The Animator's Survival Kit - Softcover

Williams, Richard

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0571202284 ISBN 13: 9780571202287

Publisher: Faber & Faber, 2002

Synopsis

The definitive book on animation, from the Academy Award-winning animator behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Animation is one of the hottest areas of filmmaking today--and the master animator who bridges the old generation and the new is Richard Williams. During his more than forty years in the business, Williams has been one of the true innovators, winning three Academy Awards and serving as the link between Disney's golden age of animation by hand and the new computer animation exemplified by Toy Story.

Perhaps even more important, though, has been his dedication in passing along his knowledge to a new generation of animators so that they in turn could push the medium in new directions. In this book, based on his sold-out master classes in the United States and across Europe, Williams provides the underlying principles of animation that every animator--from beginner to expert, classic animator to computer animation whiz --needs. Urging his readers to "invent but be believable," he illustrates his points with hundreds of drawings, distilling the secrets of the masters into a working system in order to create a book that will become the standard work on all forms of animation for professionals, students, and fans.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

Praise for Richard Williams:

"Arguably the best animator working in the field today." Hollywood Reporter

"Richard is a genius." Robert Zemeckis (director, Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump)

"Probably one of the most respected draftsmen in the world." Los Angeles TV Times

"Williams is miles ahead of anyone in the world of animation." New York Times

"Voted by peers as 'The Animator's Animator'." Observer

Richard Williams is best known as the Director of Animation and designer of the new characters for Who Framed Roger Rabbit, for which he won two Academy Awards including a Special Achievement Award.

Canadian-born Williams has won three US Academy Awards, three British Academy Awards, and an Emmy among 246 international awards-- starting with his first film The Little Island in 1958.

Williams has also animated title sequences for Return of the Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, What's New Pussycat, Casino Royale and linking sequences for The Charge of the Light Brigade, as well as countless prize-winning commercials.

In 1990 he was voted by his peers as "The Animator's Animator," and in 1995 he started giving the Richard Williams Animation Masterclasses for professionals and students worldwide in London, Hollywood, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver, Sydney, Hong Kong, France and Denmark.

He lives with his family in Wales and works as an independent film-maker.

From the Back Cover

The definitive working manual on animation, from the triple Academy Award winning Director of Animation of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Animation is one of the hottest and most creative areas of film-making today-- and the master animator who bridges the old generation and the new is Richard Williams. During his more than forty years in the business, Williams has been one of the true innovators, and serves as the link between the golden age of animation by hand and the new computer animation successes.

Perhaps even more important, though, has been his dedication to passing along his knowledge to a new generation of animators so that they in turn can push the medium in new directions.

In this book, based on his sold-out Animation Masterclasses in the United States and across Europe attended by animators from The Walt Disney Company, PIXAR, DreamWorks, Blue Sky and Warner Bros, Williams provides the underlying principles of animation that every animator-- from beginner to expert, classic animator to computer animation whiz-- needs. Urging his readers to 'invent but be believable,' he illustrates his points with hundreds of drawings, distilling the secrets of the masters into a working system in order to create a book that will become the standard work on all forms of animation for professionals, students, and fans.

"Williams is miles ahead of anyone in the world of animation." New York Times

Edition details

• Publisher: Faber & Faber
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0571202284
• ISBN 13: 9780571202287
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 342