Traditional 2D, contemporary 3D, and experimental animators devoted to "telling a story" with their characters will relish the wealth of straightforward insight presented on topics critical to character design and animations development such as movement and body language, power centers, using psychological gestures, scene development, knowing the audience, and much more.

Dispersed throughout "Acting for Animators"- entertainingly illustrating the principals discussed in each chapter- are delightful little line drawn characters from the pen of renowned animator and director Paul Naas. And, not only does this unique and timely book contain a remarkable "Acting Analysis" of the groundbreaking and sure to be classic feature length animation "Iron Giant," it opens with a glowing forward by the film's Director, Brad Bird.

Ed Hooks is the original and still leading "Acting for Animators" teacher called upon by animation studios and schools in the United States and overseas. The contents of this book parallel his teaching perfectly.

Speaking as an animator in training and a Producer in action- who has had the good fortune to participate in Ed Hooks' recent Master Class in Denver after first meeting him as an acting student in California at the beginning of his now 20 year career as a highly regarded stage, tv & film acting coach- I say this is a "must have" for any animator who wants their work to stand out from the pack and grab the audience by the funny bone and/or the heart!

Consult "Acting for Animators" right along with Richard Williams' "The Animator's Survival Kit" and your animations will rock!

Anne-Elizabeth
Denver, Colorado
inside@centralvectors.com

"An Excellent Guide for the digital age"
I was shocked at the personal attack the previous rater made on Mr. Hooks. They clearly have some personal emotional issues to work through and this is not the place. I wouldn't count their evaluation very highly. This little book is simpy packed with essential information on acting, specifically adapted for animators...I am an animator and have learned much from Ed Hooks. I particularly like Ed's friendly writing style. Hooks is known world wide for his excellent seminars and I've quoted him in my own books on similar subjects. I think it is very poor form for a person to make a personal attack when we're supposed to be rating the book. I noticed that they didn't have the guts to leave their name. This book is a seriously excellent source of ideas, technique and the underlying reasons why these things work in animation.

"About the five stars..."
In case you were wondering why all of four people who reviewed this book gave it five stars, it's because a certain 'friend' of Mr. Hooks has taken to having Amazon remove all reviews who don't directly correspond to her own opinion.

Let me just say that while the book is slightly useful, it's nothing you can't learn on your own by watching the way people move in real life. The book contains useful tidbits, like how characters should always be doing something, and there needs to be a purpose behind every action. The explainations of different acting theories are less helpful, at least to me, but much of the book is helpful in giving your characters convincing personalities. My suggestion is that you should get the book, but definitely never attend one of Mr. Hooks' workshops, since they present nothing new that isn't in the book (and perhaps even less) and cost about ten times more.

And to that certain 'friend' of Mr. Hooks. If you truly 'respect my opinion' then I should have just as much right to review here as anyone else. That is what amazon reviews are for.