The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators

By Richard Williams and Richard Williams

Book Overview

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 fifty 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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 086547897X
• ISBN13: 9780865478978
• Release Date: September 2012
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
• Length: 392 Pages
• Weight: 3.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 9.3" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

Amazing book for learning animation

Probably better suited for somebody who knows a little already, but definitely not impossible to a complete beginner. This book is full of very insightful tips and techniques.

I've never written a review before but this book demands it

Okay so I read lots of reviews before I buy anything seldom do I come back and review them but I felt compelled to do it for this book. I'm an animation student and I have to say that I can't believe I took so long to buy this book. If you only ever buy one animation (if you're an animator and you only buy one book on the subject there's something horribly wrong) BUY THIS BOOK. This book speaks in a language visual people...

Must read for animators trying to reach the next level

I have been a computer animator for 4 years, with a focus on character animation for 1 year. I have been searching for information that will get my work closer to ILM/Pixar quality, and this book has advanced my skills a generation ahead, bringing me much closer to my goal. Richard Williams breaks down all sorts of different walks (maybe a hundred?), runs and motions that imply weight, which is essential for a complete animator...

My "Second Year" of school.

I'm a graduate of a one year animation certificate program in classical animation. In many ways, this book covers a lot of the ground of Preson Blair's classic bible "Cartoon Animation", as well as Tony White's excellent "Animator's Handbook". However, it also deals with practical examples to extend the lessons from these initial books. The whole section on 'walks' has lessons on acting, character and animation that deal with...

The ultimate guide on HOW to animate

Any animator looking for a book to help them improve their craft knows that most books on animation usually fall short in so many ways, it's easy to think it's impossible to write a comprehensive and accurate book on the subject (don't even get me started about the abysmal state of computer character animation books). Williams is the penultimate animator's animator and he tells it like it is. Williams systematically demystifies...