The Story of British Animation
Published on 23. September 2021
Book
Hardback
192 pages
978-1-911239-73-4 (ISBN)
Description
A Sight & Sound Book of the Year
Jez Stewart charts the course of this extraordinarily fertile area of British film from early experiments with stop-motion and the flourishing of animated drawings during WWI. He reveals how the rockier interwar period set the shape of the industry in enduring ways, and how creatives like Len Lye and Lotte Reiniger brought art to advertising and sponsored films, building a foundation for such distinctive talents as Bob Godfrey, Alison De Vere and George Dunning to unleash their independent visions in the age of commercial TV.
Stewart highlights the integral role of women in the industry, the crucial boost delivered by the arrival of Channel 4, the emergence of online animation and much more. The book features 'close-up' analyses of key animators such as Lancelot Speed and Richard Williams, as well as more thematic takes on art, politics and music. It builds a framework for better appreciating Britain's landmark contributions to the art of animation, including Halas and Batchelor's Animal Farm (1954), Dunning's Yellow Submarine (1968) and the creations of Aardman Animations.
Jez Stewart charts the course of this extraordinarily fertile area of British film from early experiments with stop-motion and the flourishing of animated drawings during WWI. He reveals how the rockier interwar period set the shape of the industry in enduring ways, and how creatives like Len Lye and Lotte Reiniger brought art to advertising and sponsored films, building a foundation for such distinctive talents as Bob Godfrey, Alison De Vere and George Dunning to unleash their independent visions in the age of commercial TV.
Stewart highlights the integral role of women in the industry, the crucial boost delivered by the arrival of Channel 4, the emergence of online animation and much more. The book features 'close-up' analyses of key animators such as Lancelot Speed and Richard Williams, as well as more thematic takes on art, politics and music. It builds a framework for better appreciating Britain's landmark contributions to the art of animation, including Halas and Batchelor's Animal Farm (1954), Dunning's Yellow Submarine (1968) and the creations of Aardman Animations.
Reviews / Votes
A highly readable history ... if Stewart's book has a fault, it's far too short. -- Philip Kemp * Sight and Sound * An excellent read. The style is accessible to the casual reader with an interest in the topic, but is still sufficiently detailed and full of fascinating facts to be of interest to the animation expert or student. * Animation for Adults * Finally - someone has written the history of British animation! It's readable, has beautiful images and provides a much-needed overview of British animation. Great for teaching, but also really useful as a way of familiarizing yourself with the territory and as a springboard for your own research. -- Bella Honess Roe, University of Surrey, UK This is an accessible, highly informed, introduction to British Animation, which takes into account its history, distinctiveness and place as a socially engaged art form and practice. -- Paul Wells, Loughborough University, UK At long last this book has been written! Not only does Stewart fill in the gaps of the British animation story, but he also brings the rich history and remarkable achievements of British animation into the public eye. -- Steve Henderson, Manchester School of Art, UK Well researched and dense with historical detail ... Stewart's own evident passion for animation brings welcome color to the history. * Animation Studios 2.0 * Jez Stewart's The Story of British Animation arrives as a welcome overview of the longer history leading up to present-day accomplishments ... [An] outstanding strength of the book is its embrace of previously ignored and newly emerging figures and areas of interest ... Stewart's book demonstrates the rich history of British animation and the considerable scope and potential for further work in this field. It is highly recommended as an introductory text for teaching animation and British cinema and promises to stimulate new avenues of research in future. -- Malcolm Cook, The University of Southampton, UK * The Journal of British Cinema and Television *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
150 colour illus
Dimensions
Height: 250 mm
Width: 225 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
600 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-911239-73-4 (9781911239734)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Jez Stewart is a curator at the BFI National Archive, responsible for the animation collection. His blogs explore the rich seam of British animation history, from the 1900s to the present.
Jez has worked at the BFI since 2001 as part of the non-fiction team, and has done extensive research into the BFI's holdings of cinema and television advertising. His interest in animation overlaps with his passion for comics and illustration.
Jez has worked at the BFI since 2001 as part of the non-fiction team, and has done extensive research into the BFI's holdings of cinema and television advertising. His interest in animation overlaps with his passion for comics and illustration.
Content
Acknowledgements
British Screen Stories: Editors' Introduction
Introduction
1. Signing in and Signing up
Close Up: Arise, Sir Lancelot
2. Dog Eat Dog
Close-up: Anson Dyer
3. The Shadow of the Mouse
4. Shelter from the Storm
Close-up: All Together Now: Music and Animation 1
5. Back to the Front
6. Rebuilding
Close Up: Bob Godfrey
7. Never Had It So Good
Close-Up: Grasshopper Group
8. Kids' Stuff
Close Up: Richard Williams
Close-up: Alison De Vere
9. Top of the World
Close-up: Money for Nothing?: Music and Animation 2
10. OK Computer
Close Up: Search for the British Simpsons
11. British Animation in the 21st Century
Recommended Reading
Useful Websites
A British Animation Playlist
Notes
British Screen Stories: Editors' Introduction
Introduction
1. Signing in and Signing up
Close Up: Arise, Sir Lancelot
2. Dog Eat Dog
Close-up: Anson Dyer
3. The Shadow of the Mouse
4. Shelter from the Storm
Close-up: All Together Now: Music and Animation 1
5. Back to the Front
6. Rebuilding
Close Up: Bob Godfrey
7. Never Had It So Good
Close-Up: Grasshopper Group
8. Kids' Stuff
Close Up: Richard Williams
Close-up: Alison De Vere
9. Top of the World
Close-up: Money for Nothing?: Music and Animation 2
10. OK Computer
Close Up: Search for the British Simpsons
11. British Animation in the 21st Century
Recommended Reading
Useful Websites
A British Animation Playlist
Notes