This book discusses developments and continuities in experimental animation that, since Robert Russet and Cecile Starr's Experimental Animation: Origins of a New Art (1976), has proliferated in the context of expanded cinema, performance and live 'making' and is today exhibited in galleries, public sites and online. With reference to historical, critical, phenomenological and inter-disciplinary approaches, international researchers offer new and diverse methodologies for thinking through these myriad animation practices. This volume addresses fundamental questions of form, such as drawing and the line, but also broadens out to encompass topics such as the inter-medial, post-humanism, the real, fakeness and fabrication, causation, new forms of synthetic space, ecology, critical re-workings of cartoons, and process as narrative. This book will appeal to cross and inter-disciplinary researchers, animation practitioners, scholars, teachers and students from Fine Art, Film and Media Studies, Philosophy and Aesthetics.

Completely revised, expanded & updated, The Dead Walk is a highly informative and entertaining study of the diverse zombie film phenomenon. Included are a visual feast of wide-ranging and often shocking films - from the monochrome epics of the 1930's & 1940's, the science-fiction orientated zombie films of the 1950's, the graphic splatter films & so-called "video nasties" of the 1980's before coming bang up to date to reflect the re-emergence of the zombie genre again, only now racing rather than shuffling towards box office domination anew. The Dead Walk provides a fascinating insight into films from across the globe as well as devoting proper attention to individual filmmakers such as George A. Romero & Lucio Fulci who have made the zombie genre their own. As well as detailing the historical origins of zombie lore rooted within Haitian voodoo rites, films as diverse as Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead series to Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange are featured, together with a separate chap

DreamWorks is one of the biggest names in modern computer-animation: a studio whose commercial success and impact on the medium rivals that of Pixar, and yet has received far less critical attention.The book will historicise DreamWorks' contribution to feature animation, while presenting a critical history of the form in the new millennium. It will look beyond the films' visual aesthetics to assess DreamWorks' influence on the narrative and tonal qualities which have come to define contemporary animated features, including their use of comedy, genre, music, stars, and intertextuality. It makes original interventions in the fields of film and animation studies by discussing each of these techniques in a uniquely animated context, with case studies from Shrek, Antz, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shark Tale, Bee Movie, Trolls and many others. It also looks at the unusual online afterlife of these films, and the ways in which they have been reappropriated and remixed by subversive online communities.

* 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.

The first computer-generated animated feature film, Toy Story (1995) sustains a dynamic vitality that proved instantly appealing to audiences of all ages. Like the great Pop Artists, Pixar Studios affirmed the energy of modern commercial popular culture and, in doing so, created a distinctive alternative to the usual Disney formula. Tom Kemper traces the film's genesis, production history and reception to demonstrate how its postmodern mishmash of pop culture icons and references represented a fascinating departure from Disney's fine arts style and fairytale naturalism. By foregrounding the way in which Toy Story flipped the conventional relationship between films and their ancillary merchandising by taking consumer products as its very subject, Kemper provides an illuminating, revisionist exploration of this groundbreaking classic.

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at cartoony computer animation? Then look no further... Cartoon Character Animation with Maya will help you create just that, guiding you through every step of the process including how to incorporate multiple limbs, smears, motion lines and staggers seamlessly into your animation. From planning to posing to polish, you'll learn how to make the most of breakdowns, take the terror out of tangent types and overcome the oft-feared graph editor. Each chapter includes insight and advice from world-leading character animators, and the companion website, www.bloomsbury.com/Osborn-Cartoon-Animation, includes a short animation featuring the star of the book, Mr. Buttons. There's also a specially created rig of Mr. Buttons for you to animate with, as well as walk-through videos demonstrating key techniques. Everything you need to help you animate your own cartoony creations! Includes interviews with: Ken Duncan, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, 9; Jason Figliozzi, Wreck it Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6; T. Dan Hofstedt, Pocahontas, Mulan, Planes; Ricardo Jost, The Nut Job, The Snow Queen 2; Pepe Sanchez, Pocoyo, Jelly Jamm; Matt Williames, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, The Princess and the Frog

This new addition to the AFI Film Readers series brings together original scholarship on animation in contemporary moving image culture, from classic experimental and independent shorts to digital animation and installation. The collection - that is also a philosophy of animation - foregrounds new critical perspectives on animation, connects them to historical and contemporary philosophical and theoretical contexts and production practice, and expands the existing canon. Throughout, contributors offer an interdisciplinary roadmap of new directions in film and animation studies, discussing animation in relationship to aesthetics, ideology, philosophy, historiography, visualization, genealogies, spectatorship, representation, technologies, and material culture.

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Hayao Miyazaki's career in animation has made him famous as not only the greatest director of animated features in Japan, the man behind classics as My Neighbour Totoro (1988) and Spirited Away (2001), but also as one of the most influential animators in the world, providing inspiration for animators in Disney, Pixar, Aardman, and many other leading studios. However, the animated features directed by Miyazaki represent only a portion of his 50-year career. Hayao Miyazaki examines his earliest projects in detail, alongside the works of both Japanese and non-Japanese animators and comics artists that Miyazaki encountered throughout his early career, demonstrating how they all contributed to the familiar elements that made Miyazaki's own films respected and admired among both the Japanese and the global audience.

This highly entertaining business memoir describes what it was like to work for Japan's premiere animation studio, Studio Ghibli, and its reigning genius Hayao Miyazaki. Steve Alpert, a Japanese-speaking American, was the "resident foreigner" in the offices of Ghibli and its parent Tokuma Shoten and played a central role when Miyazaki's films were starting to take off in international markets. Alpert describes hauling heavy film canisters of Princess Mononoke to Russia and California, experiencing a screaming Harvey Weinstein, dealing with Disney marketers, and then triumphantly attending glittering galas celebrating the Oscar-winning Spirited Away. His one-of-a-kind portraits of Miyazaki and long-time producer Toshio Suzuki, and of sly, gruff, and brilliant businessman Yasuyoshi Tokuma, capture the hard work and artistry that have made Ghibli films synonymous with cinematic excellence. And as the lone gaijin in a demanding company run by some of the most famous and influential people in modern Japan, Steve Alpert tackles his own challenges of language and culture. No one else could have written this book.

Kyoto Animation is a studio that, having risen from very humble beginnings, has gained recognition the world over as a uniquely inspired and inventive enterprise. This book examines Kyoto Animation's philosophy and creative vision with close reference to its anime. It focuses on the studio's choice of genres, themes and imagery while exploring its maintenance of high production values. The analysis highlights the studio's commitment to the pursuit of both artistic excellence and technical experimentation--and its reliance on the imagination and expertise of in-house staff.

This collection charts the terrain of contemporary Japanese animation, one of the most explosive forms of visual culture to emerge at the crossroads of transnational cultural production in the last twenty-five years. The essays offer bold and insightful engagement with anime's concerns with gender identity, anxieties about body mutation and technological monstrosity, and apocalyptic fantasies. The contributors dismantle the distinction between "high" and "low" culture and offer compelling arguments for the value and importance of the study of anime and popular culture as a key link in the translation from the local to the global.

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995), Pixar's first feature-length production and Hollywood's first completely computer-generated animated film, is an international cultural phenomenon. This collection brings together a diverse range of scholars and practitioners who together explore the themes, compositional techniques, cultural significance and industry legacy of this landmark in contemporary cinema. Topics range from industrial concerns, such as the film's groundbreaking use of computer generated imagery and the establishment of Pixar as a major player in the animation world, to examinations of its music, aesthetics, and the role of toys in both the film and its fandom. The Toy Story franchise as a whole is also considered, with chapters looking at its cross-generational appeal and the experience of growing up alongside the series. As the first substantial work on this landmark film, this book will serve as an authoritative introduction for scholars, students and fans alike.

This book describes the thematic and structural traits of a recent and popular development within the realm of anime: series adapted from visual novels. Visual novels are interactive fiction games in which players creatively control decisions and plot turning points. Endings alter according to the player's choices, providing a motivation to replay the game and opt for alternative decisions each time. Pictorial sumptuousness, plot depth and subtle characterization are vital aspects of the medium. Anime based on visual novels capitalize on the parent games' attributes, yielding thought-provoking yarns and complex personalities.

This collection charts the terrain of contemporary Japanese animation, one of the most explosive forms of visual culture to emerge at the crossroads of transnational cultural production in the last twenty-five years. The essays offer bold and insightful engagement with anime's concerns with gender identity, anxieties about body mutation and technological monstrosity, and apocalyptic fantasies of the end of history. The contributors dismantle the distinction between 'high' and 'low' culture and offer compelling arguments for the value and importance of the study of anime and popular culture as a key link in the translation from the local to the global.

Anime and Manga are hot - the popularity of these media is only increasing. What is it about anime that is so appealing to a trans-national fan base? This book looks at anime fans and the place they occupy, both in terms of subculture in Japan and the West, and in relation to Western perceptions of Japan since the late 1800s.

Aardman Animations are, unquestionably, one of the biggest success stories in animated films: their masterpieces include Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep, as well as much-loved characters such as Morph. Cracking Animation is entertaining, inspiring and essential reading for all Aardman enthusiasts, students of animation or anyone who wants to try making an animated film. This revised edition includes two new chapters. Chapter 7 looks in depth at the development and teamwork involved in a major animated film or television production, using The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! as an exemplar, and Chapter 8 presents exclusive behind-the-scenes insights into the making of Aardman's most recent feature film, Shaun the Sheep the Movie. Packed with practical, fully illustrated and step-by-step descriptions of all the elements involved, this is quite simply the best publication on stop-motion animation.

With never-before-seen development art, character sketches, storyboards, and color scripts, The Art Raya and the Last Dragon gives fans a front-row view of the making of the Disney animated feature.  

• Art book from Disney's The Art of Raya and the Last Dragon
• Features colorful concept art from the all-original fantasy adventure
• Includes fascinating facts and details from the creators

This book examines the life and animated art of the late Adam K. Beckett. Beckett is known for his six award-winning animations, made between the years 1972-1975, that were ground-breaking at the time and that continue to influence artists today. He is also recognized for his contributions to the first Star Wars movie, as he was head of the animation and rotoscoping area. Beckett was a shooting star during a critical time of change; an innovative genius as well as a unique and compelling character. His life and work illuminates significant social and cultural changes of that time: the emerging independent animation movement of the 1970s in the United States; the rebirth of the visual effects industry; the intersection of animation with newly developed video imaging and computer graphics; and the intense Cultural Revolution that occurred in the 1960s. Beckett's work in animation and effects was pioneering. His premature death cemented his mythic reputation as a larger than life artist and personality. Key Features: A comprehensive biography of Adam Beckett, based on original research Photographs of and drawings by Beckett that are not yet published or available Critical look at his six primary films that include insight into his techniques and process Insight into the re-emerging visual effects field, through Beckett's work at Robert Abel and Associations and Industrial Light and Magic The emergence of a "golden age" of independent animation in the United States Key Features A comprehensive biography of Adam Beckett, based on original research Photographs of and drawings by Beckett that are not yet published or available Critical look at his six primary films that include insight into his techniques and process Insight into the re-emergin visual effects field, through Beckett's work at Robert Abel and Associations and Industrial Light and Magic The emergence of a "golden age" of independent animation in the United States

Once consigned almost exclusively to Saturday morning fare for young viewers, television animation has evolved over the last several decades as a programming form to be reckoned with. While many animated shows continue to entertain tots, the form also reaches a much wider audience, engaging viewers of all ages. Whether aimed at toddlers, teens, or adults, animated shows reflect an evolving expression of sophisticated wit, adult humor, and a variety of artistic techniques and styles. The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Series encompasses animated programs broadcast in the United States and Canada since 1948. From early cartoon series like Crusader Rabbit, Rocky and His Friends, and The Flintstones to 21st century stalwarts like The Simpsons, South Park, and Spongebob Squarepants, the wide range of shows can be found in this volume. Series from many networks-such as Comedy Central, the Disney Channel, Nickleodeon, and Cartoon Network- are included, representing both the diversity of programming and the broad spectrum of viewership. Each entry includes a list of cast and characters, credit information, a brief synopsis of the series, and a critical analysis. Additional details include network information and broadcast history. The volume also features one hundred images and an introduction containing an historical overview of animated programming since the inception of television. Highlighting an extensive array of shows from Animaniacs and Archer to The X-Men and Yogi Bear, The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Series is an essential resource for anyone interested in the history and evolution of this constantly expanding art form.

On Animation: The Director's Perspective is a collection of interviews with 21 animated feature-film directors. These extensive interviews were conducted over the past several years by filmmakers and educators (and peers to the directors interviewd) Tom Sito and Bill Kroyer. Interviews cover in-depth discussion of each director's career -- focusing on their creative development, their films, lesson learned and advice. The interviews were edited and produced by Ron Diamond. Key Features Interviews with the greatest living legends in animation Offers profound insight into the creative process of these giants Grants advice and lessons for inspiring animators

The golden age of animation stretched from the early 1930s to the mid-1950s, with movie cartoons reaching an extraordinarily high level of artistry and technique--far higher than today's TV cartoons, for instance. Nearly 1000 cartoons were produced by the seven major animation studios in the U.S. between January 1, 1939, and September 30, 1945--the immediate pre-World War II period up to the cessation of hostilities. More than a quarter of the cartoons substantially refer to the war, and thereby are invaluable in helping to understand American attitudes and Hollywood's reflection of them. The meat of Doing Their Bit is a filmography with extremely detailed summaries of the 260 or so commercially produced, animated, war-related shorts, 1939-1945. There is also a good bit of overall commentary on these films as a group. Two chapters wrap up animated cartoons of World War I and the general political tenor of animated talkies of the 1930s. This edition also includes a new chapter on the outrageous government-sponsored Pvt Snafus.

Release your inner stylist to design and colour all of the most fashionable characters in this official Disney The Fashion Collection Colouring Book! Packed with stunning images and icons from a whole host of stylish favourites so you can create your very own couture fashion collection. From sophisticated Princesses like Belle and Tiana to fashion-forward Villains, including Cruella De Vil and Maleficent, get creative and bring each fabulous design to life! With intricate patterns and sketchbook style art, this beautiful book will keep you entertained for hours. Also available: Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Colouring Book Coming soon: Disney Hocus Pocus Colouring Book

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!

Embargoed to 30th March 2017 The Art of Smurfs presents hundreds of storyboards, character design, and location concept pieces. With a foreword by Veronique Culliford, daughter of Pierrot "Peyo" Culliford, this insider's guide celebrates her father's cherished Smurfs and provides a glimpse into the creative process that turned his popular comics into a feature-length, animated film. In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting race through the Forbidden Forest leading to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history.

Anime: A Critical Introduction maps the genres that have thrived within Japanese animation culture, and shows how a wide range of commentators have made sense of anime through discussions of its generic landscape. From the battling robots that define the mecha genre through to Studio Ghibli's dominant genre-brand of plucky shojo (young girl) characters, this book charts the rise of anime as a globally significant category of animation. It further thinks through the differences between anime's local and global genres: from the less-considered niches like nichijo-kei (everyday style anime) through to the global popularity of science fiction anime, this book tackles the tensions between the markets and audiences for anime texts. Anime is consequently understood in this book as a complex cultural phenomenon: not simply a "genre," but as an always shifting and changing set of texts. Its inherent changeability makes anime an ideal contender for global dissemination, as it can be easily re-edited, translated and then newly understood as it moves through the world's animation markets. As such, Anime: A Critical Introduction explores anime through a range of debates that have emerged around its key film texts, through discussions of animation and violence, through debates about the cyborg and through the differences between local and global understandings of anime products. Anime: A Critical Introduction uses these debates to frame a different kind of understanding of anime, one rooted in contexts, rather than just texts. In this way, Anime: A Critical Introduction works to create a space in which we can rethink the meanings of anime as it travels around the world.