Their contagious energy economical storytelling, and rambunctious humor set the stage perfectly for the ward-winning films that follow. They also harken back to a bygone era of showmanship, when serials and shorts summoned and focused movie watchers' attention for the big show to follow. In The Art of Pixar Short Films, respected animation journalist Amid Amidi examines the legacy of short filmmaking at the Emeryville, California, studio in interviews with the directors, producers, artists, and animators who created For the Birds, Lifted, and eleven other iconic shorts.More than 250 full-color illustrations, pencil sketches, storyboards, photographs, and final rendered frames showcase the vision of a talented group of artist, as well as their storytelling prowess; these films often foego dialogue in favor of communicating with emotion (Luxo Jr.), music (Boundin' and One Man Band), and perfectly time pratfall humor (Knick Knack).This beautifully desiged and studiously researched book is a strong addition to animation and film scholarship, an intimate tour inside the most admired animation studio at work today.

    From the creative minds of directors John Musker and Ron Clements (The Little Mermaid and Aladdin) comes an American fairy tale and musical set in the heart of New Orleans during the Jazz Age. This unforgettable tale of love, enchantment, and discovery features Tiana, a young girl with big dreams who is working hard to achieve them amid theelegance and grandeur of the fabled French Quarter. The Art of The Princess and the Frog showcases the lush concept art of this sure-to-be-classic movie, including sketches, character designs, lighting studies and storyboards, alongside inspiring quotes from the directors, producers, artists and designers, including veteran hand drawn animators that brought you many of Disney's most classic and unforgettable characters.

    At the center of this hilarious and wildly original video-game-hopping adventure is Wreck-It Ralph, an arcade game bad guy who breaks all the rules when he sets off on a mission to prove he can be good. The Art of Wreck-It Ralph captures the fresh artistic vision of the film and the aesthetic journey of the filmmakers through interviews with the film's many artists, including a foreword by director Rich Moore and a preface by John Lasseter. Illustrated with character sketches, storyboards, visual development paintings, colorscripts, and more, this behind-the-scenes look at Disney's latest 3-D animated epic is a treat for video game and animation lovers alike.

    The filmmakers share everything from the challenges of animating Carl's boxy physique to the inspirations they found during their expedition to the overworldly tepuis of Venezuela. Written by veteran animation writer Tim Hauser, The Art of Up includes interviews with the director, artists, and designers, who discuss the challenges and rewards of producing a 3D film that breaks the mold of classic animation to tell the story of a most unlikely hero.

    During the process of being translated into a Disney film, Beauty and the Beast had several false starts. It was originally conceived as an eighteenth-century period piece, directed by the British husband-and-wife team of Richard and Jill Purdum. After some changes, two new directors, Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, were put in charge of the project. Although he was initially reluctant to do another animated film after The Little Mermaid, the late Howard Ashman came on board shortly after the new directors did. Over many months, the characters and story evolved further, but there were many changes, and wrong turns. Sequences were created, reworked, cut, and added as the film gradually emerged, like a statue from a block of marble. After all of the ups and downs, Beauty and the Beast was released in 1991 to rave reviews and record-breaking box-office business. The film was widely hailed as a technical and aesthetic breakthrough and remains the only animated feature ever to be nominated for an Oscar for best picture. This authoritative book features interviews with artists, voice-over actors, and executives, and transcripts of meetings and story sessions. Illustrations abound throughout, including sketches, caricatures, sequences of animation drawings, and preliminary artwork from discarded scenes. This book will be a must-have for any fan of the "Tale as Old as Time."

    Featuring hundreds of pieces of new art, stories on the development, and a unique look at the entire full Kung Fu Panda world.DreamWorks Animation and Insight Editions presents The Art of Kung Fu Panda 2; the book that takes readers behind-the-scenes of the animated martial arts mega-sequel. As the recently anointed Dragon Warrior, Po the Panda (Jack Black) is living his dream as the champion of the Valley of Peace. But Po’s serenity is disrupted when the malevolent Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), an epically evil warlord, threatens to destroy all of China by creating an unstoppable weapon that promises to supplant kung fu. With every conquest, Shen’s ambition, cruelty, and lust for power grow, forcing Po and The Furious Five to confront their most powerful enemy ever, or else witness the destruction of their homeland and the tradition of kung fu. Included in this tome of production artwork are designs for Baby Po, Po’s parents, the sharp-taloned peacock Shen, the warlord’s fearsome wolf mercenaries, as well as Po’s new allies—Master Croc (Jean-Claude Van Dam), Master Skunkman (James Woods), and Master Thundering Rhino (Victor Garber). Also included are the epic environments Po, Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey, must venture through on their epic quest to confront the evil Lord Shen and save kung fu. With new friends, Po’s strength has never been greater. But how can he stop a weapon that can stop kung fu? Po must look deep into his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

    Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, and Cinderella are newly incarnated in water color, pastel, oil paint, colored pencil, mixed media, and computer graphics pieces that range from the traditional to the unconventional. This artwork has been created especially for this museum-quality book, which is sure to delight art lovers, Disney collectors, and any prince or princess who ever believed that fairytales do come true.

    It's Pixar's first feature film driven by a female lead and its first set in an ancient historical period. Against a backdrop of castles, forests, and highlands, Brave follows the fiery Merida as she clashes with the duty of her royal life and embarks on a journey through the rugged landscape of the dark ages of Scotland. At once epic and intimate, the latest Pixar masterpiece weaves a story of magic, danger, and adventure and the fierce bonds of family. Featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the film's many artists and filmmakers, The Art of Brave showcases the gorgeous concept art that went into the making of this movie, including color scripts, storyboards, character studies, environment art, sculpts, and more. A Foreword by Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews, the film's directors, and a preface by Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter shed light on the creation of this landmark film.

    In fact, life begins at the off-ramp. The Art of Cars invites you on an illustrated road trip with the most successful animation studio at work today. Ride with Pixar's exceptionally talented artists, writers, and designers to uncover the origins of their charming and clever automobile-based world. Gathered in this overflowing scrapbook are hundreads of pieces of concept art that helped to convert real-life imagery and stories from the back roads into rich, memorable characters and colorful backdrops. Including a forward by director John Lasseter , insights from the artists and production team, and lively text by Route 66 experts Michael and Suzanne Wallis, The Art of Cars is a spirited ride in the fast lane of a masterful animated feature film.

    Full color.

    The stunning art and evocative text of The Art of The Hunchback of Notre Dame take the reader on a fascinating journey through the making of the movie, the world of medieval France, the nineteenth-century Gothic literature that embraced that world, and the imaginations of the creative artists who have masterfully combined these challenging elements into a magnificent animated musical. The Art of The Hunchback of Notre Dame features the rarely seen spectrum of art created in the making of the film, as the story is imagined and re-imagined in a variety of media - from conceptual paintings, to story sketches and layout, drawings, through the many stages of animation and background painting, computer generated imagery, effects animation, and final art from the production. The range of artwork is both vital and luminous, capturing the beauty and splendor of this stunning realization of fifteenth-century Paris. The lively, informative text features background on the original Hugo novel, as well as the historical influences, inspirations, and ideas the creators of the film brought to the animation, story, and music.

    In this charming story, Remy, a lovable rat (yes, a rat!) with a fine sense of smell and love for gourmet French food, rises to become a chef in the most famous restaurant in Paris - against all odds and with plenty of madcap adventures along the way. The Art of Ratatouille collects more than 200 of the artistic ingredients that went into making this heartwarming film: storyboards, full-color pastels, digital and pencil sketches, character studies, sculpts, and more. With an introduction by executive producer John Lasseter, a forward by director/screenwriter Brad Bird, and extensive quotes from the artists, animators, and production tea, The Art of Ratatouille is a feast for the eyes, not to be missed.

    Relive the excitement, humor, and adventure in this elegant miniature.

    From screenplay to storyboard to recording studio--featuring interviews with the animators and 200 full-color photos--every facet of Aladdin's creation is explored in fascinating detail. This is a keepsake volume that every fan of the film must have.

    Featuring concept art—including sketches, collages, color scripts, and much more—and opening with a foreword by actress Amy Poehler and introduction by the film's writer and director Pete Docter, this is the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience of the making of this landmark film.