Modern Masters Volume 14: Frank Cho (Modern Masters (TwoMorrows Publishing)) Review

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Modern Masters Volume 14: Frank Cho (Modern Masters (TwoMorrows Publishing)) ReviewFor anyone who has not seen Frank's work this might be considered quite the treat. The interview is in depth, revealing a lot of what makes Frank tick. Unfortunately, for anyone who has been following Frank for the last ten odd years this is pretty much the same thing as has been seen in other publications. I read a revealing interview with Frank in The Comics Journal, Comic Book Artist and other sources so there really isn't much that's new. Frank is a candid subject, he's comfortable in his skin and it shows. His story of his formative years as a 6 year old from Korea, moving to and growing up in America, moving a lot after he arrives and life with his working class, practical parents, is nice. His efforts as a regular comic strip artist creating Liberty Meadows is all good and fine but I was hoping to find out the final fate of that comic strip and the comic book carrying it that was supposed to continue where the strip left off. After 38 issues, nothing.
He's a busy artist, very much in demand, and that's a good reason to put his creation on hold but I'd like to read if there are plans to continue his very funny Liberty Meadows.
The artwork featured ranges from his days in his late teens all the way up to his recent work on the Avengers. Unfortunately a lot of it has been used on other occasions. I was hoping to see more from his sketchbooks and some of the rare work from unfinished projects as well as little seen pin-ups.
Bottom line, seeing as this book is primarily for the same people who are likely to have already been following Frank's career, there's not much new here. That's not so much a complaint as it is an observation. The title's worth owning and certainly worth the read but it's not something that reports on anything not already presented in other sources.
Frank's a wonderfully talented guy. I'm waiting for the book that really drives that fact home in no uncertain terms. First step; stop asking him if he likes drawing bombshells and proceed forward.Modern Masters Volume 14: Frank Cho (Modern Masters (TwoMorrows Publishing)) OverviewMonkeys! Dinosaurs! Beautiful women! These are the things Frank Cho loves to draw... especially beautiful women! Luckily for his fans, he excels at it. In 1997, the writer and artist introduced Liberty Meadows to the world, which quickly gathered a dedicated following. The winner of many prestigious awards - including The National Cartoonist Society Award and the Charles Schulz Award - Frank Cho ranks as one of Marvel Comics' top current artists, and his work on Liberty Meadows, Shanna the She-Devil, Spider-Man, and The Mighty Avengers, among others, is simply irresistible. Now, learn about the man behind the monkey in Modern Masters Vol. 14: Frank Cho, as Eric Nolen-Weathington takes an extensive look into Cho's career and creative proces. The 120-page book features a career-spanning interview with tons of art, including many rare and unpublished pieces, a large gallery, and an 8-page color section on this true Modern Master: Frank Cho!

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Mort Walker'S Private Scrapbook Review

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Mort Walker'S Private Scrapbook ReviewMort Walker is truly a gifted man. This book chronicles his life, drawings he made as a child which ultimately led to a career as a cartoonist. We are treated to the other strips Mort Walker breathed comic life into; we are introduced to "Hi & Lois," a spin off of "Beetle Bailey." (Lois is Beetle's cousin).
Camp Swampy is one of the FUNNIEST comic stops in the funny paper! Sarge, Beetle Bailey, Gen. Half-Track and the gang are a SCREAM! I actually wiped tears of laughter from my eyes when I read this book. Beetle Bailey is truly one of the FUNNIEST strips to ever grace the newspaper!
We, the readers, are treated to the evolution of Beetle Bailey, indolent college student to Beetle Bailey, the work dodging private. We watch the metamorphasis of Sarge from a slightly husky man to the large, lovable irate officer he became. We laugh with Cookie, who looks like Sarge in a chef's hat. We scream over bunny-toothed Zero, Ms. Buxley, the aptly named secretary and General Half-Track, who's eyes never leave Ms. Buxley. The entire Camp Swampy crew will have you in stitches! This is truly a brilliant work that will leave you wanting more.Mort Walker'S Private Scrapbook OverviewMany cartoonists have successfully caused brief splashes of excitement throughout history but simply don't have what it takes to command the world's attention for half a century. That is, unless you're comic genius Mort Walker, beloved creator of the cartoon strips Hi and Lois and Beetle Bailey. Mort Walker's Private Scrapbook provides a comprehensive look at the life and work of this suave cartoonist for his legions of fans and aficionados of the comic world alike. In this extensive work painstakingly compiled by Walker over the course of two years, he collects his earliest artwork, reveals who his characters are based on, follows the development of his creations, and relates a fascinating perspective about the evolution of the cartooning world. This full-color scrapbook is a unique glimpse into the window of cartooning that only award-winning veteran artist Mort Walker could provide. This book will be essential for comic strip historians, collectors, and faithful fans.

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Chuck Jones: Conversations (Conversations with Comic Artists) Review

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Chuck Jones: Conversations (Conversations with Comic Artists) ReviewI highly recommend this book, and not just because I'm in it. (I highly easily finagled a telephone interview with Chuck Jones in 1988--not the greatest interview in the book, but surely one of the highlights of my life.)
If you're a fan of the legendary animation director, this book is the Holy Grail of interview books. It includes interviews by Richard Thompson and Greg Ford (who later did his own Looney Tunes cartoon, THE DUXORCIST) from Film Comment's legendary 1975 issue devoted to animation; an interview by film-buff supreme Joe Adamson (who also did his own Bugs Bunny cartoon, A POLITICAL CARTOON--geez, when do I get to do *my* Looney Tunes??); and several other great and extensive interviews with the master. An invaluable look into the mind of one of the great popular artists of our time.Chuck Jones: Conversations (Conversations with Comic Artists) Overview
Chuck Jones: Conversations brings to life the legendary Warner Bros. artist who helped shape the history of American animation, defining our impressions of such characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, and Pepé le Pew. These interviews span more than thirty years, beginning with a 1968 conversation in which Jones (1912-2002) shares the spotlight with science fiction giant Ray Bradbury.
Throughout, the interviews illustrate the development of Jones's career, including shifts that came after the Warner Bros. animation unit closed in the early 1960s-from the uncertain years of American animation during that decade and the 1970s through the "rediscovery" of Jones and Hollywood studio animation during the 1980s and 1990s. Jones candidly discusses his aesthetic sensibilities, providing tips for aspiring animators and describing Warner Bros. animation in its heyday.
Jones was an art college graduate who struggled through the Depression, trying to establish himself within the Hollywood industry. In these conversations he emerges as a witty raconteur and a well-read, inspiring advocate for animation art, intent on nurturing future generations of animators. Jones recalls vividly the Golden Age of studio animation from the 1930s to the 1950s, including his connections with the Walt Disney studio and United Productions of America. With pleasure, insight, and depth, he describes his family and early life as well as his post-Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies days. These interviews reveal Jones's struggles as an artist, the many influences upon him, and the creative process that made him famous. This volume contains previously unpublished material along with classic interviews.
Maureen Furniss, Savannah, Georgia, professor of animation and film at Savannah College of Art and Design, is the founding editor and publisher of Animation Journal. She is the author of Art in Motion: Animation Aesthetics, and her work has appeared in many periodicals.

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The Hand Behind the Mouse : An Intimate Biography of Ub Iwerks Review

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The Hand Behind the Mouse : An Intimate Biography of Ub Iwerks ReviewWalt Disney often liked to say to interviewers, waving a hand dramatically toward his vast animation studio, "Remember--this was all started by a mouse." True enough--but who created "the mouse?" If you think it was Walt, go stand in the corner--and read this book.
You'd think a man with a name like Ub Iwerks would have no difficulty being remembered, but his invaluable contribution to the Disney studio is buried in dusty archives. His cartoons as an independent now occupy the bottom of the discount video bin at Wal-Mart. Animation historians who do mention him portray him as a humorless glorified garage mechanic more interested in tinkering than the art of animation. Except, that is, for John Kenworthy.
Thanks to Kenworthy (with the aid of Leslie Iwerks, Ub's granddaughter) for the first time we get a much clearer, fairer picture of the man who is an unquestioned film-making genius. Without Ub Iwerks, we discover, not only would there have been no Mickey Mouse, there might have been no Disney studio. Walt, only a fair animator himself, needed Iwerks' incredible animation talents during the studio's formative years. (Iwerks animated the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, PLANE CRAZY, by himself in two weeks--a rate of 700 animation drawings per day!) Without Ub, Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews could not have cavorted with animated penguins, Donald Duck could not have ogled a sexy Latin senorita, and Tippi Hedren could not have been attacked by a flock of manic birds. (Didn't know he'd worked for Hitchcock as well as Disney, did you?) Iwerks' patented "travelling matte" process made those things possible.
So why is Disney lauded while Iwerks is nearly forgotten? Two reasons, according to Kenworthy. First, the fundamental nature of the two men. Walt was a ruthless self-promoter with an innate sense of what the public wanted--Iwerks, a painfully shy, modest loner who found solace in esoteric pursuits. Second, their approach to film-making. Disney sought to attain the illusion of reality through the personalities of his characters, while Iwerks chose to do so through technical advances. Therefore, everyone remembers Goofy, Donald Duck et. al. while Iwerks' independent creations, Willie Whopper and Flip the Frog, are footnotes in animation history.
These differences drove a wedge between the two men, causing Iwerks to split from Disney and form his own studio, which he struggled to maintain for ten very frustrating years. He failed, but not from lack of effort or imagination. He was a true "renaissance man", mastering everything from animation to sailing to archery and even bowling, moving on to the next challenge after conquering the one before. Animation was just one of those challenges, Kenworthy says, and far from the last. He would continue to find new areas to conquer to the end of his life, earning two Academy Awards for his technical work along the way. (Most of his greatest achievments were for his old friend Disney, to whom he returned in 1940).
If the book has one flaw, it is that it tends to fast-forward through some parts of Iwerks' life, but that is not Kenworthy's fault. Iwerks rarely discussed his traumatic early life (and personal problems) with members of his own family, let alone anyone else. But with this book, we nonetheless know far more about the man than other books bothered to tell us. And it's about time.The Hand Behind the Mouse : An Intimate Biography of Ub Iwerks OverviewCome meet the man you have known for all of your life!You may not know Ub Iwerks by name, but you certainly know his accomplishments. Walt Disney's friend, partner, adversary and alter ego all rolled into one, Iwerks was responsible for creating Mickey Mouse, adding color, sound and 3-dimensionality to cartoons and basically revolutionizing live-action films with his inventions, innovations and sheer brilliance. Without Ub Iwerks, we would not have the joy of seeing Donald Duck dancing with Aurora Miranda, Hayley Mills singing with herself or the Birds terrorizing Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock's masterwork. Without Ub Iwerks, we could not have experienced the thrill of the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean or Circlevision to the same extent. Without Ub Iwerks, we could not have the technology available to allow the current generations of filmmakers -- people like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg -- to create worlds and effects that are truly unbelievable.Ub Iwerks' creations are legendary, but in The Hand Behind the Mouse, we get to see for the first time, the intimate and personal story of the man himself -- Ub Iwerks.

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Animation Development: From Pitch to Production Review

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Animation Development: From Pitch to Production ReviewThanks to David's book we aspiring cartoon creators no longer need to resort to repeated 2x4-to-noggin therapy for relief, or spending days on end surfing the net getting advice from who knows who...or even what. I've struggled for some time fearful of spinning my wheels and burning through money because I couldn't find good answers dedicated to the topic of pitching ideas for production. Got the book 2 days ago and burned through it. Would have been done sooner but I have a production day job that pays the bills. A good limitation to have always! So now I'm going to grab my projects and go over 'em with David's book in hand. WHERE'S MY TRUSTY HI-LITER!Animation Development: From Pitch to Production OverviewWhether a novice curious about the cartoon production process, a visual arts student who has not yet experienced that big break, or a seasoned professional looking for valuable insight, Animation Development is the go-to guide for creating the perfect pitch. David Levy has been through every aspect of the pitching process--preparation, hope, rejection, success--and now he wraps up his valuable experience to deliver this comprehensive guide on the industry and process. Animation Development will help readers discover how to tap into their creativity to develop something personal yet universal, push projects through collaborations and partnerships, set up pitch meetings, get legal representation and agents, and manage the emotional roller-coaster common to the pitching and development process.

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Producing Animation, Second Edition Review

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Producing Animation, Second Edition ReviewI am an animation artist who has also worked as a producer and production manager. PRODUCING ANIMATION attempts to explain an under-researched topic, but also helps perpetuate the idea that you need to have five managers for every artist on an animated picture. Top heavy management and overproduced films that are in production before their story is set are the true reasons for the skyrocketing costs of animation in the past few years. There are some horror stories here, such as the 'executive' who thought he could rewrite dialogue...after the picture had been animated. The authors also decry an 'artistic supervisor' (could that possibly be a director?) who (oh dear) wanted to make changes. The executive got his changes. The artist, they imply, did not. They also claim that artists have to be told by production people when to give up their artwork so that they can meet the production schedule. So the blame for production delays is invariably placed on the artists, who are a 'rag tag team', not highly trained professionals. Portions of the book are useful: blueprints for schedules (nothing about 'complexity of the film' setting the neat little figures back though.) Anyone who wishes to produce animated films and who does not have any idea what the artists do on the project (and sadly that describes a good many producers) would do well to read the sections on the PRODUCTION PLAN and PRODUCTION CREW.
There is one helpful quote at the beginning of this book from Warner Television executive Ken Duer. "...it would only make sense to let the directors direct and be creatively responsible for the project and let the producers manage and create a 'stage' for creative artists so that the artists can do what they do best."
They didn't need to write any more about the 'function of the producer' after that. But it was amusing to see the authors attempt to justify the existence of a 'line producer' whose job descriptions are duplicated by the associate producer; and they actually admit that the associate-executive-in-charge-of-assistant-to-the producer titles are more a product of 'what an agent or representative is able to negotiate for their clients, wholly independent of their actual ability.'
Artists, buy this book and read it. Know who you are dealing with. Producers, read it and learn, but have some respect for the artists. They are, after all, the ones actually producing something.Producing Animation, Second Edition Overview
You have a useful library of books covering the tools, techniques and aesthetics of animation, but you've been asked to put your production and creative skills to the test to produce a theatrical feature film or to deliver 52 episodes of a television series with only 18 months in the schedule. Producing Animation is your answer.

Written by Catherine Winder and Zahra Dowlatabadi and edited by Tracey Miller-Zarneke, Producing Animation is a comprehensive guide to the production industry. Already a relied upon resource by professionals and students alike, this book covers the process from script to screen while defining the role of the producer at each phase. The second edition features new content such as sidebars on key topics from industry experts, discussions on CG, 2D and stereoscopic production processes, and an overview on marketing and distributing your project. Companion website provides access to sample tables, templates and workflow outlines for CG and 2D animation production.

* The complete guide to identifying, pitching, selling, developing,and producing an animated show with detailed resources for production planning, budgeting, scheduling and tracking your project.

*A unique collection of the knowledge, experience and advice of industry professionals on a wide variety of topics, from selling your project to setting up a co-production to stereoscopic filmmaking * New! Producing Animation 2nd edition features 2 new chapters discussing software and legal aspect of a producer's role, in-depth case studies, and updated resources for professionals and students alike. * Companion website features sample charts, editable tables and templates, and workflow outlines for 2D, 3D, object and digital animation production.


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