This large format, comprehensive, high quality and visually rich art book covers the history of animation throughout the world, focusing heavily on the North American creative engines of Disney, Warner and now the new, small production CGI houses.The book is divided into world regions to reveal the clear developments in each area, but heavy cross referencing will show the increasing internationalization of animation from the 1930's when the industry and creative imagination of Walt Disney began to infect artists and producers the world over, revealed most recently in The Matrix phenomenon where the bridge between the first and subsequent films, (Animatrix, nine animated shorts), was provided by a pioneering collaboration between US and Japanese animation studios.
Beginning with the earliest in animation, we follow the few individuals who worked on their own to develop techniques that would soon transform animation into a mass-market phenomenon. In recent years, animation has been hugely impacted by the arrival of the computer, seen in films such as Toy Story and Shrek. Computers have pushed animation to the limit by achieving fine, detailed, real-world rendering techniques that challenge the next generation of animators.
Jerry Beck is an animation historian and cartoon producer. His over fifteen books on the subject include The Animated Movie Guide, Looney Tunes: The Ultimate Visual Guide and The 50 Greatest Cartoons. He is also co-founder/co-writer of the popular animation blog, Cartoon Brew.
Beck is a former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney, and is currently a consulting producer to Warner Bros., Universal and Disney for their classic animation dvd compilations. Beck has programmed retrospectives for the Annecy and Ottawa Animation Festivals, The Museum of Modern Art and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. He has taught animation history at NYU, SVA, the AFI and UCLA. He is the host/producer of the annual "Worst Cartoons Ever" screening at the Comic-Con International: San Diego.
Beck started his career in film distribution, working at MGM/UA, Orion Classics, Cannon Films and Expanded Entertainment (Tournee of Animation), before starting his own company, Streamline Pictures in 1989, the first U.S. distributor to import anime features such as Otomo's Akira and Miyazaki's Laputa: Castle In The Sky. Beck was instrumental in launching Animation Magazine, and has written for The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Beck was also the West Coast Bureau Chief for Kidscreen magazine in 2000. He has also created, written and produced animated films for various clients. His latest animation project, Hornswiggle, recently aired on the Nicktoons Network.
