These techniques are vital to an industry plagued by mediocrity. Sure there are giants out there such as Pixar and Disney. Dreamworks manages to pop out the occasional story of quality but these are rare and we instead drown in a sea of pictures such as Battle for Terra and Coraline. Animators, game developers, and the like need to remember the story comes first. Besen is quick to point these techniques to story enhancement. That alone is reason enough to have this book as the foundation for any animation class or creative writing course.
I would be negligent if I did not at least mention illustrator Bryce Hallett’s work that accompanies Besen’s text. Hallett’s examples are additional gems to an overall spectacular book. Hallett’s examples allow perspective without distraction, another rarity for books in this class. Besen and Hallett’s pairing are dynamite and play off each other whimsically with the edge of seriousness the subject deserves.
I find Animation Unleashed to be what every animator, artist, every storyteller needs and cannot recommend it enough for those venturing into the realm of make believe. (I also recommend all of Hollywood read this book and apply the principles Besen lays out. It may help. Just a little.)
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