Ever need a book or DVD that just explains things in your language, well guess what? There is one; it is by all definition the tool to surviving and succeeding in the animation industry.

I recently got my hands on a DVD set that every animator has to have, there is no question about it, this is positively a must have. Now some of you may have heard of the Animator’s Survival Kit (2001), but for those of you who don’t, get this book or DVD set, it will open your eyes to the world of animation in a way you could never imagine. Now I bought the book a couple years back and was blow away. It contains a vast amount of information that makes absolute sense to anyone in the animation field. It makes you look at animations in a whole new light; you start to notice things you never would have. Unlike some books that explain and breakdown processes the Animator’s Survival Kit doesn’t take away from the entertainment value of the animations you so love but makes you realise exactly why you love them so much, exactly what it was that grabbed your attention.

The book was great but at times I didn’t exactly understand why and how or what he meant and so it was a bit like stumbling in the dark. Now I don’t think it will be like that for everyone but due to the industry wherein I work, namely the South African industry, terminology tends to differ. Although more recently the industry is picking up on the globally accepted terminology. Anyhow what really helped me specifically was when I recently bought a copy of Animator’s Survival Kit Animated (2009) a sixteen part DVD. It has become a permanent resource of referral for myself, and also many of my colleagues in the industry believe the same way.

Now I know this may sound like I’m punting this book for Mr. Richard Williams, the book’s author but the fact is you are not going to find a book that is such a complete tomb of animation knowledge anywhere. It is a resource you will enjoy infinitely.

Richard Williams is a British based animator, who was the Director of Animation on Who Framed Roger Rabbit, has won over 250 awards as well as three Oscars. Regarded as the “Animator’s Animator”, Richard Williams has compiled about 50 years of work and knowledge into an easy to understand DVD set. It is an outstanding resource and must for any animator’s collection.

Kosmo