Timing for Animation
1st Edition
Published on 4. February 2002
Book
Paperback/Softback
174 pages
978-0-240-51714-8 (ISBN)
Description
Written by two internationally acclaimed animators, this classic text teaches you all you need to know about the art of timing and its importance in the animated film. This reissue includes a new foreword by John Lasseter, executive vice president of Pixar Animation Studios and director of 'Toy Story', 'Toy Story 2', 'A Bug's Life' and 'Monsters Inc.' He sets the wealth of information in this classic text in context with today's world of computer animation, showing how this is a must-have text if you want to succeed as a traditional drawn, or computer animator.
Learn all the tips and tricks of the trade from the professionals. How should the drawings be arranged in relation to each other? How many are needed? How much space should be left between one group of drawings and the next? How long should each drawing, or group of drawings, remain on the screen to give the maximum dramatic effect? The art of timing is vital.
Highly illustrated throughout, points made in the text are demonstrated with the help of numerous superb drawn examples. 'Timing for Animation' not only offers invaluable help to those who are learning the basis of animation techniques, but is also of great interest to anyone currently working in the field and is a vital source of reference for every animation studio.
John Halas, known as the 'father of animation' and formerly of Halas and Batchelor Animation unit, produced over 2000 animations, including the legendary 'Animal Farm' and the award winning 'Dilemma'. He was also the founder and president of the ASIFA and former Chairman of the British Federation of Film Societies.
Harold Whitaker is a professional animator and teacher. Many of his former students are now among some of the most outstanding animation artists of today.
Learn all the tips and tricks of the trade from the professionals. How should the drawings be arranged in relation to each other? How many are needed? How much space should be left between one group of drawings and the next? How long should each drawing, or group of drawings, remain on the screen to give the maximum dramatic effect? The art of timing is vital.
Highly illustrated throughout, points made in the text are demonstrated with the help of numerous superb drawn examples. 'Timing for Animation' not only offers invaluable help to those who are learning the basis of animation techniques, but is also of great interest to anyone currently working in the field and is a vital source of reference for every animation studio.
John Halas, known as the 'father of animation' and formerly of Halas and Batchelor Animation unit, produced over 2000 animations, including the legendary 'Animal Farm' and the award winning 'Dilemma'. He was also the founder and president of the ASIFA and former Chairman of the British Federation of Film Societies.
Harold Whitaker is a professional animator and teacher. Many of his former students are now among some of the most outstanding animation artists of today.
Reviews / Votes
"Halas and Whitaker's 'Timing for Animation' was, and still is, without a doubt, the best book for students of the art of animation. I can't recommend it highly enough."Bob Godfrey, Oscar winning leading animated filmmaker and author.
"Secrets of 'action timing' lucidly explained and demonstrated by two of Britain's most highly respected and adept practitioners. An essential primer for both traditional and C.G. animators."
Ken Clark, animation historian and writer
"...this is the only publication devoted wholly to one of the most vital concepts in the art of animated film... The book is a vital source of reference for students as well as every studio and every animator... Buy it! You won't be sorry!"
Pat Raine Webb, The Dope Sheet, ASIFA (www.asifa.net)
"The principles of timing laid out in this book are more applicable (now) than ever before."
John Lasseter, Academy Award-winning director and animator, Pixar Animation Studios.
"Timing for Animation is a great book - it's saved me many times. It's also easy to keep around for reference, it's not a huge coffee-table bible sized book made to impress. It just gives the facts, numbers and formulas and a few drawings to illustrate. Made by animators for animators."
Webster Colcord, www.webstercolcord.com
"...anyone already studying or working in animation (as well as self taught computer animators) will find this book indispensable both to study and for reference."
MC Rebbe, www.thetechnofile.com
"A must-have for an animator's reference library"
Amazon.com review
"This is a must buy for future animators!"
Amazon.com review
"This is the bible for any serious animator. Although it was principally written for 2D animation, this book has crucial information for any animator (2D, CGI or model animation). It explains simply and clearly how to time a walk or a run; how to give your character a sense of weight; how force is transmitted; the effects of friction; spacing -and much more. The new foreword by John Lasseter puts these traditional skills in today's context, and gives praise where it is due. Every animator, would-be animator, animation studio and animation course should have this book."
Amazon.co.uk review
"If you only ever buy one animation book in your life - get this one. Timing for Animation gets down to the nuts and bolts of what animations about, and that's timing. Buy it!"
Amazon.co.uk review
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 246 mm
Width: 189 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-240-51714-8 (9780240517148)
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
Persons
BAFTA-nominated professional animator and educator for 40 years, many of his students number among today's most outstanding animation artists.
Known as the "father of animation" and formerly of Halas and Batchelor Animation unit, John produced over 2000 animations, including the legendary "Animal Farm" and the award winning "Dilemma". He was also the founder and president of the ASIFA and former Chairman of the British Federation of Film Societies.
Known as the "father of animation" and formerly of Halas and Batchelor Animation unit, John produced over 2000 animations, including the legendary "Animal Farm" and the award winning "Dilemma". He was also the founder and president of the ASIFA and former Chairman of the British Federation of Film Societies.
Content
Foreword by John Lasseter
Preface
What is good timing?
The storyboard
Responsibility of the director
The basic unit of time in animation
Timing on bar sheets
Exposure charts
Animation and properties of matter
Movement and Caricature
Cause and effect
Newton's laws of motion
Object's thrown through the air
Timing of inanimate objects
rotating objects
Force transmitted through a flexible joint
Force transmitted through jointed limbs
Spacing of drawings
Timing as slow action
as fast action
getting into and out of holds
Single frames or double frames?
How long to hold?
Anticipation
Follow through
Overlapping action
Timing an oscillating movement
Timing to suggest weight and force
Timing to suggest force: repeat action
Character reaction and takes
Timing to give feeling of size
The effects of friction, air resistance and wind
Timing cycles
Effects animation: flames and smoke
Water
Rain
Snow
Explosions
repeat movements of inanimate objects
Timing a walk
Types of walk
Spacing of drawings in perspective animation
Timing animals' movements
Bird flight
Drybush (speed lines)
Accentuating movement
Strobing fast run cycles
Characterisation
The use of timing to suggest mood
Synchronising animation to speech
Lip-sync
Timing and music
Camera movements
Peg movements.
Preface
What is good timing?
The storyboard
Responsibility of the director
The basic unit of time in animation
Timing on bar sheets
Exposure charts
Animation and properties of matter
Movement and Caricature
Cause and effect
Newton's laws of motion
Object's thrown through the air
Timing of inanimate objects
rotating objects
Force transmitted through a flexible joint
Force transmitted through jointed limbs
Spacing of drawings
Timing as slow action
as fast action
getting into and out of holds
Single frames or double frames?
How long to hold?
Anticipation
Follow through
Overlapping action
Timing an oscillating movement
Timing to suggest weight and force
Timing to suggest force: repeat action
Character reaction and takes
Timing to give feeling of size
The effects of friction, air resistance and wind
Timing cycles
Effects animation: flames and smoke
Water
Rain
Snow
Explosions
repeat movements of inanimate objects
Timing a walk
Types of walk
Spacing of drawings in perspective animation
Timing animals' movements
Bird flight
Drybush (speed lines)
Accentuating movement
Strobing fast run cycles
Characterisation
The use of timing to suggest mood
Synchronising animation to speech
Lip-sync
Timing and music
Camera movements
Peg movements.