Animating the Dark Side

One of the most distinct voices in animation during the 1970s and 1980s was Ralph Bakshi.  Bakshi’s subjects ranged from petty gangsters and street life to wizards locked in mystical combat.  He brought a unique – and decidedly adult – perspective to animation and his unconventional style (along with his frequent use of rotoscoping) makes his work immediately recognizable.  Check out an insightful video essay and some trailers for his work below.

The Animated Man of Steel

Before any live-action adaptations were created, the Superman character was adapted into a ground-breaking animation by Max Fleischer and his studio.  Fleischer’s Superman was meticulously – and brilliantly – animated with a level of precision that we rarely see in hand-drawn animation.  In addition to being an artistic achievement in its own right, Fleischer’s Superman cartoons also helped shape the iconic hero’s mythology – notably, Superman’s ability to fly.  Check out this video essay by kaptainkristian as well as some of the original episodes below.

Lovingly Handcrafted Computer Graphics

Here’s a collection of videos on one of the most celebrated animation studios in the world – Pixar.  The first few videos illustrate Pixar’s storytelling ability, use of color, cinematic tributes, and the hidden clues linking their various films together.  The last two videos are a showreel from 1988 – before Pixar was known for making narrative films – and the trailer for their newest feature, Coco.

Cartoons Deconstructed

Video essayist kaptainkristian dives into the finer points of all kinds of media (music, comics, children’s books, movies, and more), but I find his pieces on cartoons particularly insightful.  Check out his analyses of four very different animated series – Futurama, South Park, Batman: The Animated Series, and FLCL – and be sure to explore the other videos on his YouTube page if you like them.

Sky Pirates!

Thanks to Matt for sending these videos from talented animator Jazza.  The following short film was done over a single twelve hour period, which was streamed to viewers live.  Jazza animates using Flash, so the workflow is a little different than what we use in After Effects, but you can still pick up some useful tips from watching him work.  Be sure to check out the time lapse video, in which he discusses the making of the film.