Acting for Animators by Ed Hooks

Acting for Animators by Ed Hooks is the go-to book for understanding how acting principles apply to animation.

Ed has been teaching this stuff for decades and animators at studios like Pixar, DreamWorks, and Disney have all learned from his approach The book breaks down how to create believable characters through understanding motivation, emotion, objectives, and what makes a performance feel authentic It covers thinking, physical action, empathy, and how to stage scenes so the audience connects with the character Whether you are working in 2D, 3D, games, or VFX, the principles here are universal This is one of those books that shifts the way you think about animation because it makes you realise that great animation is not just about movement, it is about acting.

This is a physical book published by CRC Press / Routledge. When you click the link below, you will be taken to the Routledge store where you can purchase your copy.

Book Description:

Ed Hooks’ essential acting guidebook for animators has been fully revised and updated in this fifth edition, capturing some of the vast changes that have affected the animation industry in recent years. Written specifically for animation professionals instead of stage and movie actors, this book provides an essential primer for creating empathetic and dynamic character performance and, in the process, shows how the strongest storytelling structure works.

Hooks applies classical acting theory – from Aristotle to Stanislavsky and beyond – to animation, as well as explaining scene structure, character development and the connections between thinking, emotion and physical action. Theory presented here applies to any and all character animation regardless of style or animation technique. Whether your project is stop-motion, 2D, 3D or a blend of techniques, audiences are audiences are audiences, and they have shown up at the theater or cinema so they can experience and enjoy your story.

New to this fifth edition:

• Four new scene-by-scene acting analyses of animated feature films:  Flee, Soul, Porco Rosso and The Triplets of Belleville
• A comprehensive and updated section titled “Classroom Notes” which includes a segment on experimental animation, a brief history of acting training for actors and guidance on Motion and Performance Capture technology
• Updated online database of Hooks’ previous film analyses, all in one place

Acting for Animators is essential reading for all students and teachers of animation courses.

About Ed Hooks:

Ed Hooks was a professional actor for almost 30 years, trained in New York, with credits in all media. He is an internationally recognized acting teacher who has taught in over 35 countries, and he has written several books for actors. Hooks is the first person to apply classical acting theory to animated storytelling.

Buy Acting for Animators on Routledge (US Store)

Author: Ed Hooks
Publisher: CRC Press / Routledge
ISBN: 9781032266473