Animators Unearthed

Drawing and sketching are central to the art of animation and can be crucial tools in designing and developing original stories, characters and layouts. Sketching for Animation offers a wealth of examples, exercises and tips from an army of professional animators to help you develop essential sketching, technical drawing and ideation techniques. With interviews and in-depth case studies from some of today's leading animators, including Bill Plympton, Glen Keane, Tori Davis and John Canemaker, this is a unique guide to turning your sketchbook - the world's cheapest, most portable pre-visualisation tool - into your own personal animation armory.

One of the most stylistically original and provocative writers in animation returns with this informal sequel to his previous books on indie animation, Unsung Heroes of Animation and Animators Unearthed. In this collection, award-winning writer Chris Robinson looks at a wide range of films and filmmakers, including cult favourites Don Hertzfeldt, Adam Elliot, Masaaki Yuasa, Wong Ping, Bruce Bickford, Jodie Mack, Rosto, Suzan Pitt, Clyde Henry and Cartoon Saloon. Eclectic, opinionated, passionate and personal, Robinson’s writing will amuse, confuse, infuriate and enlighten while introducing readers to some of the most astonishing and important animation artists from around the world.

One of the most acclaimed writers in animation returns with this informal sequel to his previous books on indie animation, Unsung Heroes of Animation, Animators Unearthed, and Mad Eyed Misfits. In this collection, award-winning writer, Chris Robinson, looks at a wide range of films, topics (sex, censorship, cultural politics, programming, felt, gifs, VR, dogs) and filmmakers (Masaaki Yuasa, Xi Chen, Gil Alkabetz, Jacques Drouin, Bordo, Rosto, Joaquín Cociña, Cristóbal León, George Schwizgebel, Lizzy Hobbs, Andreas Hykade, Leah Shore, and many others). Eclectic, brief, fiery, and opinionated, Robinson’s gonzo-tinged writing will amuse, confuse, annoy, and maybe even inspire while, hopefully introducing readers to the wonders of independently-produced animation.

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) began in 1976 and stands today as one of the oldest and largest animation events in the world. One of the unique features of the OIAF is the inclusion of commissioned writings that provide attendees with a more in-depth background into the festival’s special screenings. These writings have not only contextualized the festival presentations but have also contributed significantly to animation education and scholarship. The Corners are Glowing is a selection of the best writings (many unseen for decades) culled from past OIAF catalogues. These wide-ranging texts cover the spectrum of animation from the familiar (Daffy Duck, Pee Wee Herman, Bob Clampett, Joanna Quinn, Hiyao Miyazaki, Frank Tashlin) to the more esoteric (Robert Breer, Emily Pelstring, Taku Furukawa, Michael Sporn, and even the use of furniture in animation!). The Corners are Glowing is a valuable time capsule that celebrates animation’s past and present, and the styles of writing are as diverse, enlightening, and fun as the animation subjects being written about.

Collage art and film date back to the early 20th century (the earliest collages have roots in 12th-century Japan). It was rooted in the age of consumerism where artists addressed an array of political and social issues by creating a carefully crafted collision of pre-existing images and sounds to generate new meanings and commentaries on the surrounding world. Collage has also pushed the boundaries of animation, by incorporating other artistic forms (e.g., photography, live action, experimental cinema, literature, found sound) while exploring an array of social, cultural and political issues. In Earmarked for Collision, award-winning writer Chris Robinson (The Animation Pimp, Mad Eyed Misfits, Unsung Heroes of Animation) takes us on a tour of the history of collage animation, cataloguing the collage works of notable artists like Larry Jordan, Harry Smith, Stan Vanderbeek, Terry Gilliam, Janie Geiser, Martha Colburn, Lewis Klahr, Run Wrake, Lei Lei, Kelly Sears, Jodie Mack, and many, many others.

A wide-ranging survey of the subject that celebrates the variety and complexity of film comedy from the ‘silent’ days to the present, this authoritative guide offers an international perspective on the popular genre that explores all facets of its formative social, cultural and political context A wide-ranging collection of 24 essays exploring film comedy from the silent era to the present International in scope, the collection embraces not just American cinema, including Native American and African American, but also comic films from Europe, the Middle East, and Korea Essays explore sub-genres, performers, and cultural perspectives such as gender, politics, and history in addition to individual works Engages with different strands of comedy including slapstick, romantic, satirical and ironic Features original entries from a diverse group of multidisciplinary international contributors

A continuation of 1994’s groundbreaking Cartoons, Giannalberto Bendazzi’s Animation: A World History is the largest, deepest, most comprehensive text of its kind, based on the idea that animation is an art form that deserves its own place in scholarship. Bendazzi delves beyond just Disney, offering readers glimpses into the animation of Russia, Africa, Latin America, and other often-neglected areas and introducing over fifty previously undiscovered artists. Full of first-hand, never before investigated, and elsewhere unavailable information, Animation: A World History encompasses the history of animation production on every continent over the span of three centuries. Volume II delves into the decades following the Golden Age, an uncertain time when television series were overshadowing feature films, art was heavily influenced by the Cold War, and new technologies began to emerge that threatened the traditional methods of animation. Take part in the turmoil of the 1950s through 90s as American animation began to lose its momentum and the advent of television created a global interest in the art form. With a wealth of new research, hundreds of photographs and film stills, and an easy-to-navigate organization, this book is essential reading for all serious students of animation history. Key Features Over 200 high quality head shots and film stills to add visual reference to your research Detailed information on hundreds of never-before researched animators and films Coverage of animation from more than 90 countries and every major region of the world Chronological and geographical organization for quick access to the information you’re looking for