Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

This is basically a text for the tyro animator. Culhane, for many years with Walt Disney, discusses the role of each member of an animation team and the uses of computers, storyboarding, and music. Although he writes from his vast experience, the digressive and somewhat lecturing style is an impediment. For libraries having works such as Raul Da Silva's World of Animation (Kodak, 1979), Kit Laybourne's Animation Book (1978. o.p.), Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston's lavish Disney Animation ( LJ 12/15/81), and John Halas and Roger Manvell's older but still useful Technique of Film Animation (1976, 4th ed. o.p.), this is probably not essential. A better book by Culhane is his memoir, Talking Animals and Other People (LJ 3/1/86).-- Roy Liebman, California State Univ. Lib., Los Angeles (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

A definite Cadillac among how-to books. Culhane has more than 50 years of experience as an animator and has worked in virtually every phase of animated movie production. He's eminently suited, technically, to tell anyone how to make a cartoon movie. But he's also a highly literate man with high artistic standards. He can make a clever and appropriate allusion to literature or music, and he stresses that there is no substitute for developed skills and no way to develop them other than through study and practice. The former ability makes him entertainingly instructive to readers who aren't out to make their own cartoons but just to learn how it's done. The latter emphases make him an exacting teacher. Altogether, his attitudes and knowledge powerfully communicate to prospective users that a really good animated filmmaker ought to be a culturally well-rounded person. The introduction contains a basic bookshelf for animation students, and the last chapter discusses formal schools of animation in North America. To be profusely illustrated, accompanied by a glossary, and indexed. RO.