No. 53, In Memoriam: Frédéric Back, 1924-2013.

Frédéric Back

This week saw the passing of the great animator and designer Frédéric Back.  German by birth, he became a naturalized Canadian and resided in Montreal, where he created a number of short personal films under the aegis of Société Radio Canada.  (I had previously written that he did his work for the National Film Board of Canada, but in fact he never did.)

I first became familiar with his work in the 1970s, but at his death I realized I had seen only two of his nine films: The Man Who Planted Trees and Crac! Yet those two were enough proof for me of his excellence as a maker of 2D animated films.

The Man Who Planted Trees is based on a true story and also reflects Back's own personal life experience as a conservationist and arborist.

Crac! is a Quebecan family history told around the image of a hand-made rocking chair that becomes a family heirloom.

Both films are magical journeys full of music and transient animated imagery.  And always, the drawing is there, never hidden or disguised; one is invited to enjoy it as drawing even as it moves and transforms as cinema, as storytelling.  Back's films are 2D drawn animation at its best.

These two films and others (though not all) are available for viewing on YouTube and Vimeo, and I challenge you to a minor New Year's resolution to watch and enjoy them along with me.

And now, Happy New Year to my friends and readers around the world!

No. 52, Supporting 2D Animation

Draw-4-2D

If you haven't heard about Tony White's 2-D Liberation Movement and the associated Draw-4-2D project, let me fill you in.  Tony White is an award-winning animator, author of animation books and teacher of animation who for years has been trying in various ways to spotlight 2D animation as a dying art and craft, and to stimulate a revival.  Tony points out that whereas 2D animation once flourished in the US, now it has all but died out in theatrical production, while in Europe and Asia 2D films are still being created and enjoyed.  American distributors seldom show any interest in these works.

The Draw-4-2D project is to solicit drawings to be contributed by at least a hundred artists from around the world, plus written statements of support and inspiration, to be published as a book.  The artwork may also appear in a gallery presentation at a future date.

As a fervent advocate of the preservation and continuance of 2D animation myself, it was my pleasure to contribute a drawing for this effort.

My contribution to Draw-4-2D.

 Please check out Tony's website, 2-D Liberation Movement, here, click on Blog, and consider supporting him by sending in your own drawing.