This second edition of Writing for Animation, Comics, and Games expounds on the previous edition with more information on how to construct narratives for these three forms of visual storytelling media. Christy Marx's book offers an in-depth look into scriptwriting and how to break into each of the featured industries. The text goes into detail on visual storytelling: how to compose exterior storytelling (animation, games) and interior/exterior storytelling (comics and graphic novels); as well as considerations for non-linear videogames. The advice within these pages can be used to build a transmedia career across animation, comics, graphic novels, and videogames. Key Features An insider's perspective on career rules of the road on writing for comics, videogames, and animation Written for beginners and professionals alike A nuts-and-bolts guide to script formats, terminology, networking, and valuable advice on writing for each medium Author Bio Based in Northern California, Christy Marx is an award-winning writer, story editor, TV series developer, game designer, and narrative designer. Her many credits include Babylon 5; Captain Power and Soldiers of the Future; The Twilight Zone; G.I. Joe; Jem and the Holograms; Spider-Man; He-Man; X-Men Evolution; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Conan the Adventurer; Birds of Prey; Amethyst; The Sisterhood of Steel; Sierra On-Line adventure games; PC, MMO, and console games; Zynga mobile games; and more. For full credits, visit www.christymarx.com.

The Art of The Penguins of Madagascar takes a deep dive into the making of the animated film, featuring everything from concept art, character backstories, and design inspirations, to interviews with key animation talent. Offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the creation of the remarkable film, this must-have book tells the story behind The Penguins of Madagascar.

Over the past forty years, American film has entered into a formal interaction with the comic book. Such comic book adaptations as Sin City, 300, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World have adopted components of their source materials' visual style. The screen has been fractured into panels, the photographic has given way to the graphic, and the steady rhythm of cinematic time has evolved into a far more malleable element. In other words, films have begun to look like comics. Yet, this interplay also occurs in the other direction. In order to retain cultural relevancy, comic books have begun to look like films. Frank Miller's original Sin City comics are indebted to film noir while Stephen King's The Dark Tower series could be a Sergio Leone spaghetti western translated onto paper. Film and comic books continuously lean on one another to reimagine their formal attributes and stylistic possibilities. In Panel to the Screen, Drew Morton examines this dialogue in its intersecting and rapidly changing cultural, technological, and industrial contexts. Early on, many questioned the prospect of a ""low"" art form suited for children translating into ""high"" art material capable of drawing colossal box office takes. Now the naysayers are as quiet as the queued crowds at Comic-Cons are massive. Morton provides a nuanced account of this phenomenon by using formal analysis of the texts in a real-world context of studio budgets, grosses, and audience reception.

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.

This book takes an ecrocritical approach to analytical readings of animated feature films, short subjects and television shows. Beginning with the ""simply subversive"" environmental messages in the Felix the Cat cartoons of the 1920s, the author examines ""green"" themes in such popular animated film efforts as Bambi (1942), The Simpsons Movie (2007), Wall-E (2008) and Happy Feet (2008), as well as James Cameron's live action/animation blockbuster Avatar (2009). The discussion extends beyond American films to include the works of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, including the Oscar-winning Spirited Away (2002). Also evaluated for their pro-ecological content are the television cartoon series South Park and Futurama. The appendix provides a list of film and television titles honored with the Environmental Media Award for Animation.

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)

This book reveals and explores the thriving animation culture in midtown Manhattan, the World's Fair, art galleries and cinemas during a vibrant period of artistic, commercial and industrial activity in New York City. Alongside a detailed investigation of animated film at the time - ranging from the abstract works of Mary Ellen Bute and Norman McLaren to the exhibition practices of the Disney Studios and the New York World's Fair - New York's Animation Culture examines a host of other animated forms, including moving dioramas, illuminated billboards, industrial displays, gallery exhibitions, mobile murals, and shop windows. In this innovative microhistory of animation, Moen combines the study of art, culture, design and film to offer a fine-grained account of an especially lively animation culture that was seen as creating new media, expanding the cinema experience, giving expression to utopian dreams of modernity, and presenting dynamic visions of a kinetic future.

"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.

"Disney Stories: Getting to Digital" explores how Disney, the man and the company, used technological innovation to create characters and stories that engage audiences in many different media, in particular in Video Games and on the Internet.

Drawing on Disney films from the twenties and thirties, as well as the writings of historians, screenwriters and producers, "Disney Stories: Getting to Digital" explains how new film and animation techniques, many developed by Disney, worked together to evolve character and content development and produce entertaining stories that riveted audiences.

Through an insider's perspective of Disney's legendary creation process, the book closely examines how the Disney Company moved its stories into the "digital" world in the 1990s and the virtual, online communities of the 2000s. By embracing the digital era, Disney led storytelling and technological innovation by granting their audience the unique opportunity to take part in their creation process through their online games, including "The Lion King Animated Story Book," "Disney Blast" and "Toontown."

"Disney Stories: Getting to Digital" is intended for Disney fans and current practitioners looking to study the creation process of one of the most famous animation studios in existence. Professors teaching courses in new media, animation and interactive storytelling will also find this book a valuable asset.

This book examines the relationship that exists between fantasy cinema and the medium of animation. Animation has played a key role in defining our collective expectations and experiences of fantasy cinema, just as fantasy storytelling has often served as inspiration for our most popular animated film and television. Bringing together contributions from world-renowned film and media scholars, Fantasy/Animation considers the various historical, theoretical, and cultural ramifications of the animated fantasy film. This collection provides a range of chapters on subjects including Disney, Pixar, and Studio Ghibli, filmmakers such as Ralph Bakshi and James Cameron, and on film and television franchises such as Dreamworks' How To Train Your Dragon (2010-) and HBO's Game of Thrones (2011-).

Since Toy Story, its first feature in 1995, Pixar Animation Studios has produced a string of commercial and critical successes including Monsters, Inc.; WALL-E; Finding Nemo; The Incredibles; Cars; and Up. In nearly all of these films, male characters are prominently featured, usually as protagonists. Despite obvious surface differences, these figures often follow similar narratives toward domestic fulfillment and civic engagement. However, these characters are also hypermasculine types whose paths lead to postmodern social roles more revelatory of the current "crisis" that sociologists and others have noted in boy culture. In Pixar's Boy Stories: Masculinity in a Postmodern Age, Shannon R. Wooden and Ken Gillam examine how boys become men and how men measure up in films produced by the animation giant. Offering counterintuitive readings of boy culture, this book describes how the films quietly but forcefully reiterate traditional masculine norms in terms of what they praise and what they condemn. Whether toys or ants, monsters or cars, Pixar's males succeed or fail according to the "boy code," the relentlessly policed gender standards rampant in American boyhood. Structured thematically around major issues in contemporary boy culture, the book discusses conformity, hypermasculinity, social hierarchies, disability, bullying, and an implicit critique of postmodern parenting. Unprecedented in its focus on Pixar and boys in its films, this book offers a valuable perspective to current conversations about gender and cinema. Providing a critical discourse about masculine roles in animated features, Pixar's Boy Stories will be of interest to scholars of film, media, and gender studies and to parents.

Digital artist Zheng Wei Gu (AKA Guweiz) shares his anime-inspired world in this beautifully produced and insightful book, leading you through his fantasy world with a portfolio packed with gritty detail and a surreal vibe. Guweiz began drawing when he was 17, inspired by an anime art tutorial on YouTube. Discovering a natural talent, he carried on drawing and quickly amassed a fan-base for his edgy illustration style. Throughout this book, readers will discover his artistic journey from the very beginning, with behind-the-scenes details about how some of his most popular pieces were created. He reveals his secrets for turning influences into truly original digital art, including that all-important narrative that takes drawing and painting beyond the purely visual. Step-by-step tutorials share techniques and tips to help you create these sorts of effects in your art, resulting in images with the depth of detail and intrigue that Guweiz has made his trademark. The artist's unique urban take on the popular manga/anime style is gripping right from the first page, from the surreal take on Japanese lifestyle to the urban fantasy he creates.

On its release in 1988, Grave of the Fireflies riveted audiences with its uncompromising drama. Directed by Isao Takahata at Studio Ghibli and based on an autobiographical story by Akiyuki Nosaka, the story of two Japanese children struggling to survive in the dying days of the Second World War unfolds with a gritty realism unprecedented in animation. Grave of the Fireflies has since been hailed as a classic of both anime and war cinema. In 2018, USA Today ranked it the greatest animated film of all time. Yet Ghibli's sombre masterpiece remains little analysed outside Japan, even as its meaning is fiercely contested - Takahata himself lamented that few had grasped his message. In the first book-length study of the film in English, Alex Dudok de Wit explores its themes, visual devices and groundbreaking use of animation, as well as the political context in which it was made. Drawing on untranslated accounts by the film's crew, he also describes its troubled production, which almost spelt disaster for Takahata and his studio.

Lavishly illustrated and encyclopedic in scope, "The World History of Animation" tells the genre's 100-year-old story around the globe, featuring key players in Europe, North America, and Asia. From its earliest days, animation has developed multiple iterations and created myriad dynamic styles, innovative techniques, iconic characters, and memorable stories. Stephen Cavalier's comprehensive account is organized chronologically and covers pioneers, feature films, television programs, digital films, games, independent films, and the web. An exhaustive time line of films and innovations acts as the narrative backbone, and must-see films are listed along with synopses and in-depth biographies of individuals and studios. The book explains the evolution of animation techniques, from rotoscoping to refinements of cel techniques, direct film, claymation, and more. A true global survey, "The World History of Animation" is an exciting and inspirational journey through the large and still-expanding animation universe--a place as limitless as the human imagination.
- A comprehensive international history of animation, featuring all genres,
styles, media, and techniques
- Features film, television, and web-based animation
- Illustrated in full color throughout
- Includes comprehensive biographies of leading practitioners

Animating Difference studies the way race, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender are portrayed in recent animated films from 1990 through the present. Ranging from Aladdin to Toy Story to Up, these popular films are key media through which children (and adults) learn about the world and how to behave. While racial and gender stereotypes may not be as obvious as they may have been in films of decades past, they often continue to convey troubling messages and stereotypes in subtle and surprising ways.

This vibrant volume is an exclusive look behind the scenes of Disney and Pixar's original feature film Luca. The Art of Luca explores the stunning visuals of the coming-of-age story, set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera. Readers get a front-row view at never-before-seen development art, character sketches, storyboards, color scripts, and interviews with the creators. * Behind the scenes of the making of Disney and Pixar's Luca * Features colorful concept art and character explorations from the movie * Includes fascinating facts and details from the creative team In the animated film, Luca and his newfound best friend are sharing an unforgettable summer and a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from a world just below the water's surface. For aspiring artists, animators, and fans alike, The Art of Luca is part of the acclaimed ART OF series, inviting audiences behind the scenes of their favorite animated films. This book is perfect for: * Pixar fans and art buffs * Animators and students of animation * Fans of The Art of Pixar, The Art of Soul, The Art of Onward and The Art of Coco (c) 2021 Disney/Pixar. All rights reserved.

Animating Difference studies the way race, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender are portrayed in recent animated films from 1990 through the present. Ranging from Aladdin to Toy Story to Up, these popular films are key media through which children (and adults) learn about the world and how to behave. While racial and gender stereotypes may not be as obvious as they may have been in films of decades past, they often continue to convey troubling messages and stereotypes in subtle and surprising ways.

After winning an Oscar for Spirited Away, the Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki's animated films were dubbed into many languages. Some of the films are saturated with religious themes distinctive to Japanese culture. How were these themes, or what Miyazaki describes as ""animism,"" received abroad, especially considering that they are challenging to translate? This book examines how American and German audiences, grounded on Judeo-Christian traditions, responded to the animism in Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1998), Spirited Away (2001), and Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008). By a close reading of adaptations and film reviews, and a study of transitions in their verbal and visual approaches to animism, this book demonstrates that the American and German receptions transcended the conventional view of an antagonistic relationship between animism and Christianity. With the ability to change their shapes into forms easily accessible to other cultural arenas, the anime films make a significant contribution to inter-religious dialogue in the age of secularisation.

* Covers the entire process of creating animated films in an accessible and approachable way. * Includes colour-coded exercises to help readers practice the theories explained within. * Heavily illustrated with full colour images.

Delve behind the scenes of artist Eric Guillon's artwork for Illumination and Entertainment's popular films, including Despicable Me, Sing, and upcoming The Secret Life of Pets 2. Illumination Entertainment has produced some of this century's most popular and successful animated films all over the world. Artist Eric Guillon helped design many of the most beloved and iconic characters for these films, such as Gru and the Mininons from Despicable Me, the adorable animals in The Secret Life of Pets, and more. Explore behind the scenes of Eric Guillon's artwork with this comprehensive coffee table book, which delves into Guillon's creative process and Illumination Entertainment's hit films. The Illumination Art of Eric Guillon features never-before-seen concept art, sketches, film stills, and other unique graphics, tracing the animation process from start to finish, and examines Guillon's many different roles, ranging from art director, character designer, and production designer to co-director.

This book critically examines how Walt Disney Animation Studios has depicted - and sometimes failed to depict - different forms of harming and objectifying non-human animals in their films. Each chapter addresses a different form of animal harm and objectification through the theories of speciesism, romanticism, and the 'collapse of compassion' effect, from farming, hunting and fishing, to clothing, work, and entertainment. Stanton lucidly presents the dichotomy between depictions of higher order, anthropomorphised and neotonised animal characters and that of lower-order species, showing furthermore how these depictions are closely linked to changing social attitudes about acceptable forms of animal harm. An engaging and novel contribution to the field of Critical Animal Studies, this book explores the use of animals not only in Disney's best known animated films such as 101 Dalmatians, but also lesser known features including Home on the Range and Fun and Fancy Free. A quantitative appendix supplying data on how often each animal species appears and the amount of times animal harm or objectification is depicted in over fifty films provides an invaluable resource and addition to scholars working in both Disney and animal studies.

Go behind the scenes of DreamWorks Animation's smart,hilarious comedy The Boss Baby. This beautifully illustratedbook includes a wide range of colorful development art,storyboards and character sketches, as well as in-depthinterviews with director Tom McGrath, writer MichaelMcCullers, producer Ramsey Naito, plus key members ofthe storyboard, visual development, visual effects, CGanimation, modeling and layout departments.

Animation covers everything from Tex Avery's split-second slapstick and The Simpsons' knowing digs at pop culture, to Hayao Miyasaki's strong-willed heroines and Yuri Norstein's delicately rendered folktales. Often dismissed by the uninitiated as 'kid's stuff', any detailed look at animation reveals a technically complex, sophisticated and endlessly inventive medium. Intended both as a guide and an introduction to this fascinating field, the Pocket Essential Animation examines and celebrates this genre in its many forms. It explores the careers, techniques and key films of many of the major animators. It begins with pioneers such as Winsor McCay, the Fleischer brothers and Walt Disney when the 'House of Mouse' was only a twinkle in his eye. Then brings you right up to date with Nick Park's claymation and the slick CGI comedies of John Lasseter's Pixar studio. In between, it takes in the innovations of Norman McLaren, the sexual obsessions of Bob Godfrey and the agit-prop surrealism of Jan Svankmajer. Kid's stuff, indeed.