September 06, 2005
Unsung Heros of Animation
I can count all the great books about modern independent animation on one hand...hell, probably on one finger, because there simply aren't that many. There's a book coming out this month though that is guaranteed to fill that void. UNSUNG HEROS OF ANIMATION by Chris Robinson promises to be an insightful, much-needed examination of many of today's leading voices in indie animation. The book (click on cover above for larger version) features profiles on numerous filmmakers including Signe Baumane, Brothers Quay, Paul Bush, Michele Cournoyer, Andreas Hykade, Igor Kovalyov, Ryan Larkin, Priit Parn, Pjotr Sapegin, and JJ Villard, among many others. Being familiar with Robinson's previous writings, I know these aren't going to be your run-of-the-mill artist profiles. I'm expecting hard-hitting insights into what makes each of these artists so special and I'm sure Chris is going to deliver.
From John Canemaker's blurb on the back of the book:
Robinson writes with keen perception and a critical eye; he is sincere, compassionate and always passionate about his subjects, many of whom push the borders of film content and technique wide open. His unfailingly evocative descriptions of the works make one hungry to see them. 'Let's end the obscurity here and now,' demands Robinson, whose new book goes a long way towards doing just that.
The book isn't listed on Amazon yet, but is being distributed by Indiana University Press in North America. It officially debuts at the Ottawa International Animation Festival later this month.