Some of the most beloved characters in film and television inhabit two-dimensional worlds that spring from the fertile imaginations of talented animators. The movements; characterizations; and settings in the best animated films are as vivid as any live action film; and sometimes seem more alive than life itself. In this case; Hollywoods marketing slogans are fitting; animated stories are frequently magical; leaving memories of happy endings in young and old alike. However; the fantasy lands animators create bear little resemblance to the conditions under which these artists work. Anonymous animators routinely toiled in dark; cramped working environments for long hours and low pay; especially at the emergence of the art form early in the twentieth century. In Drawing the Line; veteran animator Tom Sito chronicles the efforts of generations of working men and women artists who have struggled to create a stable standard of living that is as secure as the worlds their characters inhabit. The former president of Americas largest animation union; Sito offers a unique insiders account of animators struggles with legendary studio kingpins such as Jack Warner and Walt Disney; and their more recent battles with Michael Eisner and other Hollywood players. Based on numerous archival documents; personal interviews; and his own experiences; Sitos history of animation unions is both carefully analytical and deeply personal. Drawing the Line stands as a vital corrective to this field of Hollywood history and is an important look at the animation industrys past; present; and future. Like most elements of the modern commercial media system; animation is rapidly being changed by the forces of globalization and technological innovation. Yet even as pixels replace pencils and bytes replace paints; the working relationship between employer and employee essentially remains the same. In Drawing the Line; Sito challenges the next wave of animators to heed the lessons of their predecessors by organizing and acting collectively to fight against the enormous pressures of the marketplace for their class interests -- and for the betterment of their art form.
#327231 in eBooks 2009-06-11 2009-06-11File Name: B002RIA03A
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Itrsquo;s a sad comment. perhapsBy Mari BiellaItrsquo;s fitting. in some respects. that one of Britney Spearsrsquo; hits is called ldquo;Piece of Merdquo;. Everyone. it seems. wants a piece of Britney. whether itrsquo;s in the form of a news story to accompany their morning coffee. or a familiar tune on the radio during their drive to work. Itrsquo;s a sad comment. perhaps. on the modern obsession with celebrity. and on what happens when a person is sold as a product. Most of Britneyrsquo;s life. she has been at the centre of a ldquo;circusrdquo; (another eerily appropriate name for one of her records). And I suppose that. in buying and reading this book. I became part of that circus. (I read it for research purposes. if that makes it any better. Yes. research. Thatrsquo;s my story. and Irsquo;m sticking with it...)Behind that circus. though ndash; behind the miles of column inches. the photographs. the performances. the constant stream of stories that set the internet alight ndash; is a real person. What do we know of that person? The obvious answer is. ldquo;Not much.rdquo; Steve Dennisrsquo;s biography is probably as good a place to look as any for those in search of answers. though of course one can always question how close a biographer gets to capturing his subject. The closer the scrutiny applied to an iconic figure. the more nebulous they become. Britney is no exception in this respect.Dennis tells a rather sad (and sympathetic) story of a good-natured girl from Americarsquo;s Deep South. who dreamed of and ndash; almost incredibly ndash; achieved stardom. There was nothing in Britneyrsquo;s past to suggest that she was destined to become a star. Yes. she was talented; but so are many others. most of whom are bound only for anonymity. The odds were certainly against Britney. She was born into obscurity. Her family circumstances were far from ideal. her childhood blighted by those banal misfortunes of warring parents. poverty. and drink. But. thanks to her own inner drive ndash; that. and a mother who was either supportive or pushy. depending on your interpretation ndash; Britney found the fame she craved. first as a ldquo;Mouseketeerrdquo; and then as a pop icon. But what did she lose in the process?Itrsquo;s impossible to read this biography and not feel at least a smidgeon of sympathy for Britney. She might have been the architect of many of her own misfortunes. but you have to wonder how much better anyone could realistically have handled her situation. Not many people are thrust into the middle of a media firestorm at the age of sixteen; Britney was. perhaps. spectacularly ill-suited to the experience in many ways. Sceptics are probably partly right in considering the young Britney ndash; the sweet-natured. doe-eyed. God-fearing Baptist girl ndash; as being a cynical commercial creation. Partly. but not entirely: as Dennis convincingly argues. that was to some extent the reality. And how Britney was betrayed ndash; itrsquo;s unlikely that any of the moguls. executives. managers. or media types who surrounded her ever had her best interests at heart. An intriguing. if sad. story.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Laura DanielleIf you love Britney. this book will keep your interest the entire read!10 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Great insight into the life of a phenominal woman.By Malcolm MccraeI normally never buy biographies that are not written by or authorized by the celebrity. but this book seemed different. Not only did Steve Dennis sit down with a therapist and act as Britney from her childhood to her incredible comeback but he also got inside the tightest inner circle in Hollywood to get the truth from the people that have worked with Britney herself from her past and present. This book is truly one of the best Britney books Ive read even better than ones written by Britney and her mom. From the very start it keeps your attention and gives a detailed account of Britneys life. this book is a must have for all Britney fans and anyone that wants to get an inside look in what happened on September 9th. 2007 the day many people will never forget... the 2007 Vmas.
