The Art of the animator. Part 2

This Canadian series examines the creative thoughts and processes behind the meticulous work of several animators; this part examines the work of Co Hoedeman, Jacques Drouin, George Ungar and Gayle Thomas - animators who create motion out of still images, in what is often lonesome and painstaking work. George Ungar is shown animating a short film about a dark stranger who brings evil to a quiet village. He storyboards his art - an important process as Ungar’s methodology, adding and removing paint for a ceramic-like surface, does not allow for improvising. Co Hederman uses cut out animation, placing characters within a 3-dimensional set then shooting frame by frame. Gayle Thomas works on a film based on an old Persian folk tale; Thomas draws on opal glass in black and white with tempura then scratches away at the paint to create movement. Jacques Drouin has a remarkable system of animating known as the pin-screen; images are created through shadows falling on the alignment of 1000s of pins. By observing these artists at work, the filmmakers show the deft and quite magical process of animation that requires great commitment, patience and artistic cleverness. See part 3 of the series for completed work.