Video: Brad Bird on storytelling in animation
Animation reigns when it goes over the top with action and 3-D and quick cuts and loud energy.
If that sums up your idea of cartoons, animation auteur Brad Bird would like to offer a counterpoint.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
In this 5-minute video, Bird’s commentary on thoughtful storytelling accompanies footage from his and other animated films. He lauds restraint and emotional connections over nonstop frenetic pacing for the sake of action.
He also has a few choice words for moviegoers who regard animation as a genre rather than a medium to tell any kind of story imaginable: horror, comedy, romantic drama, sci-fi and so on.
Bird wrote and directed “The Incredibles” (and its upcoming sequel), “Ratatouille” and “The Iron Giant.” He also worked on two of the best animated TV series of all time, “The Simpsons” and “King of the Hill.”
Watch the video, and discover how our own stories could benefit from varied pacing and genuine feeling.
