New Edition of Liz Blazer’s ‘Animated Storytelling’ Now Available

Animator, art director, designer and educator Liz Blazer has released a new edition of her book, “Animated Storytelling,” through Peachpit. You can use code AS35 at checkout to get a 35% discount on the publisher’s website.

The book explores in-depth how to create memorable stories using animation and motion graphics by following 10 simple guidelines that take you through the stages of concept development, pre-production, storyboarding, and design. You'll explore traditional linear storytelling and learn different processes for creating successful nonlinear animated stories, and you'll also discover the wonders of experimental filmmaking.

“Animated Storytelling” highlights:

• Write a creative brief for your project
• Find and communicate your story’s Big Idea
• Create tight stories using linear and nonlinear story structures
• Explore experimental filmmaking techniques
• Use storyboards to communicate your visual story
• Use color to clarify and enrich your story
• Define the rules for your animated world
• Ease into the challenging task of animation
• Make the work you want to be hired to do
• Share your work with the world

“I wrote this book for a younger version of myself who was seeking a pared-down, clear and simple guide for filmmaking and storytelling,” Blazer explains. “I have so many books on my shelf (on a variety of topics pertaining to animation) that are dense and intimidating. I wanted to write an empowering and intimate book that gives artists the tools and confidence they need to animate shorts that are clear in their intensions, and well-crafted in their structure. I was always looking for a book that broke the concepts down and discussed the ‘why’ of making an animated more than the technical ‘how.’ I wanted to push the idea that it all begins and ends with story and wanted to break down the process so that young animators could learn to control all the moving pieces to express an idea and tell a story.” 

According to Blazer, for the new edition, she has added 60+ pages, including a new chapter (Unlocking your Story - Alternative forms for free thinkers), as well as updated and rewrote two other chapters to “dive deeper into nonlinear storytelling and experimental filmmaking and help support filmmakers who are more process-oriented.”

As an independent filmmaker, Liz explores storytelling by making animated documentary shorts. Her animated documentary, Backseat Bingo, traveled to 180 festivals internationally, winning awards at the HBO Comedy Arts Festival and from the International Documentary Association and Animation Magazine. When not working on new films, she teaches college students about the joy of bringing their ideas to life through animation.

You can find more about the author at lizblazer.com.