Don't panic! Everything you need to know about cult author Douglas Adams and his most famous creation, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, is in here. From its unlikely start as a BBC radio serial in 1978, Hitchhiker's Guide developed into five bestselling novels, a BAFTA-winning television series, spoken word LPs that made the pop charts, dozens of extraordinary stage productions around the world, a computer game which topped the charts for a whole year - and now a Hollywood feature film. The Pocket Essential Hitchhiker's Guide is the only book in the galaxy to document and explain all the contradictory variants of the story, packed with bizarre trivia and illuminating quotes from many of those directly involved in Hitchhiker's Guide, including Douglas Adams himself. Also included is information on Douglas Adams' other work: the Dirk Gently novels, The Meaning of Liff, Last Chance to See, Starship Titanic and his contributions to Doctor Who, Monty Python and Comic Relief. This new edition is fully revised and updated to include the Hitchhiker's Guide movie and the brand new radio series.

The Bristol-based animation company Aardman is best known for its most famous creations Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. But despite the quintessentially British aesthetic and tone of its movies, this very British studio continues to enjoy international box office success with movies such as Shaun the Sheep Movie, Flushed Away and Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Aardman has always been closely linked with one of its key animators, Nick Park, and its stop motion, Plasticine-modelled family films, but it has more recently begun to experiment with modern digital filmmaking effects that either emulate 'Claymation' methods or form a hybrid animation style. This unique volume brings together leading film and animation scholars with children's media/animation professionals to explore the production practices behind Aardman's creativity, its history from its early shorts to contemporary hits, how its films fit within traditions of British animation, social realism and fantasy cinema, the key personalities who have formed its ethos, its representations of 'British-ness' on screen and the implications of traditional animation methods in a digital era.

Today, it is commonly believed that if you learn software, you can become an animator. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Master animators are trained and not born. Software, as is the humble pencil, is merely yet another tool through which an animator can apply their knowledge. However, neither software nor pencils give you that knowledge, nor do they do the work for you. If you place a fully trained master animator on a computer, or give them a pencil, they'll astound you with their mastery. However, if you put a nontrained animator on a computer, all you will have is a technician creating moving objects as you'll see all over YouTube and other video platforms. This book teaches you exactly how to become a Master Animator whether you ultimately plan to use pencils, computers, drawing tablets or rigged characters. It's a complete course in its own right, being a collection of 48 masterclasses gleaned from the author's 50 years of experience of top-level animating, teaching and filmmaking. It will also train you in the value and application of observational gesture drawing. This book of masterclasses by a master of the art, Tony White, is entirely designed to be THE definitive reference book for students learning how to make things move really well as well as how to create films once you know how to do so. A book for everyone: For home-based, self-study students: It is a perfect manual to take you from raw beginner to proven animated filmmaker. For full-time students: It is an ideal companion to supplement your full-time educational studies, which, no doubt, is overly based on software technology. For current animation professionals: It is a comprehensive archive of animation tips and techniques that will enable you to take your work to the next level. For current animation educators and instructors: It is a book that can be the ultimate curriculum and study program, enabling your own students to become the master animators of today and tomorrow.

Make mistakes disappear with My Neighbor Totoro erasers!

Celebrated for being one of the best hand-drawn films in the history of animation, My Neighbor Totoro is a true inspiration. This set of five erasers feature full-color sleeves with images of Totoro and friends as they walk through the forest—all packaged in a cute box with a die-cut window. These erasers are a delightful way to fix mistakes, and an essential desk accessory for Totoro fans of all ages.

•    5 erasers with full-color illustrated sleeves, packaged in a sweet die-cut box  
•    An easy way to add fun and cuteness to your office supplies or school supplies
•    Makes a great gift for Studio Ghibli and animation fans; collectors; artists; and anyone who owns other My Neighbor Totoro products or loves cute Japanese art, stationery, and pop culture

My Neighbor Totoro © 1988 Studio Ghibli

Given the limitless freedom of animation, why would anyone use it to make a sitcom about a struggling family-owned burger place? And why would audiences embrace this greasy fantasy, not just by tuning in but by permanently decorating their legs and arms with images from the show and writing detailed backstories for its minor characters? This book-length critical study of Bob's Burgers examines the moments in which the animated sitcom exposes the chasms between generations, explores gender and sexual identity, and allows fans to imagine a better world. Essays cover how the show can be read as a series of critiques of Steven Spielberg's early blockbusters, a rejection of Freudian psychology, or an examination of the artificiality of gendered behaviors through the cross-casting of characters like Tina and Linda. By tracing the ways that the popular reception of Bob's Burgers reflects changing cultural attitudes, the essays provoke broader questions about the responsibility of popular entertainment to help audiences conceive of fantasies closer to home: fantasies of loving and accepting parents, of creative, self-assured children, and of menus filled with artisanal puns.

Create your own Disney magic! Delve into the spellbinding world of Disney Princess and make your own magical crafts. Dress up in Moana's flower crown. Create Cinderella's pumpkin coach. Put on a shadow puppet show with Mushu. Pretend to be a Disney Princess with selfie props - and much more. With more than 25 projects accompanied by clear illustrated step-by-step instructions and top tips from expert crafters, there are ideas to suit every budding prince or princess!

There is a lot one could say about animation in Europe, but above all, there is no consistent European animation. It is as disparate as the various countries involved. Audiences will certainly recognize American or Japanese animation, but in Europe, it can range from Czech, Polish, and Hungarian to Greek, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and British. Animation in Europe provides a comprehensive review of the history and current situation of animation in over 20 European countries. It features numerous interviews with artists and producers, including rare documents and firsthand accounts that illustrate the rich history of animation in Europe. Additional features include * An extensive chronology with key events in European animation * A Who's Who of producers, directors, writers, and animators working in Europe * An examination of the origin of European animation and its influence Animation in Europe is the first book devoted entirely to this topic and, therefore, will be of value for animation buffs as well as practitioners and researchers.

How can we describe movements in animated films? In Figure and Force in Animation Aesthetics, Ryan Pierson introduces a powerful new method for the study of animation. By looking for figures-arrangements that seem to intuitively hold together-and forces-underlying units of attraction, repulsion, and direction-Pierson reveals startling new possibilities for animation criticism, history, and theory. Drawing on concepts from Gestalt psychology, Pierson offers a wide-ranging comparative study of four animation techniques-soft-edged forms, walk cycles, camera movement, and rotoscoping-as they appear in commercial, artisanal, and avant-garde works. In the process, through close readings of little-analyzed films, Pierson demonstrates that figures and forces make fertile resources for theoretical speculation, unearthing affinities between animation practice and such topics as the philosophy of mathematics, scientific and political revolution, and love. Beginning and ending with the imperative to look closely, Figure and Force in Animation Aesthetics is a performance in seeing the world of motion anew.

Written based on the author's own notes compiled over 18 years This manual is a learning tool focusing exclusively on the work of animators. explains the principles of physics applicable to any motion

There is a lot one could say about animation in Europe, but above all, there is no consistent European animation. It is as disparate as the various countries involved. Audiences will certainly recognize American or Japanese animation, but in Europe, it can range from Czech, Polish, and Hungarian to Greek, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and British. Animation in Europe provides a comprehensive review of the history and current situation of animation in over 20 European countries. It features numerous interviews with artists and producers, including rare documents and firsthand accounts that illustrate the rich history of animation in Europe. Additional features include * An extensive chronology with key events in European animation * A Who's Who of producers, directors, writers, and animators working in Europe * An examination of the origin of European animation and its influence Animation in Europe is the first book devoted entirely to this topic and, therefore, will be of value for animation buffs as well as practitioners and researchers.

This comprehensive reference to TV cartoon shows covers some 75 years. In the decade or so since the first edition, the industry has grown and expanded to previously unimagined heights, thanks in great part to the upsurge of cable TV services catering to animation fans. In the ten-year period since the first edition, nearly 450 new cartoon series premiered in the U.S. Alphabetically arranged by title, the book discusses each cartoon show in detail, providing full production credits and offering commentary on such elements as development, characters, style, and the show's significance in the overall scheme of television animation.

What could there possibly be about Christmas that needs to be ""saved""? Christmas isn't dead, not by a long shot. But when in the movies Santa Claus is in trouble, Christmas is in trouble and must be ""saved."" If bogeys or other circumstances prevent Santa from delivering the presents on Christmas Eve, there will be no Christmas because, as far as the movies are concerned, generally speaking, Santa IS Christmas. Explore 53 reasons for saving Christmas in this lighthearted collection of 228 films (over half of which are animated) from theatrical releases to television movies and specials to episodes of television series. The reasons for saving Christmas just may surprise you.

Join industry insiders Bill Kinder and Bobbie O'Steen as they guide readers on a journey through every stage of production on an animated film, from storyboards to virtual cameras and final animation. With unprecedented access to the Pixar edit suite, this authoritative project highlights the central role film editors play in some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful movies of all time. Exclusive interviews with animation editors and other creative leads are supported by footage from deep inside Pixar's vault. Nearly 90 minutes of video segments include never-before-seen works in progress, deleted scenes, and demonstrations to shed light on how these beloved stories are crafted. The challenges and essential contributions of editors in animation have never been examined in such depth and detail. In addition to exploring method and craft, this book provides important context for the editor in film history, the evolution of technology, and Pixar's uniquely collaborative studio culture. A must-read for students of digital filmmaking methods, filmmakers in all aspects of production, and fans of Pixar movies, this uniquely educational, historical, and entertaining book sheds light on how beloved stories are crafted from the perspective of crucial members of the filmmaking team.

A retelling of Disney Encanto featuring stunning development art from the original Disney Studio artists. Since its release, Encanto has become an instant classic thanks to its magical story, relatable characters and catchy songs from Tony (R), Grammy (R) and Pulitzer Prize-winner, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Encanto won Best Animated Feature Film at the 2022 Academy Awards (R). Enjoy the hit movie through this retelling of the story, accompanied by concept art from the original Walt Disney Animation Studios artists. Alongside the art, fascinating facts about each piece of art give an insight into the design process behind the iconic movie. Also featured is a foreword from Yvett Merino, Producer at the Walt Disney Animation Studios. The beautiful hardback features a textured finish, stunning foil and illustrated endpapers to ensure this is a book to treasure for years to come. This is the perfect gift for all those who have been enchanted by the magic of Encanto!

Relive the magic of Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs through this retelling of the classic animated film, accompanied by paintings, sketches and concept art from the original Disney Studio artists. Also featured is a foreword by Eric Goldberg, a supervising animator and director at the Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Turn to the back of the book to learn more about the artists who worked on this iconic animated film.

This beautiful hardback features premium cloth binding, a ribbon marker to match the cover, foil stamping and illustrated endpapers, making this the perfect gift for all those who have been enchanted by the magic of Dumbo and a book to be treasured by all.

A family favourite for almost eighty years, Disney Dumbo is one of the best-loved films of all time. Relive the magic through this retelling of the classic animated film, accompanied by paintings, story sketches and concept art from the original Disney Studio artists. Also featured is a foreword by Natalie Nourigat, a storyboard artist at the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Turn to the back of the book to learn more about the artists who worked on this iconic animated film.

Informal sequel to Unsung Heroes of Animation and Animators Unearthed. Analysis of a wide range of films and filmmakers including cult favourites Don Hertzfeldt, Adam Elliot, and Masaaki Yuasa

"Anime and Philosophy" focuses on some of the most-loved, most-intriguing anime films and series, as well as lesser-known works, to find what lies at their core. "Astro Boy, Dragon Ball Z, Ghost in the Shell, " and "Spirited Away" are just a few of the films analyzed in this book. In these stories about monsters, robots, children, and spirits who grapple with the important questions in life we find insight crucial to our times: lessons on morality, justice, and heroism, as well as meditations on identity, the soul, and the meaning -- or meaninglessness -- of life. Anime has become a worldwide phenomenon, reaching across genres, mediums, and cultures. For those wondering why so many people love anime or for die-hard fans who want to know more, "Anime and Philosophy" provides a deeper appreciation of the art and storytelling of this distinctive Japanese culture.

Explores death as a narrative theme within cinema and animation Biographical insight into Dennis Tupicoff's works and how the subject of death impacted these completed award-winning films Special online access to Dennis Tupicoff's animated works In-depth exploration into ten of Dennis Tupicoff's most influential animations

Netflix's BoJack Horseman has quickly become one of the most critically acclaimed animated comedy series in recent memory. Set in an off-kilter, cynically spun rendering of modern-day Hollywood, the show follows washed-up horse actor BoJack Horseman (voiced by Will Arnett) as he attempts to turn his life around. BoJack Horseman: The Art Before the Horse is the official behind-the-scenes companion to this cult-hit series. Part oral history sourced from original interviews with the show's cast and crew, part art book-including sketches, storyboards, and background art-this book will trace the series from conception to post-production. Beginning with the initial development of creator/ showrunner Raphael Bob-Waksberg and production designer Lisa Hanawalt's inimitable aesthetic vision, The Art Before the Horse goes on to reveal all of the moving parts-direction, writing, casting, animation, and music-that come together to form this uniquely bleak, emotionally potent, very funny show. Also Available: BoJack Horseman 2019 Wall Calendar (ISBN: 978-1-4197-3177-8)

Tom Sito (the legendary animator behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Beauty and the Beast, and other classic works) brings together the perfect fusion of culinary skill and animation in his cookbook, Eat, Drink, Animate: An Animator's Cookbook. Sito's book is a celebration of the works from legendary animation artists from around the world. Twelve Academy Award winners, five Emmy Award winners. From legendary animators from Hollywood's Golden Age, to modern masters. Not only does he demonstrate examples of their works, but he also includes their favorite personal recipe, and an anecdote from their professional lives that relates to food. Key Features: A rare look behind the scenes of some of animation's most memorable films. Usable recipes you canmake yourself, tested and adapted by Rebecca Bricetti, former editor for Stewart, Tabori, & Chang (Glorious Food ) and Robert Lence animator and gourmet (Toy Story, Shrek). Never before seen photos and illustrations. Anecdotes from behind-the-scenes of some of your favourite animated classics.

Find Olaf and more of your favourite characters from Frozen and Frozen 2 in this beautiful search-and-find book. Following on from the success of Where's Mickey? and Where's Spidey?, Studio Press presents Where's Olaf? Explore the enchanting lands of Arendelle, from the royal castle to the mysterious Valley of the Living Rock, while you hunt for Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven and, of course, Olaf! With delightful hidden details in every scene, Frozen fans will love this busy and beautiful search-and-find book.

The Art of Czech Animation is the first comprehensive English language account of Czech animation from the 1920s to the present, covering both 2D animation forms and CGI, with a focus upon the stop-motion films of Jiri Trnka, Hermina Tyrlova, Jan Svankmajer and Jiri Barta. Stop-motion is a highly embodied form of animation and The Art of Czech Animation develops a new materialist approach to studying these films. Instead of imposing top-down Film Theory onto its case studies, the book's analysis is built up from close readings of the films themselves, with particular attention given to their non-human objects. In a time of environmental crisis, the unique way Czech animated films use allegory to de-centre the human world and give a voice to non-human aspects of the natural world points us towards a means by which culture can increase ecological awareness in viewers. Such a refutation of a human-centred view of the world was contrary to communist orthodoxy and it remains so under late-stage consumer-capitalism. As such, these films do not only offer beautiful examples of allegory, but stand as models of political dissent. The Art of Czech Animation is a unique endeavour of film philosophy to provide a materialist appraisal of a heretofore neglected strand of Central-Eastern European cinema.