Animation Books

If you like Terry Gilliam's movies, you need this book. He covers his childhood in surprising detail, talks about the Monty Python years, and then gets into each movie. The book drags near the end, but that's primarily due to the exhaustion you feel reading about this stuff --- like his movies, you can get overwhelmed by the details. This is the best on Gilliam I've read, and one of the best books in the 'Director on Director' series.

If you happen to be a Terry Gilliam fan, you have to read this. If you don't happen to be a Gilliam fan, but are an aspiring filmmaker, this is an invaluable source of insight. Hell, there are many pros who should read this!

Reading these interviews puts you inside the creative mind of a filmmaking genius (yes, I dare say that). There's a reason for everything that's on the screen, and one understands that Gilliam's knack for weirdness is a little more than that... there's more to his filmmaking virtuosism (wild camera angles and moves) than there is when they make it in your average Nike comercial. If you wanna know what I mean, well, read the book.

Also, I don't recommend this much to Python fans. Certainly, a good part of it talks about the Python days, but it doesn't talk about their creative process much - it's more about the making of the films and Gilliam's animations.

If I had to utter one complaint about this piece, it would be that it is terribly, if understandably, one-sided. The book is terrific in showcasing Gilliam's opinions and feelings on his career and films, but that's the only opinion we receive. After hearing Burgess denounce his masterpiece, "A Clockwork Orange," I've been under the impression that an artist's opinion on his own work, while priceless, is nothing more than that; an opinion. This must be especially true in the medium of film, which more than any other medium is a collaborative effort. A book including interviews with producers, actors, technicians, designers as well as the director would make for a thorough and multi-layered overview on any film. Having said that, this particular book still succeeded in offering a peak, no matter how slight, into the workings of what I humbly consider to be an unspoken genius of our times.

As someone said on the back cover (neatly stealing my idea), Gilliam on Gilliam is like something Phillip Dick might have written. It is paranoid, neurotic, nutty, and fascinating look at filmmaker Terry Gilliam.

It is, truly, Gilliam on Gilliam, with the book in total an interview with the filmmaker. Gilliam talks about the battle for Brazil, his frustrations in the early Python films (was was stigmatized as the arty image guy), and his intricate intentions in later films.

Most interesting to me, other than how it reminded me of how much of his films, sadly, I had forgotten, was how much visual work he puts into his films. That is relatively clear from screen, but even more apparent after you read through this book.

Equally interesting to the biz geek in me was reading Terry's pitched battle for budget credibility. After having budget troubles on two films (Brazil and Baron Munchausen), Gilliam had a financial scarlet letter to sport and it has been tough for him to convince the studios that he is not a risky budgetary bet. Hard to believe that such a prolific and successful filmmaker could still be auditioning, but there it is.

Anyway, an interesting and informative book. Not for those who are mildly interested, but a treat for Gilliam geeks who want the inside skinny on everything from De Niro's bizarre behavior in Brazil, to the casting of Jon Pryce, to underlying mythic chain operating in The Fisher King.

One of the most interesting director that the world of cinema give to us. This book it's an insight view, a dive in the mind of the visual art of Terry Gilliam. If you are a fan of his work this book it's kind of a Bible and if you are not a fan, this book will open your mind to one of the more magical directors in the history of this art.

I'm a huge cooking fan. I'm a huge food fan. And I'm a huge Sara Moulton fan.

So I almost fell over when I saw that not only was Ms. Moulton editing a cookbook, but she was going to be at a booksigning in my town. But I digress.

There I got to try a few of the cookies that were in the book, which was nice. As soon as I got home, I made the lemon meringue cookies, which I still make @ least weekly - they're incredibly easy, really really good, and low cal. Does it get any better?

Also, I enjoyed reading this cookbook. It was interesting to read about the people who submitted their recipes, as well as the stories behind them. All in all, a very good find.

As co-editor of THE GOOD MORNING AMERICA CUT THE CALORIES COOKBOOK, I'd just like to say that Sara Moulton is a joy to work with, the consumate professional-- knowledgeable, decisive, cooperative and upbeat always. She hopes to be writing her own cookbook soon-- look for it a couple years down the line. Meanwhile, please check out two books of my own (which, incidentally, are two of Sara's favorites): THE NEW DOUBLEDAY COOKBOOK (big and basic) and THE AMERICAN CENTURY COOKBOOK (a culinary nostalgia trip through the 20th century with more than 500 of that century's most beloved recipes). jean anderson

So another year another time at attempting to eat right. I saw Good Morning America when Sara was tempting Charlie and Diane with the different dishes. So I thought I would give the book a shot. It is the absolute best cookbook I have. My kids and my husband love the food that I have made so far. I am dropping the pounds and we are all eating healthier. Most important rule of this cookbook was that the food had to taste good. Try the grand prize winner Chicken and Andouille Sausage it is the best.

An OK cookbook. There are others I liked much better. All the Weight Watcher cookbooks for example. Most likely I will only cook only a few of the recipes in this cookbook.

Sara Molton is a cook for everyone. She breaks it all down, and makes it so easy for an average person to get into the kitchen and create. She's wonderfully talented and such a great people person. Her receipes are fun, healthy and really easy to follow. And, she knows that average people want to make healthy receipes that are tasty too. She's a great resource and her TV shows on the FOODNetwork, are top notch. I recommend this book for everyone that loves to cook, and for those just starting out.

I liked the book and did learn a lot but it is very out of date. The Zune has changed and the book hasn't

Just operating a Zune straight out of the box may be easy for a teenager but, for the "mature" user, a manual that you can actually read is so much better.

I found this an easy read and quickly helped me get up and running with the Zune.

I recommend this to anyone above the age of 13. ;-)

This book is great. My husband and I both read it and found it extremely helpful and easy to read (great informative pictures). We have the original 30gb Zune model-which is what the book covers. If you have the 2nd generation Zune, it may not be quite as helpful-we can only attest to its value for people who have the 30gb version. We bought two more copies for gifts to other family memebers who own the 30gb Zune. You will learn a lot!

The Zune devise is a complicated item. However, with the aid of this book I was able to learn the ins and outs of this MP3 player. The price was reasonable and the delivery was fast - Thank-you

I received a Zune 30 GB for christmas and I had not a clue on how to use it. Then I bought this book. I found out that my Zune does so much more(with the help of this book). The author, Rick Broida, makes it easy and fun with this book. This book is hard to put down because of the witty notes and tips. It is a recommened must have to any Zune owner.

This book has plenty of errors. Page 80 says import to library streaming.fla (file provided on their website). FlashMX chokes.

I was hoping to pick up this book and write a crude web based non linear editor with FlashMX within a few hours, but this book is disjointed.

By the way, page 58, MPEG is Moving Pictures Expert Group.

Kristian and Hoss waste no time in their book, they get you and your film into Flash straight away - and show you how to control it.

Other MX books waste too much time explaining Scripting techniques, this one gets you going right from the start. All the Actionscript is in thier, as an when you need it & is explained from a real users point of view - not from a coders!

Fast & Friendly - just like they say.

Inspiration, code and compression - this book covers it all.
In a simple step-following format the writer takes you from editing your clips to putting them up on the net, and gives you plenty of ideas of what you can do in Flash.

If you can ignore the 'cool' skateboarding example video (or use your own!) then get this book!

This book is a great resource for anyone getting into editing video for the Web. The authors did a great job of presenting the information so we designers can follow, understand and absorb it. And thanks to the authors for including info on Sorenson Squeeze, another necessary tool for putting video on the Web. I had been searching for a book like this for a long time.
-LN

I'd just about given up with Flash and video, the time and effort to import any vid content into Flash 5 killed any fun it might have been.

With MX I could get the video in, but it wasn't until I read this book that I had any idea what to do with it.
As well as scripting, the book has a whole bunch of tricks you can do to your video clips just within flash - masking, rotating, coloring!!

I'm still working my way through the last chapters, but I've learned so much already & I've created my first video website!

After one training session and about 10 months using Viz I bought this book and found it very useful.

Although it is 1100 pages of info, it is not blindingly full on, rather the author concentrates on making sure the methods and techniques are fully and clearly explained with plenty of screen shots and repeating previously explained information where needed. You won't find everything Viz does in this book but you will find more than enough to be able to create life like rendereings.

As much a [beginners] guide as it is an advanced user's salvation, this book sits on or near my workstation at all times.

Just make sure you order the correct version (for Viz 3 or 4)!

I have recently received this book as a gift. The content is GREAT but the format of the book LACKS A LOT in quality. That is, because there are over 1100 pages and because somebody had the unfortunate idea to place 16 color drawings on thick glossy paper in the middle, my long awaited book got ruined (read broke in two pieces, right in the middle). That was the WORST typographic job I have ever seen. All thanks to SYBEX Inc. who have edited this book. Hey guys, couldn't you make two volumes?

This book is the FANTASTIC. I'm an Architect and so appreciative that such a book exist. The material is meant for Architects (although applicable to many other 3D disciplines) and is extremely indepth without being tedious. The exercises are taken from historical projects recognized the world over which makes them interesting and fun. Mr. Omura had a game plan in writing this book and it pays off big time for the reader. By the time you've completed this book you'll have the skills and essential tools to create your own world's of expression. The author has a vast understanding of which tools to use to get the job done creativitly, efficiently and effectively. You'll also learn to incorporate industry standard tools outside of VIZ to assist you in creating your own libraries for future use. Is this last word in everything you'll ever need to know about VIZ? Absolutely Not. However, you'll be off to a great start with a BROAD SOLID FOUNDATION enabling you to build high and wide and creatively. ENJOY!

Have tried several other 3d viz books but this book is the best that I have read to date. Gets you up and running much faster than some of the more "fancy" interactive cd-rom types. Just the right sequence in the chapters for you to learn at a reasonable pace and understand the key concepts. If you need to learn this software than you will not go wrong with this book.

Omura's book is undoubtedly the best book I have read for 3D Studio VIZ! It is very complete with the most pictures, the best examples, tutorials, samples, and the clear explanations. Everything you need to know is in Mastering 3d Studio VIZ 3.

My mistake was to think that ALL Photoshop "Bibles" are created with equal or similar clarity. The Author, Lisa DeNae Dayley puts most of the Extented version of PS CS3 into 3D work. The sub-title should have read "3D and Video".

The very small section on dealing with retouching and working with video clips and effects in PS CS3 reads like a cliff hanger and never fully answers the questions a "beginner" needs to know. One example, how much imported video is too much, not a large video file will bring CS3 to a halt, to para-phrase.

This book will go back, as it does not do a thing to help; in fact other CS3 books I've purchased, address the Extended video portion more in- depth then does this book. This "Bible" will leave you hanging and experimenting and frustrated, which defeats the purpose of the book.

For "Beginners" too? I think not. Buy this book only if you're well versed in PS CS and have the time to fill in the missing gaps this book leaves out. For 3D, I can't say much as I didn't buy it for this reason.

John

I love how easy to read this book is. It makes learning to use the different aspects of this program more user friendly. I have been using Photoshop for several years but never would have attempted to use CS3s video and 3D features without this book.
I also love how the author used the files that are included with CS3 extended so that I could practice on my own without having to find other sources.

The author uses a personal writing style that makes the book much more engaging than your average computer manual. Step-by-step instructions start with basics--This book didn't intimidate me! Enough info on advanced functions to satisfy anyone. Color examples and sample screens help a lot.

I found that this book explains effectively the use of Photoshop in CS3.
The illustrations were well done and varied according to the topic being explained.

The writing in this book is clear and straight forward, making it easy to understand and use the new features of Photoshop CS3 Extended. Tutorials are easy to follow and have the added benefit of adding a great review of the original Photoshop principles as they are added to 3D objects and video files. Having full color pictures is a Great Bonus!

Michael Ritchie was a good director (The Candidate, Fletch, Bad News Bears, et al.) but a pretty sloppy writer and historian. Nevertheless the fun and adventure of pre-mass media television shine through in a book that's full of errors (and probably wasn't even copyedited). You'll get a vivid idea of what it might have been like tuning into NBC's or General Electric's pioneering stations in the late '30s and early '40s, working with trailblazers like Dennis James and Anthony Mann, and of course, goof-up after amusing goof-up as a new technology finds its feet and defines what makes a good program in ways that we can still appreciate today.

Ritchie makes one point that I've never seen anyone else comment on. He believed that TV's delayed 1948 "debut" as mass entertainment was due mostly to the American Federation of Musicians, who had banned all live music from TV for several years previous. It's an intriguing thesis - no variety shows, musicals, concerts, etc. certainly limited TV's programming and appeal. But I've never seen it discussed since. Of course, that may be because most of the events related in this book officially "never happened"...

An editorial review calls this book "dull." Dullness, like beauty, is in the beholder's eye. This beholder is fascinated with the pioneering days of broadcasting; unsurprisingly, I found this book tremendously interesting and even entertaining. By focusing on the people and the anecdotes of television's experimental days, Ritchie vividly transmits the new medium's uncertainty and excitement.

This book is just incredible. The author (who also directed the Chevy Chase Fletch movie series), goes waaaaay back into an era of surprising TV struggle! Please, order it, buy it, get it used, new, hardcover, paperback or whatever. BUT GET IT. Almost every paragraph is and eyebrow raiser, every paragraph reveals some incredible detail! (For instance, Steve Allen was NOT the first talk show host in TV history!). It's perfectly written. It covers almost every area (Sports TV, Drama TV, Contest TV, etc.). It tells everything on the subject, and makes you gain hopes regarding the starting difficulties of any new project you may be trying to implement! Hold on to your idea! Hold on to your dream! These old time dreamers kept going, and made TV possible for everyone today!. It's the best book I've read this year (2001). Please. DON'T stand by and rush to get Please Stand By! You'll be really glad to know how many amazing things happened between 1928, when TV really began, and 1948, twenty years later, when they have made us BELIEVE everything started.

Carlos Sicilia, Caracas, Venezuela.

What do Milton Berle, Eddie Albert, and Dinah Shore have in common? They've all appeared on television. OK, you knew that--what you may NOT know, however, is that they all made their first TV appearance far sooner than you may think. Try 1929, 1936 and 1938 respectively.

Wait a minute, you say, television didn't exist yet. Well, actually, it did, if only experimentally. According to Michael Ritchie, those who think the television era began when Uncle Miltie donned his first ball gown are in for quite a shock.

Ritchie takes us into the hitherto unexplored "prehistory" of television, an era that in some ways typified Murphy's Law. Everything that could go wrong usually did--from Dinah Shore's disastrous singing debut (her mascara melted under the blistering hot lights) to the "nude" chorus girls in one early 30's production number (early cameras were insensitive to the girls' red costumes).

The book takes us through the pioneering days of what are now industry staples--television sports, news, drama, and quiz shows. The numerous anecdotes from such personalities as Hugh Downs never fail to amaze--and amuse. (Be sure to read his account of his role in the earliest TV news broadcasts).

Not to be missed also are the long-overdue tributes to individual pioneers, such as Charles Francis Jenkins, who began the first television "network" of sorts in the late 1920's; John Logie Baird, whose "mechanical" method of transmission (using a spinning disk) was doomed to failure; and of course Philo Taylor Farnsworth, the young Mormon genius who, at age 14, conceived the idea of electronic television while plowing his parents' field. The rise and fall of Allen B. DuMont, who at one time ran a fourth network (only to fall victim to the backstabbing maneuvers of NBC head David Sarnoff) is told in painstaking detail.

If you love television (and perhaps, even if you don't) you'll love this book.

Much ink has been spilled describing the early battles, both political and technological, to get television off the ground. But the story of what actually went before the camera during the thirties is almost lost. It is truly amazing just how much broadcasting was going on in these days when a well off amateurs could start their own low fidelity television stations. You'll learn many fun facts too. Such as-- Who was the first person to write, direct, and star in a television drama? Eddie Alpert!

When I purchase a book like this, I am always hoping that it will be a one-stop, exhaustive resource for the application. A lofty goal? Maybe. However, this text falls utterly short of providing an in-depth look at Premiere Pro. I am the proud owner of many volumes in the CMP Books, DV Expert Series. Most of them are excellent, this one is unsatisfactory. It describes only the basics, and I mean the basics. It is not much more than a user-friendly owners manual. I've actually found the Help resource within Premiere Pro to be more informative. This book is only good for the first two weeks you are using the program. After you are acclimated to the interface and common operations you will shelve it and scour the internet for tutorials or tips specific to your needs. An editor that is serious about his work, needs to know his software from top to bottom. Otherwise, the scope of his creativity is curtailed due to an innadequate knowledge of process. Let me stress that this book is only worthwhile to the most inexperienced editors and users new to the Adobe Product line. In addition, the DVD is total garbage. Most volumes in the DV Epert Series have pretty decent bonus/tutorial material. This one does not.

On the positive side - No gripes about the writing style, after all I'm looking for industry professionals here, not poets. It will get you up and running if you are brand new to Premiere Pro.

Overall - Would not recommend this text.

I had never used Premier Pro so I decided to read this book before starting. When I sat down to import my first footage I was plesantly surprised at how much I had retained. Its written in a very visual way that really sticks with you and conveys the concepts going on behind the scenes as well as the actual nuts and bolts of the program. Its written in a logical progression from start to finish that allows new Editors to take it a step at a time. The author spent time where it was needed the most and moved along quickly in areas where the learning curve was easier, encouraging readers to start with solid fundamentals and build from there. I was able to get right into a big project with confidence.

I have read numerous "how to" books on premier pro and editing, in general, but none as well written than this. By well written, I mean that he talks to the reader with the assumption that they know very little. Thus, his explanations and use of analogies are geared towards creating concrete images that one can use in understanding some pretty abstract concepts in editing. He makes the learning very visual. So, I would say this is an excellent book for visual learners. Despite the use of a great deal of text, he explains the processes in concrete visual terms so that you can better grasp and retain the concepts. Very well done.

OK I admit it, most of my work is done on a Mac. But I do keep a fully loaded PC in my editing bay for jobs that require PC apps. One of those apps I keep on board and up to date it Premiere.

What caught my eye about this book was the Editing Workshop concept.
This book not only benefits Premiere Pro editors, but editors in general.

I loved the illustrations in Chapter 5 on Trimming. You took the time to draw it out to describe Handles. A subject that causes many students much consternation.

Good job.

Had used Premiere Pro for an 18 minute project and had some of the major concepts down already. Knew my way around the interface a bit, but found that I really didn't feel comfortable, and knew that there was alot of stuff beneath the surface that I could really use. I have several premiere pro books that are really just manual replacements and I didn't want one more step by step "do this, then this" hand holding books. I wanted to get a handle on how to get my projects done and what tools Premier Pro had to help me.
The book covered all the bases: Acquistion, rough cut, tim, sound, effects, color correction and even some basic integration with other products.
I found the Editing Worksop to be a pleasure to read, and it gave me a much firmer foundation on how this NLE works, and what is really happening to my clips along the way. It is a great book for the beginner to intemediate user. I still find myself going back to reread sections as I work or as I read more advanced books. The book is clear, concise and well illustrated. Many illustrations are well thought out and designed to illustrate concepts rather than just pages of screen shots. The book manages to give a very comprehensive grasp of all the major features, without becoming lost in useless detail. Not the last Premiere Pro book you will own, but one of the best, and the one you should read first.

Shrek: From the Swamp to the Screen
Well, as the ultimate Shrek fan, I thought this one was a great buy! It doesn't include all of the Shrek movies. The book talks a little about characters, design, and other animation aspects. And actually, a lot of the content (sketches and notes etc.) are shown on the DVD extras. Still, I like the book form better because you're more free to go at your own pace (but if you're reading this, you're probably already a book person so that's moot I guess.)
But over all, I was very pleased with the book as both a book on an animated film and about Shrek. Perfect for anyone who's a fan of animation,

Me encantó! Ideal para los fanáticos de las dos películas!
Hermosas ilustraciones a todo color y muy buena información técnica y no tanto sobre cómo se hicieron las dos películas.

I recieved this book as a birthday present. It's not a gift I regret recieving or reading, but I wouldn't spend that much money to buy it.

PROS:
-The pictures are gorgeous, all of my favorite moments are included
-The sidebar conversations with characters are pretty funny
-Easy navigation, side articles on interesting aspects of production

CONS:
-If this book had none of the above, it would be a really boring novel
-Very few comments about anything beyond the first visualization and storyboard sessions.
-Very few side stories, or funny anecdotes after the third chapter

If you want to read a good movie book, read Lord of the Rings: Making of a Movie Trilogy... They have great stories from the directors, designers, and even lawyers. Very entertaining, well worth the time.

This is a great book all about the rude humor filled animated movies from Dreamworks. It is necessary for any die-hard Shrek fan. This tells the story of how the movie got done, with little facts and full color photos from the movies. Although I'm not the biggest fan of the Shrek movies, this book is a great experience.

This is a sensational book which covers the idea of Shrek, both movies Shrek 1 & 2 as well as behind the scenes stuff such as animation techniques and so forth. You will learn all sorts of interesting trivia such as the sequel was originally going to be an election for the throne with candidates such as Pinocchio's policies being about honesty. This is a very high quality book with nice paper making up the 173 pages, the makers haven't skimped on the quality at all, with heaps of illustrations and actual still frames from the movies it would make a sensational gift for any Shrek fan. You do want to make sure you have seen both movies first because the book does go extremely detailed into the plots of both, it is an excellent book, there's not really anything negative that could be said about it. It is a great book which will provide hours of enjoyment.

Excellent book, with a DVD of the artists work. The book incorporates both narrative and abstract animations. I used this book and some of the examples to show my advanced animation class what is possible if one is willing to work hard and think creatively. The examples in the book and the text illustrate how animation is used as a medium for self experession.

First, to add a detail to something mentioned by another reviewer... Only DVDs with a Region 1 encoding will play in N. America, the "Unlimited" DVD is Region 2. Most consumer DVD players will not play the disk. However, all of the home computers I have tried the disk in play it just fine.

As for the book and DVD content, if you're looking for cute Pixar style, Toy Story type shorts this will disappoint you. If you're an animation enthusiast who likes to puzzle out how someone accomplished their work, there's plenty here for you to sink your teeth into. Mostly it's non-narrative works of moving non-representational art. Pretty cool if you're prepared for it before you press "play".

Excellent book and great selection of films. But beware - the DVD is in PAL so unless you are playing it on a computer or have a DVD player that converts between NTSC/PAL, you won't be able to view it.

With over 500 images, ANIMATION UNLIMITED is a visual feast. It's also a selected survey of some of the most significant works and artists of the past and present, including some fresh new talent. For many, the book will be a source of discovery, revelation, and inspiration. With a 2-hour DVD included, it's more of a curated exhibition of innovative works rather than an exhaustive history of the art form. It leaves you wanting more - but that's a good thing. For those active in, aware of, or curious about experimental or independent animation, ANIMATION UNLIMITED is affirmation that there is another world and history of animated images as exciting and valid any other more familiar or popular genre. Each of the concise artist profiles included in the book's four sections is a mini-profile of personal commitment, unique style, technical invention, creative drive, and visionary exploration. Pure abstraction and digital forms share attention and space with traditional handmade approaches, character animation, and narrative. ANIMATION UNLIMITED should, at the very least, serve as a primer to a rich and unique form of artistic inquiry and visual expression. It opens a door to animation of unlimited possibilities.