The Story of British Animation

(Paperback)

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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 Britains landmark contributions to the art of animation, including Halas and Batchelors Animal Farm (1954), Dunnings Yellow Submarine (1968) and the creations of Aardman Animations.

Reviews

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! Its 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 Stewarts own evident passion for animation brings welcome color to the history. * Animation Studios 2.0 *

Author Bio

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 BFIs holdings of cinema and television advertising. His interest in animation overlaps with his passion for comics and illustration.