Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Book Review: Animation Unleashed
Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions (MWP)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1932907491
ISBN-13: 978-1932907490
Product Dimensions: 27.7 x 18.8 x 1.8 cm
Sheridan College is famed world-wide for its award-winning animation programs (Computer Animation, Digital Character Animation, Digital Visual Effects.). Full disclosure: I took their one year Media Fundamentals program. Author Ellen Besen, who has been working in the field for over 35 years, is a former faculty member, while illustrator Bryce Hallett is a Sheridan graduate and has enjoyed a very active career working on a variety of films, music videos and tv shows. This is important because it shows the publisher’s commitment to putting out a book written by people in the industry and ‘in-the-know’.
Many people are lucky enough to go to animation or film school, but not everyone does. Some people take a class here and there, while other people are completely self-taught. I have mixed feelings about the value of going to film school. These days, with the advent of less expensive, but still-powerful computers, and the wide variety of software available, some of it free or very cheap, as well as alternate distribution channels (YouTube, Vimeo, bittorrent, burning one’s own DVDs, etc), it’s easier than ever to actually make an animated film. Whether or not it’s any good is another matter.
Story is still important, but so is knowing how and why to do things when making an animated film. People who don’t go to school don’t always have the benefit of knowing these ’secrets’, and often have to learn by trial and error, if ever. Subtitled: “100 Principles Every Animator, Comic Book Writer, Filmmaker, Video Artist, and Game Developer Should Know”, it is exactly that. This solid widescreen style 245-page book covers subjects like ideas, scripts, storyboards, film structure, sound, animation techniques, performance, timing and special effects.
This handsomely-designed and beautifully-illustrated book will serve as an instructional guide, and also for a reference for years to come.
, 
.