In these days of AI-dominated horrors, it’s always inspiring to see animation professionals putting their artistry behind indie 2D-animated projects. Animation veteran Tony White, whose many credits include the BAFTA-winning short Hokusai: An Animated Sketchbook, David Macauley’s Cathedral and Pyramid, and The Pink Panther Strikes Again’s title sequence, announced today the launch of a new feature titled The Book of 12. He has posted a new 12-minute teaser film that introduces the project and announces the Kickstarter campaign for a graphic novel upon which the movie will be based.
“Creating this teaser film has, perhaps, been the hardest work I’ve ever attempted in my life! If nothing else, it’s great to know that I still have the passion, and energy, to do such a thing in my autumn years,” says White, who his also the author of several popular books on animation, including Animation: From Pencils to Pixels, The Animator’s Workbook and How to Make Animated Films.
“With the agonizing and smug arrival of generative AI – you know, that ‘advanced technology’ which shamelessly picks the pockets of creatives everywhere, opening the door to artistic mediocrity by the unskilled and untrained, and taking the jobs of those who are both skilled and competent in the process – we are in danger of losing the creative innovation that the future so much needs,” White adds. “Most significant of all for me is that generative AI threatens to put the final nail in 2D animation’s coffin. At it’s very best, traditional 2D animation is arguably the most regal, empathic and accomplished of all the human artistic disciplines. It brings together the best of all classical art skills — acting, music, choreography, painting, storytelling and film-making. skills. Therefore, I steadfastly stand committed to bucking the AI trend, by bringing to the world the best traditionally-animated project I am capable of bringing.”
White says the The Book of 12 will not be your usual standard, “predictable” animation project. “It breaks new ground in terms of it’s subject-matter — an Old Soul ‘hero’s journey’ storyline, reflecting on past lives and their lessons – as well as the diverse and innovative animation techniques and styles that it will embrace to tell it’s story,” says the director. “It is conceived for all those like-minded individuals out there who are both fed-up with the fact that the traditionally-animated, hand-crafted, groundbreaking, 2D movies are no longer supported by mainstream Hollywood. It will also attract all those folks who like entertaining, well-executed story-lines which challenge the accepted norms and open minds to new ideas and possibilities.”
You can check out White’s pitch and entertaining teaser below and help him raise the money for the project on Seed&Spark here:
