625 | 0:16.917 | 1.292 |
| 5 | 0:16.917 | 0:22.958 | 6.041 |
| 6 | 0:22.958 | 0:29.750 | 6.792 |
| 7 | 0:29.750 | 0:42.917 | 13.167 |
| 8 | 0:42.917 | 0:48.250 | 5.333 |
| 9 | 0:48.250 | 0:52.333 | 4.083 |
| 10 | 0:52.333 | 0:57.167 | 4.834 |
| 11 | 0:57.167 | 1:03.125 | 5.958 |
| 12 | 1:03.125 | 1:11.083 | 7.958 |
| 13 | 1:11.083 | 1:17.000 | 5.917 |
| 14 | 1:17.000 | 1:31.000 | 14.000 |
| 15 | 1:31.000 | 1:38.375 | 7.375 |
| 16 | 1:38.375 | 1:43.458 | 5.083 |
| 17 | 1:43.458 | 1:47.458 | 4.000 |
| 18 | 1:47.458 | 1:50.958 | 3.500 |
| 19 | 1:50.958 | 2:01.042 | 10.084 |
| 20 | 2:01.042 | 2:04.542 | 3.500 |
| 21 | 2:04.542 | 2:11.208 | 6.666 |
| 22 | 2:11.208 | 2:13.208 | 2.000 |
| 23 | 2:13.208 | 2:28.167 | 14.959 |
| 24 | 2:28.167 | 2:30.667 | 2.500 |
| 25 | 2:30.667 | 2:42.250 | 11.583 |
| 26 | 2:42.250 | 2:47.083 | 4.833 |
| 27 | 2:47.083 | 2:49.083 | 2.000 |
| 28 | 2:49.083 | 2:56.083 | 7.000 |
| 29 | 2:56.083 | 2:58.083 | 2.000 |
| 30 | 2:58.083 | 3:01.417 | 3.334 |
| 31 | 3:01.417 | 3:09.167 | 7.750 |
| 32 | 3:09.167 | 3:14.125 | 4.958 |
| 33 | 3:14.125 | 3:16.625 | 2.500 |
| 34 | 3:16.625 | 3:20.625 | 4.000 |
| 35 | 3:20.625 | 3:27.833 | 7.208 |
| 36 | 3:27.833 | 3:30.833 | 3.000 |
| 37 | 3:30.833 | 3:35.458 | 4.625 |
| 38 | 3:35.458 | 3:38.542 | 3.084 |
| 39 | 3:38.542 | 3:40.375 | 1.833 |
| 40 | 3:40.375 | 3:42.917 | 2.542 |
| 41 | 3:42.917 | 3:49.458 | 6.541 |
| 42 | 3:49.458 | 3:55.417 | 5.959 |
| 43 | 3:55.417 | 3:55.542 | 0.125 |
| 44 | 3:55.542 | 3:56.125 | 0.583 |
| 45 | 3:56.125 | 3:58.167 | 2.042 |
| 46 | 3:58.167 | 4:02.167 | 4.000 |
| 47 | 4:02.167 | 4:05.125 | 2.958 |
| 48 | 4:05.125 | 4:06.833 | 1.708 |
| 49 | 4:06.833 | 4:08.167 | 1.334 |
| 50 | 4:08.167 | 4:10.375 | 2.208 |
| 51 | 4:10.375 | 4:15.375 | 5.000 |
| 52 | 4:15.375 | 4:17.667 | 2.292 |
| 53 | 4:17.667 | 4:18.958 | 1.291 |
| 54 | 4:18.958 | 4:20.375 | 1.417 |
| 55 | 4:20.375 | 4:22.208 | 1.833 |
| 56 | 4:22.208 | 4:22.792 | 0.584 |
| 57 | 4:22.792 | 4:23.375 | 0.583 |
| 58 | 4:23.375 | 4:24.875 | 1.500 |
| 59 | 4:24.875 | 4:26.625 | 1.750 |
| 60 | 4:26.625 | 4:32.292 | 5.667 |
| 61 | 4:32.292 | 4:40.625 | 8.333 |
| 62 | 4:40.625 | 4:41.625 | 1.000 |
| 63 | 4:41.625 | 4:44.625 | 3.000 |
| 64 | 4:44.625 | 4:49.292 | 4.667 |
| 65 | 4:49.292 | 4:52.292 | 3.000 |
| 66 | 4:52.292 | 4:54.917 | 2.625 |
| 67 | 4:54.917 | 4:56.083 | 1.166 |
| 68 | 4:56.083 | 4:58.583 | 2.500 |
| 69 | 4:58.583 | 5:04.375 | 5.792 |
| 70 | 5:04.375 | 5:09.208 | 4.833 |
| 71 | 5:09.208 | 5:11.750 | 2.542 |
| 72 | 5:11.750 | 5:16.667 | 4.917 |
| 73 | 5:16.667 | 5:18.292 | 1.625 |
| 74 | 5:18.292 | 5:19.417 | 1.125 |
| 75 | 5:19.417 | 5:23.917 | 4.500 |
| 76 | 5:23.917 | 5:32.792 | 8.875 |
| 77 | 5:32.792 | 5:35.167 | 2.375 |
| 78 | 5:35.167 | 5:37.792 | 2.625 |
| 79 | 5:37.792 | 5:41.792 | 4.000 |
| 80 | 5:41.792 | 5:45.792 | 4.000 |
| 81 | 5:45.792 | 5:48.792 | 3.000 |
| 82 | 5:48.792 | 5:54.625 | 5.833 |
| 83 | 5:54.625 | 5:58.250 | 3.625 |
| 84 | 5:58.250 | 6:01.458 | 3.208 |
| 85 | 6:01.458 | 6:04.292 | 2.834 |
| 86 | 6:04.292 | 6:07.792 | 3.500 |
| 87 | 6:07.792 | 6:11.792 | 4.000 |
| 88 | 6:11.792 | 6:15.792 | 4.000 |
| 89 | 6:15.792 | 6:18.792 | 3.000 |
| 90 | 6:18.792 | 6:21.792 | 3.000 |
| 91 | 6:21.792 | 6:34.542 | 12.750 |
| 92 | 6:34.542 | 6:42.417 | 7.875 |
| 93 | 6:42.417 | 6:43.042 | 0.625 |
| 94 | 6:43.042 | 6:47.042 | 4.000 |
| 95 | 6:47.042 | 6:57.875 | 10.833 |
| 96 | 6:57.875 | 7:05.000 | 7.125 |
| 97 | 7:05.000 | 7:44.083 | 39.083 |
A boundary may be a cut or a gradual transition. Titles and closing material are included. Human review was confirmed by the supervisor; its detailed procedure and remaining error were not quantified. How we measured it ↗
Now, across
the years.
We take that way of looking into three other films: 1928, 1978, 2023. Almost a century separates the first and last. How much time is there between their edits?
Researchers have looked for changes in film form over time. Cutting and colleagues studied 160 English-language Hollywood films released between 1935 and 2010, finding changes in shot length and other visual features. Feature films are a different sample from our three animated shorts. Cutting et al. · 2011 ↗
Steamboat Willie
7:22.442 · analyzed runtime
Pink in the Drink
6:51.160 · analyzed runtime
Wing It!
3:57.916 · analyzed runtime
Blender Studio · official project ↗ · (CC) Blender Foundation · CC BY 4.0
Each strip shows its whole film. Equal widths mean equal progress (0–100%), not equal minutes. Look for stretches where boundaries are close together, then for the wider spaces between them.
Steamboat Willie
Start on the left: the first interval lasts 28.562 seconds. All opening material is retained.
Each point is an interval. Its height shows how long it lasts; its horizontal position shows where it falls in the film. Select one to find it in the fingerprint too.
All 65 intervals
| Interval | Start | End | Duration (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0:00.000 | 0:28.562 | 28.562 |
| 2 | 0:28.562 | 0:30.564 | 2.002 |
| 3 | 0:30.564 | 0:33.400 | 2.836 |
| 4 | 0:33.400 | 0:33.734 | 0.334 |
| 5 | 0:33.734 | 0:35.435 | 1.701 |
| 6 | 0:35.435 | 0:36.503 | 1.068 |
| 7 | 0:36.503 | 0:38.572 | 2.069 |
| 8 | 0:38.572 | 0:47.047 | 8.475 |
| 9 | 0:47.047 | 0:51.218 | 4.171 |
| 10 | 0:51.218 | 1:01.562 | 10.344 |
| 11 | 1:01.562 | 1:15.943 | 14.381 |
| 12 | 1:15.943 | 1:20.080 | 4.137 |
| 13 | 1:20.080 | 1:30.290 | 10.210 |
| 14 | 1:30.290 | 1:37.598 | 7.308 |
| 15 | 1:37.598 | 1:49.076 | 11.478 |
| 16 | 1:49.076 | 1:50.277 | 1.201 |
| 17 | 1:50.277 | 1:58.619 | 8.342 |
| 18 | 1:58.619 | 2:03.490 | 4.871 |
| 19 | 2:03.490 | 2:03.857 | 0.367 |
| 20 | 2:03.857 | 2:05.292 | 1.435 |
| 21 | 2:05.292 | 2:13.967 | 8.675 |
| 22 | 2:13.967 | 2:21.642 | 7.675 |
| 23 | 2:21.642 | 2:27.314 | 5.672 |
| 24 | 2:27.314 | 2:29.216 | 1.902 |
| 25 | 2:29.216 | 2:33.787 | 4.571 |
| 26 | 2:33.787 | 2:39.693 | 5.906 |
| 27 | 2:39.693 | 2:45.198 | 5.505 |
| 28 | 2:45.198 | 2:54.174 | 8.976 |
| 29 | 2:54.174 | 2:56.810 | 2.636 |
| 30 | 2:56.810 | 2:57.310 | 0.500 |
| 31 | 2:57.310 | 3:03.650 | 6.340 |
| 32 | 3:03.650 | 3:18.398 | 14.748 |
| 33 | 3:18.398 | 3:22.569 | 4.171 |
| 34 | 3:22.569 | 3:27.574 | 5.005 |
| 35 | 3:27.574 | 3:36.783 | 9.209 |
| 36 | 3:36.783 | 3:41.888 | 5.105 |
| 37 | 3:41.888 | 3:46.026 | 4.138 |
| 38 | 3:46.026 | 3:47.260 | 1.234 |
| 39 | 3:47.260 | 3:50.697 | 3.437 |
| 40 | 3:50.697 | 3:54.468 | 3.771 |
| 41 | 3:54.468 | 4:01.608 | 7.140 |
| 42 | 4:01.608 | 4:14.921 | 13.313 |
| 43 | 4:14.921 | 4:21.795 | 6.874 |
| 44 | 4:21.795 | 4:42.849 | 21.054 |
| 45 | 4:42.849 | 4:47.988 | 5.139 |
| 46 | 4:47.988 | 4:58.431 | 10.443 |
| 47 | 4:58.431 | 5:02.169 | 3.738 |
| 48 | 5:02.169 | 5:03.370 | 1.201 |
| 49 | 5:03.370 | 5:03.770 | 0.400 |
| 50 | 5:03.770 | 5:09.042 | 5.272 |
| 51 | 5:09.042 | 5:29.996 | 20.954 |
| 52 | 5:29.996 | 5:34.801 | 4.805 |
| 53 | 5:34.801 | 5:36.837 | 2.036 |
| 54 | 5:36.837 | 5:43.043 | 6.206 |
| 55 | 5:43.043 | 5:45.512 | 2.469 |
| 56 | 5:45.512 | 5:55.055 | 9.543 |
| 57 | 5:55.055 | 5:58.892 | 3.837 |
| 58 | 5:58.892 | 6:10.003 | 11.111 |
| 59 | 6:10.003 | 6:34.961 | 24.958 |
| 60 | 6:34.961 | 6:39.733 | 4.772 |
| 61 | 6:39.733 | 6:54.581 | 14.848 |
| 62 | 6:54.581 | 7:01.421 | 6.840 |
| 63 | 7:01.421 | 7:16.670 | 15.249 |
| 64 | 7:16.670 | 7:20.974 | 4.304 |
| 65 | 7:20.974 | 7:22.442 | 1.468 |
Pink in the Drink
Look for the wider spaces between the narrow ones. A film does not keep one pace from start to finish.
Each point is an interval. Its height shows how long it lasts; its horizontal position shows where it falls in the film. Select one to find it in the fingerprint too.
All 109 intervals
| Interval | Start | End | Duration (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0:00.000 | 0:05.520 | 5.520 |
| 2 | 0:05.520 | 0:12.880 | 7.360 |
| 3 | 0:12.880 | 0:15.760 | 2.880 |
| 4 | 0:15.760 | 0:31.160 | 15.400 |
| 5 | 0:31.160 | 0:41.120 | 9.960 |
| 6 | 0:41.120 | 0:45.120 | 4.000 |
| 7 | 0:45.120 | 0:47.520 | 2.400 |
| 8 | 0:47.520 | 0:51.200 | 3.680 |
| 9 | 0:51.200 | 0:57.560 | 6.360 |
| 10 | 0:57.560 | 1:00.200 | 2.640 |
| 11 | 1:00.200 | 1:07.560 | 7.360 |
| 12 | 1:07.560 | 1:13.880 | 6.320 |
| 13 | 1:13.880 | 1:17.240 | 3.360 |
| 14 | 1:17.240 | 1:20.160 | 2.920 |
| 15 | 1:20.160 | 1:24.360 | 4.200 |
| 16 | 1:24.360 | 1:26.600 | 2.240 |
| 17 | 1:26.600 | 1:29.960 | 3.360 |
| 18 | 1:29.960 | 1:35.640 | 5.680 |
| 19 | 1:35.640 | 1:42.280 | 6.640 |
| 20 | 1:42.280 | 1:43.240 | 0.960 |
| 21 | 1:43.240 | 1:57.280 | 14.040 |
| 22 | 1:57.280 | 1:57.440 | 0.160 |
| 23 | 1:57.440 | 1:58.000 | 0.560 |
| 24 | 1:58.000 | 1:58.600 | 0.600 |
| 25 | 1:58.600 | 1:58.760 | 0.160 |
| 26 | 1:58.760 | 1:59.000 | 0.240 |
| 27 | 1:59.000 | 1:59.120 | 0.120 |
| 28 | 1:59.120 | 1:59.280 | 0.160 |
| 29 | 1:59.280 | 2:06.280 | 7.000 |
| 30 | 2:06.280 | 2:12.600 | 6.320 |
| 31 | 2:12.600 | 2:14.280 | 1.680 |
| 32 | 2:14.280 | 2:15.120 | 0.840 |
| 33 | 2:15.120 | 2:16.280 | 1.160 |
| 34 | 2:16.280 | 2:21.720 | 5.440 |
| 35 | 2:21.720 | 2:30.400 | 8.680 |
| 36 | 2:30.400 | 2:35.040 | 4.640 |
| 37 | 2:35.040 | 2:35.880 | 0.840 |
| 38 | 2:35.880 | 2:42.720 | 6.840 |
| 39 | 2:42.720 | 2:44.720 | 2.000 |
| 40 | 2:44.720 | 2:47.400 | 2.680 |
| 41 | 2:47.400 | 2:50.080 | 2.680 |
| 42 | 2:50.080 | 2:52.240 | 2.160 |
| 43 | 2:52.240 | 2:54.800 | 2.560 |
| 44 | 2:54.800 | 2:58.120 | 3.320 |
| 45 | 2:58.120 | 3:05.480 | 7.360 |
| 46 | 3:05.480 | 3:10.480 | 5.000 |
| 47 | 3:10.480 | 3:14.720 | 4.240 |
| 48 | 3:14.720 | 3:19.040 | 4.320 |
| 49 | 3:19.040 | 3:20.040 | 1.000 |
| 50 | 3:20.040 | 3:20.160 | 0.120 |
| 51 | 3:20.160 | 3:20.400 | 0.240 |
| 52 | 3:20.400 | 3:23.920 | 3.520 |
| 53 | 3:23.920 | 3:29.720 | 5.800 |
| 54 | 3:29.720 | 3:30.200 | 0.480 |
| 55 | 3:30.200 | 3:33.280 | 3.080 |
| 56 | 3:33.280 | 3:34.920 | 1.640 |
| 57 | 3:34.920 | 3:37.600 | 2.680 |
| 58 | 3:37.600 | 3:39.960 | 2.360 |
| 59 | 3:39.960 | 3:45.960 | 6.000 |
| 60 | 3:45.960 | 3:58.960 | 13.000 |
| 61 | 3:58.960 | 3:59.120 | 0.160 |
| 62 | 3:59.120 | 4:00.160 | 1.040 |
| 63 | 4:00.160 | 4:01.320 | 1.160 |
| 64 | 4:01.320 | 4:03.960 | 2.640 |
| 65 | 4:03.960 | 4:17.000 | 13.040 |
| 66 | 4:17.000 | 4:18.640 | 1.640 |
| 67 | 4:18.640 | 4:18.760 | 0.120 |
| 68 | 4:18.760 | 4:19.320 | 0.560 |
| 69 | 4:19.320 | 4:30.680 | 11.360 |
| 70 | 4:30.680 | 4:31.440 | 0.760 |
| 71 | 4:31.440 | 4:32.320 | 0.880 |
| 72 | 4:32.320 | 4:32.440 | 0.120 |
| 73 | 4:32.440 | 4:32.680 | 0.240 |
| 74 | 4:32.680 | 4:34.680 | 2.000 |
| 75 | 4:34.680 | 4:36.680 | 2.000 |
| 76 | 4:36.680 | 4:38.680 | 2.000 |
| 77 | 4:38.680 | 4:40.680 | 2.000 |
| 78 | 4:40.680 | 4:44.000 | 3.320 |
| 79 | 4:44.000 | 4:45.680 | 1.680 |
| 80 | 4:45.680 | 4:47.680 | 2.000 |
| 81 | 4:47.680 | 4:52.120 | 4.440 |
| 82 | 4:52.120 | 4:52.600 | 0.480 |
| 83 | 4:52.600 | 4:57.040 | 4.440 |
| 84 | 4:57.040 | 5:00.360 | 3.320 |
| 85 | 5:00.360 | 5:02.720 | 2.360 |
| 86 | 5:02.720 | 5:05.720 | 3.000 |
| 87 | 5:05.720 | 5:14.040 | 8.320 |
| 88 | 5:14.040 | 5:16.040 | 2.000 |
| 89 | 5:16.040 | 5:20.040 | 4.000 |
| 90 | 5:20.040 | 5:23.280 | 3.240 |
| 91 | 5:23.280 | 5:26.600 | 3.320 |
| 92 | 5:26.600 | 5:30.600 | 4.000 |
| 93 | 5:30.600 | 5:32.600 | 2.000 |
| 94 | 5:32.600 | 5:38.600 | 6.000 |
| 95 | 5:38.600 | 5:42.600 | 4.000 |
| 96 | 5:42.600 | 5:46.960 | 4.360 |
| 97 | 5:46.960 | 5:51.960 | 5.000 |
| 98 | 5:51.960 | 5:53.960 | 2.000 |
| 99 | 5:53.960 | 5:56.960 | 3.000 |
| 100 | 5:56.960 | 5:59.960 | 3.000 |
| 101 | 5:59.960 | 6:06.800 | 6.840 |
| 102 | 6:06.800 | 6:09.720 | 2.920 |
| 103 | 6:09.720 | 6:09.960 | 0.240 |
| 104 | 6:09.960 | 6:12.000 | 2.040 |
| 105 | 6:12.000 | 6:17.640 | 5.640 |
| 106 | 6:17.640 | 6:23.320 | 5.680 |
| 107 | 6:23.320 | 6:29.600 | 6.280 |
| 108 | 6:29.600 | 6:37.520 | 7.920 |
| 109 | 6:37.520 | 6:51.160 | 13.640 |
Wing It!
This is the shortest video of the three. The same strip width covers less time.
Each point is an interval. Its height shows how long it lasts; its horizontal position shows where it falls in the film. Select one to find it in the fingerprint too.
All 108 intervals
| Interval | Start | End | Duration (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0:00.000 | 0:03.667 | 3.667 |
| 2 | 0:03.667 | 0:07.208 | 3.541 |
| 3 | 0:07.208 | 0:07.417 | 0.209 |
| 4 | 0:07.417 | 0:07.708 | 0.291 |
| 5 | 0:07.708 | 0:07.833 | 0.125 |
| 6 | 0:07.833 | 0:08.042 | 0.209 |
| 7 | 0:08.042 | 0:08.250 | 0.208 |
| 8 | 0:08.250 | 0:08.417 | 0.167 |
| 9 | 0:08.417 | 0:09.958 | 1.541 |
| 10 | 0:09.958 | 0:10.125 | 0.167 |
| 11 | 0:10.125 | 0:12.208 | 2.083 |
| 12 | 0:12.208 | 0:17.125 | 4.917 |
| 13 | 0:17.125 | 0:29.292 | 12.167 |
| 14 | 0:29.292 | 0:32.000 | 2.708 |
| 15 | 0:32.000 | 0:38.750 | 6.750 |
| 16 | 0:38.750 | 0:41.333 | 2.583 |
| 17 | 0:41.333 | 0:43.125 | 1.792 |
| 18 | 0:43.125 | 0:46.375 | 3.250 |
| 19 | 0:46.375 | 0:48.125 | 1.750 |
| 20 | 0:48.125 | 0:52.167 | 4.042 |
| 21 | 0:52.167 | 0:54.125 | 1.958 |
| 22 | 0:54.125 | 0:56.750 | 2.625 |
| 23 | 0:56.750 | 0:58.750 | 2.000 |
| 24 | 0:58.750 | 0:58.875 | 0.125 |
| 25 | 0:58.875 | 1:02.208 | 3.333 |
| 26 | 1:02.208 | 1:03.917 | 1.709 |
| 27 | 1:03.917 | 1:09.208 | 5.291 |
| 28 | 1:09.208 | 1:09.667 | 0.459 |
| 29 | 1:09.667 | 1:10.042 | 0.375 |
| 30 | 1:10.042 | 1:10.792 | 0.750 |
| 31 | 1:10.792 | 1:11.292 | 0.500 |
| 32 | 1:11.292 | 1:13.750 | 2.458 |
| 33 | 1:13.750 | 1:16.917 | 3.167 |
| 34 | 1:16.917 | 1:21.250 | 4.333 |
| 35 | 1:21.250 | 1:24.042 | 2.792 |
| 36 | 1:24.042 | 1:25.500 | 1.458 |
| 37 | 1:25.500 | 1:28.583 | 3.083 |
| 38 | 1:28.583 | 1:34.208 | 5.625 |
| 39 | 1:34.208 | 1:35.958 | 1.750 |
| 40 | 1:35.958 | 1:39.625 | 3.667 |
| 41 | 1:39.625 | 1:41.000 | 1.375 |
| 42 | 1:41.000 | 1:41.208 | 0.208 |
| 43 | 1:41.208 | 1:41.375 | 0.167 |
| 44 | 1:41.375 | 1:41.625 | 0.250 |
| 45 | 1:41.625 | 1:41.792 | 0.167 |
| 46 | 1:41.792 | 1:42.000 | 0.208 |
| 47 | 1:42.000 | 1:44.292 | 2.292 |
| 48 | 1:44.292 | 1:44.417 | 0.125 |
| 49 | 1:44.417 | 1:44.667 | 0.250 |
| 50 | 1:44.667 | 1:45.000 | 0.333 |
| 51 | 1:45.000 | 1:45.292 | 0.292 |
| 52 | 1:45.292 | 1:45.875 | 0.583 |
| 53 | 1:45.875 | 1:46.208 | 0.333 |
| 54 | 1:46.208 | 1:46.792 | 0.584 |
| 55 | 1:46.792 | 1:47.000 | 0.208 |
| 56 | 1:47.000 | 1:50.833 | 3.833 |
| 57 | 1:50.833 | 1:52.125 | 1.292 |
| 58 | 1:52.125 | 1:54.167 | 2.042 |
| 59 | 1:54.167 | 1:55.208 | 1.041 |
| 60 | 1:55.208 | 1:55.792 | 0.584 |
| 61 | 1:55.792 | 1:56.083 | 0.291 |
| 62 | 1:56.083 | 1:56.375 | 0.292 |
| 63 | 1:56.375 | 1:56.667 | 0.292 |
| 64 | 1:56.667 | 1:56.833 | 0.166 |
| 65 | 1:56.833 | 1:59.125 | 2.292 |
| 66 | 1:59.125 | 1:59.875 | 0.750 |
| 67 | 1:59.875 | 2:00.167 | 0.292 |
| 68 | 2:00.167 | 2:00.458 | 0.291 |
| 69 | 2:00.458 | 2:01.042 | 0.584 |
| 70 | 2:01.042 | 2:01.208 | 0.166 |
| 71 | 2:01.208 | 2:01.917 | 0.709 |
| 72 | 2:01.917 | 2:02.625 | 0.708 |
| 73 | 2:02.625 | 2:03.708 | 1.083 |
| 74 | 2:03.708 | 2:06.667 | 2.959 |
| 75 | 2:06.667 | 2:11.250 | 4.583 |
| 76 | 2:11.250 | 2:11.583 | 0.333 |
| 77 | 2:11.583 | 2:13.500 | 1.917 |
| 78 | 2:13.500 | 2:14.833 | 1.333 |
| 79 | 2:14.833 | 2:19.333 | 4.500 |
| 80 | 2:19.333 | 2:22.708 | 3.375 |
| 81 | 2:22.708 | 2:28.833 | 6.125 |
| 82 | 2:28.833 | 2:39.417 | 10.584 |
| 83 | 2:39.417 | 2:40.750 | 1.333 |
| 84 | 2:40.750 | 2:43.458 | 2.708 |
| 85 | 2:43.458 | 2:55.500 | 12.042 |
| 86 | 2:55.500 | 3:02.583 | 7.083 |
| 87 | 3:02.583 | 3:05.292 | 2.709 |
| 88 | 3:05.292 | 3:10.292 | 5.000 |
| 89 | 3:10.292 | 3:14.167 | 3.875 |
| 90 | 3:14.167 | 3:14.333 | 0.166 |
| 91 | 3:14.333 | 3:16.333 | 2.000 |
| 92 | 3:16.333 | 3:16.542 | 0.209 |
| 93 | 3:16.542 | 3:16.625 | 0.083 |
| 94 | 3:16.625 | 3:18.542 | 1.917 |
| 95 | 3:18.542 | 3:20.917 | 2.375 |
| 96 | 3:20.917 | 3:24.083 | 3.166 |
| 97 | 3:24.083 | 3:26.333 | 2.250 |
| 98 | 3:26.333 | 3:29.542 | 3.209 |
| 99 | 3:29.542 | 3:32.208 | 2.666 |
| 100 | 3:32.208 | 3:34.417 | 2.209 |
| 101 | 3:34.417 | 3:36.500 | 2.083 |
| 102 | 3:36.500 | 3:39.417 | 2.917 |
| 103 | 3:39.417 | 3:43.125 | 3.708 |
| 104 | 3:43.125 | 3:44.792 | 1.667 |
| 105 | 3:44.792 | 3:46.167 | 1.375 |
| 106 | 3:46.167 | 3:49.375 | 3.208 |
| 107 | 3:49.375 | 3:52.000 | 2.625 |
| 108 | 3:52.000 | 3:57.916 | 5.916 |
A shorter
interval.
The fingerprints suggest a difference. To put a number to it, we look at a typical interval: the median. A few very long stretches influence it less than they influence the average.
The length of
a middle interval.
Order the durations from shortest to longest: the median is the middle value (or the average of the middle pair). The bars share a six-second scale.
There is another way to count the same change: internal boundaries per minute. Here, boundaries include retained transitions as well as cuts. The start and end of the video do not count.
- Steamboat Willie
- 8.68 per minute
- Pink in the Drink
- 15.76 per minute
- Wing It!
- 26.98 per minute
All figures, ranges and calculation notes
| Film | Intervals | Boundaries / min | Mean (s) | Median (s) | Middle 50% (s) | Range (s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steamboat Willie | 65 | 8.68 | 6.807 | 5.105 | 2.636–8.976 | 0.334–28.562 |
| Pink in the Drink | 109 | 15.76 | 3.772 | 3.000 | 1.640–5.520 | 0.120–15.400 |
| Wing It! | 108 | 26.98 | 2.203 | 1.771 | 0.323–3.166 | 0.083–12.167 |
Boundaries per minute excludes the start and end of the video: (intervals − 1) ÷ analyzed minutes. Boundaries include retained transitions, not only abrupt cuts. The middle 50% runs from the first to third quartile; quartiles use linear interpolation. Values are rounded for display.
So were the cartoons of the past slower? In this small selection, the older examples leave more time between boundaries. Their mean and median durations point in the same direction. That is the finding; the year alone cannot explain it.
Different makers, versions, running times and kinds of storytelling could all matter. Another selection could tell a different story. And an edit is only one part of pace: a long shot can be full of movement. None of these timings measures attention, emotion or what childhood felt like.
Memory kept the images. The intervals give us something else to look at.
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Method & sources
How we measured
The analysis includes titles, black frames and closing material. Automated detection proposed boundaries, and the project supervisor confirmed human review of the retained data. We have no independent accuracy estimate or detailed correction procedure. A transition is not necessarily an abrupt cut.
Detection, timing and reproducibility
We measured each film from its first to its last decoded video frame, including opening and closing material. PySceneDetect AdaptiveDetector 0.7.2 proposed visual boundaries; decoded presentation timestamps supplied the timing. The supervisor confirmed that the datasets were reviewed. The detailed review procedure and individual corrections were not supplied, so we cannot quantify the remaining error. Camera movement, flashes, fades and subtle edits can produce false or missed boundaries.
For the comparison, the detector used adaptive threshold 3, minimum content value 15, window width 2 and a one-frame minimum interval. Wing It! was downscaled by two for detection; the others were not. The source frame rates are 30000/1001, 25 and 24 frames per second, respectively; the final timing uses decoded timestamps rather than frame-rate rounding.
Spring uses shared rounded frame/24 endpoints; source container time is 7 ms later. The three comparison films use decoded presentation timestamps. Their timing is not borrowed from Spring. Durations are differences between shared endpoints, preserving every decoded video frame.
The three films
Steamboat Willie (1928), Pink in the Drink (1978) and Wing It! (2023) are analyzed from first to last decoded video frame, including opening and closing material. Their measured durations are 7:22.442, 6:51.160 and 3:57.916 respectively. Different editions, production practices and running times limit comparisons.
Further reading
- Cutting, Brunick, DeLong, Iricinschi & Candan · 2011Quicker, Faster, Darker: Changes in Hollywood Film over 75 Years
i-Perception · A study of changing formal features in Hollywood films. DOI ↗
- Koolstra, van Zanten, Lucassen & Ishaak · 2004The Formal Pace of Sesame Street over 26 Years
Perceptual and Motor Skills · Editing and speech pace in Dutch broadcasts of one programme. DOI ↗
- Hinten, Scarf & Imuta · 2025Meta-Analytic Review of the Short-Term Effects of Media Exposure on Children's Attention and Executive Functions
Developmental Science · A synthesis of experimental studies on immediate cognitive outcomes and media pace. DOI ↗
- Cutting, DeLong & Nothelfer · 2010Attention and the Evolution of Hollywood Film
Psychological Science · Examines the temporal organization of shot lengths in Hollywood films. DOI ↗
Limitations & data
Three films cannot represent a century of animation. Our measurements describe interval durations and boundary frequency, not overall sensory intensity or effects on children. Genre, production choices, versions and running time can also matter.
Hinten and colleagues reviewed experimental studies of short-term attention and executive functions after media exposure. Their question and measures differ from ours; our cut timings cannot establish cognitive effects, and a review cannot settle every question about media exposure. Hinten et al. · 2025 ↗