A sophisticated technique which involves first filming live action then tracing the models.

Rotoscoping is the technique of using live action film as a reference source (through any sort of tracing) for creating lifelike movements in animation. Typically used for complex human movements in sequences that involve dancing, or any other choreographed motion which would normally be difficult to animate. Rotoscoping is also used by some animators primarily for reasons of style, as opposed to reference. Many of Ralph Bakshi's animated films rely on heavy use of rotoscoping for complex and chaotic scenes (see "Wizards" for great examples of this). Rotoscoping was also used extensively in some of the more abstract animated sequences of the "Yellow Submarine" feature film. Most feature-length Walt Disney animated films contain some use of rotoscoping to provide fluid and life-like human motion during dancing or combat sequences. More recently, director Richard Linklater has used a more modern approach to rotoscoping in two of his films, "Waking Life", and "A Scanner Darkly". He collaborated with art director/computer programmer Bob Sabiston, who is responsible for the software known as "Rotoshop". Actors are filmed using digital video cameras, and keyframes of the video are then traced over with a drawing tablet using Sabiston's software.