This year, Richard Williams' book The Animation Survival Kit arrived amid great fanfare, but at the same time, another animation textbook snuck in under the radar, and in its own way, it's as significant and worthwhile a work. Howard Beckerman, an independent New York animator, and teacher of animation for over thirty years, has essentially put his college course material into book form with his thorough, thoughtful and accessible book Animation, The Whole Story.

Like Williams' book, Animation, The Whole Story is more of an instructional book than a coffee table volume for fans. Beckerman's intention was to convey in written terms the material he covers in his college courses on animation drawing and theory. As a result, the book has an informal, low-tech feel that many young animators will find comforting, expansive and easy to follow. The book focuses on the mechanics and techniques of creating traditional, hand-drawn animation. It introduces the subject from the ground up, starting with such simple concepts as basic story construction and then getting into the practical concerns such as the importance of layout before actual animation begins.

A Different Point of View
The book is laid out in much the same way as Howard's course: it's broken into chapters which can stand on their own and serve as individual lessons for the reader. Each chapter, though dense, is written in a conversational style that makes the information easy to absorb. Technical terms and procedures are explained in simple, direct language and it's clear that Beckerman understands that the subject is an enormously complicated one, but that it needn't be presented as such.

The book will be of the most use to those new to animation: people who are curious to make an independent film of their own and need to know everything from script to camera. Though Beckerman worked for years at some of the major studios like Terrytoons and UPA, his most recognized and well-known films were created after he opened his own studio in Manhattan. Accordingly, he approaches filmmaking from the point of view of an independent, and the book is tailored to those who want to work on their own.

Many film books have covered this ground before, and one might argue that Beckerman's focus on traditional hand-drawn animation will limit the book's appeal to those raised on sophisticated computer graphics. However, the need for strong storytelling and a background in traditional drawing skills are still essential tools for the modern animator to have, and I can think of no other recent book on animation that covers this in as thorough a manner. Even Richard Williams' impressive book doesn't spend much time on camera, layout and storyboarding. To those interested in shooting their own films, and in being the author of their work -- through all stages of production -- I believe Howard's book will be a valuable and exhaustive guide. It even has a final chapter on the business of animation, covering such subjects as copyright, a good portfolio, the pros and cons of partnerships, and a little about the uses and importance of the festival circuit to the independent animator.