I've got both of Caldwell's books. I agree - they are BOTH excellent!
I also have Eric Goldberg's book and plan on getting Kyle Baker's in the near-future.
I passed on Bluth's books because I felt they didn't tell me anything new and I unfortunately felt that the production quality of the books was a bit low...
I wish that I had some of Caldwell's sketchbooks or even a copy of his Dare Detectives but that's something I just haven't gotten around to getting.
The Animator's Survival Kit - on DVD!
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Tyler_Legrand
- AV Forum Member
- Posts: 51
- Joined: August 17th, 2008, 3:16 am
Forgot about this thread, but better late than never to give some info, now that I've watched through the set:
Is there stuff on the DVDs that are already in the book?
Answer is yes. I could however argue that there were some parts in the book that I didn't understand until I saw it animated. For example, what Williams means by mixing "straight-ahead" and "pose-to-pose" animation.
Is there stuff on the DVDs that aren't already in the book?
Answer again is yes! Like animal walks/flights, for example. Lots of neat stuff there.
Is there stuff in the book that aren't on the DVDs?
Yes again. Some parts of the overall lesson is exclusive to the book, other parts to the DVDs, so neither feels inferior to me.
Quote from Williams that made me laugh:
'When (a student) reads my book, he may say "Oh no, do I have to learn all this stuff to be an animator?" and the answer is, you don't!'
Is there stuff on the DVDs that are already in the book?
Answer is yes. I could however argue that there were some parts in the book that I didn't understand until I saw it animated. For example, what Williams means by mixing "straight-ahead" and "pose-to-pose" animation.
Is there stuff on the DVDs that aren't already in the book?
Answer again is yes! Like animal walks/flights, for example. Lots of neat stuff there.
Is there stuff in the book that aren't on the DVDs?
Yes again. Some parts of the overall lesson is exclusive to the book, other parts to the DVDs, so neither feels inferior to me.
Quote from Williams that made me laugh:
'When (a student) reads my book, he may say "Oh no, do I have to learn all this stuff to be an animator?" and the answer is, you don't!'
Lovely quote! 
Whatever else, I would always have suggested anyone serious to be buying the DVD collection would be doing themselves a disservice by not spending the bit extra to pick up the "hard copy" book version. There's just sure to be some times when a quick reference from the page would be easier than hunting through the discs.
Although I'm not an animator, I'd still love to look at this some day to be more aware of the processes...I've directed animation in the past, but that was based more on my performance of a shot and what I wanted from it, leaving the animator to develop it. If in that situation again, it would be fab to be able to speak more directly with that kind of knowledge to hand.
Thanks for the clarification, TL.
Whatever else, I would always have suggested anyone serious to be buying the DVD collection would be doing themselves a disservice by not spending the bit extra to pick up the "hard copy" book version. There's just sure to be some times when a quick reference from the page would be easier than hunting through the discs.
Although I'm not an animator, I'd still love to look at this some day to be more aware of the processes...I've directed animation in the past, but that was based more on my performance of a shot and what I wanted from it, leaving the animator to develop it. If in that situation again, it would be fab to be able to speak more directly with that kind of knowledge to hand.
Thanks for the clarification, TL.
This is a little off-topic but Alex Williams will soon be making his directorial debut in the CGI film The Wild Bunch:
http://www.animationnation.com/ubb/ulti ... 1;t=014336
http://www.animationnation.com/ubb/ulti ... 1;t=014336
You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!
"An adventure with heart and soil"...I like it!
The visuals look pretty nice going by the news report linked to in the AN post, though I'm not sure that this isn't just A Bug's Life with plants. How do they move anyway? Wouldn't they be rooted to the spot?
Interesting that Alex seems to be involved in a new Underdog movie...wonder if this is a sequel, reboot or animated feature?
The visuals look pretty nice going by the news report linked to in the AN post, though I'm not sure that this isn't just A Bug's Life with plants. How do they move anyway? Wouldn't they be rooted to the spot?
Interesting that Alex seems to be involved in a new Underdog movie...wonder if this is a sequel, reboot or animated feature?
Re: The Animator's Survival Kit - on DVD!
Oh...
Still can’t believe it. Such a towering figure in animation, and a genius in so many ways. And his life’s work, his heart and soul, still never saw the light of day.
Heartbreaking.
But I am VERY glad he got the Oscar for Roger!. Such a trailblazing film (to say nothing of its entertainment factor). Of course Zemeckis did a superb job directing the live- action but his collaboration with Williams was a true miracle.
Honestly, we’re all extremely lucky that even though the mysterious and mind-blowing Thief and the Cobbler was never quite finished, we did at least get Roger!!. God I remember seeing SO many RR toys that summer...lol.
Original RR trailer: (weird how it has the Pig Head scene. I guess the trailer was made while they were still doing heavy editing.)
https://youtu.be/gpDaNqSXxp0
Here’s a trailer for Williams mega-fan Garret Gilcrest’s The Thief and the Cobbler: Recobbled Cut. It was an ongoing project to restore the butchered and not-completely finished film with the help of many of Williams’ former animators and Williams’ son Alex (although there was no involvement on Williams’ part, who understandably was so devastated about what happened to his life’s work that when asked about it at a fan convention, he choked up and couldn’t even discuss it. )
https://youtu.be/fJry5ReXZVM
RIP Richard.
Still can’t believe it. Such a towering figure in animation, and a genius in so many ways. And his life’s work, his heart and soul, still never saw the light of day.
Heartbreaking. But I am VERY glad he got the Oscar for Roger!
. Such a trailblazing film (to say nothing of its entertainment factor). Of course Zemeckis did a superb job directing the live- action but his collaboration with Williams was a true miracle. Honestly, we’re all extremely lucky that even though the mysterious and mind-blowing Thief and the Cobbler was never quite finished, we did at least get Roger!!
. God I remember seeing SO many RR toys that summer...lol.Original RR trailer: (weird how it has the Pig Head scene. I guess the trailer was made while they were still doing heavy editing.)
https://youtu.be/gpDaNqSXxp0
Here’s a trailer for Williams mega-fan Garret Gilcrest’s The Thief and the Cobbler: Recobbled Cut. It was an ongoing project to restore the butchered and not-completely finished film with the help of many of Williams’ former animators and Williams’ son Alex (although there was no involvement on Williams’ part, who understandably was so devastated about what happened to his life’s work that when asked about it at a fan convention, he choked up and couldn’t even discuss it.
)https://youtu.be/fJry5ReXZVM
RIP Richard.
You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!
Re: The Animator's Survival Kit - on DVD!
Such a shame. Truly one of the greats. RIP.
Re: The Animator's Survival Kit - on DVD!
WOW. 
AMAZING article from the Hollywood Reporter (by Kim Masters) on Williams’ role as animation director on Roger. (And Williams in general.)
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... it-1232849
AMAZING article from the Hollywood Reporter (by Kim Masters) on Williams’ role as animation director on Roger. (And Williams in general.)https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... it-1232849
You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!
Re: The Animator's Survival Kit - on DVD!
When I read that a couple of weeks ago I kept wishing Masters had actually revealed the stories about Roger that are alluded to. Such a tease!
Re: The Animator's Survival Kit - on DVD!
Yeah, I understand. She has this habit of alluding to fascinating events and then completely skipping over them, either for some much less interesting trivia, or just moving the particular “main story” along. 
(But did any of those Roger stories ever make it to that Premiere article from ‘88? Might be worthwhile trying to hunt it down through JSTOR or something like that.
)
(But did any of those Roger stories ever make it to that Premiere article from ‘88? Might be worthwhile trying to hunt it down through JSTOR or something like that.
)You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!
Re: The Animator's Survival Kit - on DVD!
Actually, it’s reprinted (for free!) at The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/ ... 83e3e52fd/
It’s not a full-blown expose, but it’s an interesting read!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/ ... 83e3e52fd/
It’s not a full-blown expose, but it’s an interesting read!