(left) Still from A Computer Generated Ballet (2D version)
(right) Still from A Computer Generated Ballet (3D version). The images shown represent the images seen by left and right eyes, which are optically rotated in projection, to be viewed through 3D glasses.
NYU Libraries has been awarded a 2025 National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) grant of $8,750 to support the preservation of five early computer-animated films by A. Michael Noll (NYU '63, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn '71), a trailblazer in the field of digital art and algorithmic image creation. The preservation work will be led by Michael Grant, Assistant Director for Media Preservation at NYU Libraries.
Created in the mid-1960s, these experimental 3D films by Noll represent some of the first uses of computers to generate moving images and remain foundational works in the history of computer graphics and media art. The films are especially remarkable because several are not only 3D computer animation, but are stereoscopic, meaning they can be viewed in 3D through the use of special projection equipment and 3D glasses.
This presents interesting challenges for presentation,” Grant said. “In the past, the ability to view these stereoscopically was limited by access to this rare equipment. We will receive new film prints that can be projected using that old legacy system, but with today’s variety of viewing technologies, viewers will also be able to view the films via stereoscopic files on a 3D headset or digital projector.
The films explore a wide range of subjects, including experimental studies of polyhedrons moving and distorting through space. One particularly charming piece, entitled A Computer Generated Ballet, depicts choreographed stick figures dancing around a trapezoidal stage. Preserving these films ensures that students and scholars will continue to have access to this influential body of work.
NYU is among 31 institutions across 14 states and the District of Columbia selected to receive a 2025 NFPF Preservation Grant. In total, the program will support the preservation of 81 films, spanning a wide range of formats and genres—from Hollywood promotional shorts and avant-garde experiments to community documentaries and home movies.
Funded through federal support authorized by the Library of Congress, the NFPF preservation grants have helped cultural institutions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico save more than 2,900 films. Many of these works are made accessible to the public through screenings, exhibitions, and streaming platforms.
For more information and to view the full list of 2025 recipients, visit the NFPF announcement: 81 Films to be Preserved by the 2025 NFPF Preservation Grants.
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