Animation Reference of the Day - Argus vs Tater Tot

This is great.

Animation Reference Of The Day: Otters and Elephants

Some great reference here

Animation Reference Of The Day: Matrix Style Motorcycle Crash

// Motorcyclist crashes, flips and sticks a perfect landing on a car's roof via gizmodo

Animation Reference of the Day: Surprise and The Double Take

More about this story here:
// Medal of Honor Recipient Accidentally Smashes NYSE Gavel

Reference of The Day: Buster Keaton - The Face

Check out this trailer for 'notfilm'. A documentary about the making of  'Film'. It features Buster Keaton and a screenplay by literary genius Samuel Beckett.





'NOTFILM is a feature-length documentary-essay on the production of Samuel Beckett's FILM, utilizing long lost outtakes, never before heard audio recordings of the production meetings, and other rare archival elements.
Featuring: Kevin Brownlow, James Karen, Buster Keaton, James Knowlson, Leonard Maltin, Mark Nixon, Barney Rosset, Jeannette Seaver, Jean Schneider, Haskell Wexler, Billie Whitelaw, and the voices of Samuel Beckett, Boris Kaufman, and Alan Schneider.
SAMUEL BECKETT'S FILM has recently restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive, with funding from the Film Foundation and the National Film Preservation Foundation.' more here via Huff. Post

Ballet Dancers Demonstrate their Most Difficult Dance Moves in Slow Motion

Motion study of the day via COLOSSAL

Rise of the Guardians - Animation Reel Breakdown 2014

Great breakdown reel by Alexis Wanneroy

PrintMag: How Walt Disney Used His Kansas City Library Card

Here's an interesting article about early animation books that influenced Disney and other filmmakers. 

// PrintMag: How Walt Disney Used His Kansas City Library Card

Bird Flight Reference: Pelican Learns To Fly

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Reference of the day: Isolated Flight Paths of Birds

This is one of the coolest things I've seen all day! More over on COLOSSAL 








Water Spiders

Reference of the day: The Serengeti Lions

Here's some amazing footage of lions on the Serengeti. Really gorgeous closeup shots. Beautiful to watch! Great reference!




// The Serengeti Lion via National Geographic 

The History Channel : Secrets of Body Language

Animation Reference Of The Day! (from back in the day)

Some great dance footage here to the song Give Life Back to Music from the new Daft Punk album.

The Don Bluth Collection of Animation (SCAD Digital Collections)

Check out this great collection of Don Bluth animation material over on the SCAD Digital Collections website!

The Don Bluth  Collection of Animation via SCAD Digital Collections

Animal Reference

Found these clips last nigh! Great reference!

Check out the rest of the videos over on 
Xavier Hubert-Brierre's YouTube Channel

Animation Reference 'Surprise, Fear, and Confusion'

Saw this prank video today and had to post it! The reactions and expressions of the drive thru attendants are priceless!

Performance Reference: World Champion Magician Yann Frisch

This is a fantastic  performance by new magician Yann Frisch! The character he has created for this piece is great! The timing, pacing, and body language is superb!

'FISM award winner and French magic champion Yann Frisch is one of magic’s freshest talents. Yann has been creating a sensation wherever he goes with his unique take on classic magic, an absurdist take on the cups and balls. Cool, clever, stylish and oh so artful. We are proud to have one of France’s top performers at EMC.' via Essential Magic Conference

Stuff bouncing off Gelatin in slow motion

some fun reference here!

Interview with Pixar Story Artist Derek Thompson

Check out Derek Thompson's blog here

// DEREKMONSTER


Also check out this great list of books recommended by Derek Thompson via the SplineDoctor's blog.

// Story Book List via SplineDoctors

1)  THE ART OF DRAMATIC WRITING by Lajos Egri
- considered one of the best books on structure...period.  andrew stanton 
says this is his " most dog-eared book " written in the 30's and 
pertaining primarily to PLAYWRITING, it's a truly eye opening read. 
also deemed a STORY must by Joe Ranft, Andrew Stanton, Alexander 
Mackendrick, and many, many more.

2)  ON FILM-MAKING by Alexander MacKendrick
- Ealing studios writer/director ( ladykillers, sweet smell of success and more ) 
and CalArts legend Alexander MacKendrick's book of teachings and insight is 
the culmination of many years of DOING and TEACHING about it...absolute gold.

3)  ON DIRECTING FILM by David Mamet
- a lean, mean series and course work on the craft of FILMMAKING by the 
great David Mamet.

4)  IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE by Walter Murch
-  a literally eye-opening work about the craft of FILM EDITING.  a book that 
can be read over and over again that continues to be useful for developing your 
EDITORIAL senses.

5)  ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN TRADE and MORE ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN TRADE 

by William Goldman -  two wonderfully insightful and anecdotal books by 
screenwriter supreme, William Goldman (all the presidents men, princess bride, 
misrery etc...).  He tackles many subjects that the 
film scenarist has to deal with, using his personal experiences as the basis 
for deep insight. his discourse on the challenges and pitfalls in ADAPTATING 
material for the screen is particularly amazing.

6)  TRUFFAUT-HITCHCOCK by Francois Truffaut
- a book length series of conversations between film giants.  a book unrivaled 
in it's depth and analysis of the mind of the filmmaker. the discourse between 
these two ( mostly recorded in the 60's ) will teach you more about great 
storytelling than many other 'how-to' books.

7)  20 MASTER PLOTS AND HOW TO BUILD THEM by Ronald Tobias
- a useful examination on the 'archetypal' plot structures that MOST films follow. 
a reminder that while there are any number of ways to tell a good story, there are 
always foundational guidelines to buttress them.

8) THE VISUAL STORY: SEEING THE STRUCTURE OF FILM, TV, and NEW MEDIA 
by Bruce Block - Block's examination of iconography, motifs and rhythm in 
Visual Storytelling is a MUST for any Story Artist, and his techniques and practices 
are in heavy use throughout our work.

9)  FILM DIRECTING SHOT BY SHOT:  VISUALIZZING FROM CONCEPT TO SCREEN by Steve Katz
- formal and foundational study of the nuts and bolts of the scene mechanics, 
shot design, staging and execution for aspiring filmmakers. dry, 
but essential reference.

10)  INVISIBLE INK by Brian McDonald
-  with keen insight and some surprising revelations, Brian's book on the 
UNDERSTRUCTURE of story is a must read!

 10b) THE GOLDEN THEME by Brian McDonald
- the sequel/companion to Invisible Ink, this time the emphasis is on the underlying 
and universal notion of the GOLDEN THEME.

11)  MAKING MOVIES by Sindey Lumet
- step into the mind of the great director as he breaks down the DIRECTOR's process. 
If you've never seen any of Lumet's films, put them on your PRIORITY ONE list! 
(network, the verdict, dog day afternoon, 12 angry men...)

12)  CONVERSATIONS WITH WILDER by Cameron Crowe
- another excellent dialogue between two filmmakers that gives you the kind of 
insight into Wilder's work that you may not find anywhere else.

13)  FINAL CUT: ART, MONEY, and EGO IN THE MAKING OF HEAVEN'S GATE by Steven Bach
- an absolutely stunning book that peels back the curtain on major film studio 
United Artists and the film that sank it, Michael Cimino's HEAVEN's GATE. 
Written in an amazingly frank and insightful way by Creative Executive Steven Bach, 
this book offers unfettered access to moviemaking from both the creative and 
financial sides of the coin.  it also delves deep into the history of the studio 
and the way the the system has changed and mutated...nearly impossible to put down, 
and you won't need to see Heaven's Gate to enjoy it.

14) COMICS and SEQUENTIAL ART by Will Eisner
- The definitive Study by the Grand Master of Graphic Storytelling, Will Eisner, 
this book is a MUST for anyone involved in VISUAL STORYTELLING.

15) UNDERSTANDING COMICS by Scott McCloud
- award winning examination of the function and practice of visual communication 
in COMICS. a keen and surprisingly unique book that is another essential for 
Visual Storytellers.

16) CINEMATIC MOTION by Steven Katz

17) THE 5 Cs OF CINEMATOGRAPHY by Joseph Mascelli

18) FILM EDITING by Karel Reisz

19) THE CONVERSATIONS: Michael Ondaatje and Walter Murch

20) TRICKSTER MAKES THIS WORLD by Lewis Hyde
-This one is integral for a lot of reasons, but mainly because it helps define 
character archetypes and really explores sets of rules you can use to keep 
characters "in character". ( note: this one is dense and academic...but amazing )

21) A SHORT HISTORY OF MYTH by Karen Armstrong
-Very unique breakdown of myth and WHY myths are created, laid out in a historical 
timeline of where and why myths evolved culturally. What's great for story purposes 
is that it helps give a sort of blueprint of how to develop plot through character 
stakes, a key to why myths are timeless and relatable to the masses.

22) ON WRITING by Stephen King
- surprising, personal and practical, here is a book on the craft from one of the 
master's of his art.

23) THE CREATIVE HABIT by Twyla Tharp

24) USES OF ENCHANMTMENT by Bruno Bettelheim.

25) THE WRITER's JOURNEY by Christopher Vogler
- Vogler applies the teachings of legendary Mythology JOSEPH CAMPBELL to Film 
Structure in this rewarding book.  In addition to covering all of the parts of 
the journey from a practical standpoint, he applies the breakdown to a number 
of familiar films. Very helpful for STRUCTURE.

Motion Reference for Animators and Artists

Stumbled on this motion library today. Might be handy for some basic tests and cycles. But as you know it's always best to shoot your own reference! Ca-ching!

// Endless Reference's channel