History Literature / TheAnimatorsSurvivalKit

''The Animator's Survival Kit'' is a critically acclaimed animation book and DVD set made by master animator Creator/RichardWilliams, the animation director of ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' and the creator of ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler''. The book is a culmination of more than 30 years of research and experience, full of invaluable technical information on animation, not so much about how to draw it as to how to ''move'' the stuff. As such, the book has recieved excellent praise from those in the industry.

'''Milt:''' '''OF ALL THE S-S-S-STUPID GOD-GOD-GOD-DAMNED QUESTIONS I-I-I-I'VE''' ''EVER'' '''HEARD! I-I-I-I-''' ''NEVER'' '''HEARD SUCH A-A-A-F-F-F-F-STUPID QUESTION!''' '''IY-IY-IY-IY-I'M NOT''' ''SMART'' '''ENOUGH TO THINK OF MORE THAN ONE THING AT A TIME!'''\\

* {{NSFW}}: Downplayed. Some of the images in his book are nude pictures, but of the life study variety. None of them are outright explicit, and are downright modest compared to those found in devoted anatomy books.

* UncannyValley: Discussed in the expanded edition. However, he mistakenly attributes it to Frank Rossitano, a fictional character in ''Series/ThirtyRock''. [[invoked]]

* BerserkButton: In the "Unplug" lesson, Richard sets off [[Creator/DisneysNineOldMen Milt Kahl]] by asking him whether [[FelonyMisdemeanor he listens to music while drawing]].

* BroadStrokes: At the time he was writing the book, Richard wanted to move on past the devastating loss of his film ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler'', so the book makes no direct mention of the film or its production. Key word here is ''direct''--Richard did sneak in at least two allusions to the film's existence. The first is mentioning working with Vincent Price on an unspecified project, and the caricature of him included is a dead ringer for Zigzag, the character Price played in the film. The second allusion to the film is recycling an actual scene of animation from the film, of the Old Witch running. Ironically, Richard said in a 2013 interview that writing the book allowed him to make peace with the troubled history of ''Thief'' and be content with the workprint edit of the film.

-->Richard: ''"Milt, do you ever listen to classical music while you're working?"''\\
Milt: '''"OF ALL THE S-S-S-STUPID GOD-GOD-GOD-DAMNED QUESTIONS I-I-I-I'VE''' ''EVER'' '''HEARD! I-I-I-I-''' ''NEVER'' '''HEARD SUCH A-A-A-F-F-F-F-STUPID QUESTION!''' '''IY-IY-IY-IY-I'M NOT''' ''SMART'' '''ENOUGH TO THINK OF MORE THAN ONE THING AT A TIME!"'''\\
Richard (cowering): ''"I won't do it any more...."''

* [[HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood Hilariously Abusive Apprenticeship]]: a few anecdotes about his early career are accompanied by cartoons in which the his NaiveNewcomer AuthorAvatar is personally chewed out or otherwise put through TrainingFromHell by his mentors, some of the great early masters of animation.

* LineBoil: Williams discusses how badly made inbetweens can create uncontrolled "wobbling" or "frying" in the animation. He mentions that when he was doing commercials at Creator/{{UPA}}'s London studio, his assistant would change the shape of the character's eyes on his inbetween drawings, causing a distracting wobble.

** The animated version of the book's logo (for which it can be watched [[http://youtu.be/z7M3Eu8wrSA here]]) plays this straight as the music syncs with each character's actions as they move in place to perform a choreographed walk cycle.
* NewMediaAreEvil: Averted. Unlike some members of the old guard of animation, he's quick to point out that animating on a computer isn't that different from animating on paper, and introduces its own unique challenges at the same time that it solves some of the problems that plagued traditional animators. He mentions a colleague who described his transition from traditional to digital as learning to "animate with a microwave", a sentiment many digital artists will be familiar with.

* YouAreNotReady: During Williams' initial visits to the Disney studio, he was turned down the offer to work; while he was able to adequately draw the stock Disney cartoon characters, his lack of a real life drawing background and drawing fundamentals precluded his chance to work there. A storyman recommended him to learn to draw well first, and that he could always learn to animate later. After his early attempts at life drawing led him to studying Albrecht Durer, Richard put animation off to the side for years and became a painter and illustrator.

* UncannyValley: Discussed in the expanded edition. However, he mistakenly atributes it to Frank Rossitano, a fictional character in ''Series/ThirtyRock''. [[invoked]]