Capturing Life, Creating Character: The Art of Live-Action Reference

Beginning in the early 1930’s, Walt Disney and his team of animators would routinely enlist live performers to play out their roles on soundstages such that studio animators could observe both the broad strokes and nuances of their body movements through space and translate the actions of a three-dimensional performers in to the two-dimensional realm of animation.

Capturing Life, Creating Character: The Art of Live-Action Reference takes a fascinating look at the pursuit of character animation through a collection of rarely-seen photographs of live performers and their animated counterparts. These charming snapshots celebrate the actors’ performances and the tenacious work of the Disney animation staff in their tireless pursuit of filmmaking excellence. They are also a testament to Walt Disney, a man who elevated animation into an art form and who would stop at nothing to achieve greater levels of personality in his craft.