As a fan of animation watching Pencils vs Pixels not only brings about a feeling of nostalgia but also a feeling of awe. I grew up with 2D hand-drawn animation. Going to see the latest Disney movie at the theater was an experience on its own. Sitting there in the dark and getting lost in the story was just an incredible feeling when I was younger. After the movie was over I would start thinking about the art and wondering how did they create that. I was never good at drawing but I always loved and respected animated movies.
Pencils vs Pixels is a fantastic documentary that gives us a look at the animation film industry. The audience is shown how the industry was created and how it evolved. We get to see images of the first cartoon created and see how Walt Disney took animation to another level. While the snippets of animated movies are great to see, what really brings the documentary to life is the stories told by the animators. There is a moment with Glen Keane that stands out to me. He talks about why he loved animating and what it was that stood out to him. It’s always great to hear what makes these people tick and why they do what they do.
Although many today know Disney as being the industry leader, many of the other studios that have come about have been created by former Disney artists. Leaving the empire that was Disney, Don Bluth Studios released The Secrets of Nimh. Although the movie was not a success they had a big fan in Steven Speilberg. This relationship with Speilberg led to American Tail. Little stories like this are great nuggets you get while watching this documentary. We also see the birth of Pixar and Dreamworks studios.
It’s great to see the cycle of animation in Pencils vs Pixels and see how far animation has come. Seeing how old styles have come back into play and how many styles are combined really gives you a sense that hand-drawn animation is not going to go away. This is definitely a documentary that you want to watch with your family and hopefully, it will increase your love for animated movies like it did for me.
Final Thoughts: Pencils vs Pixels is a great look at the growth of animation and how it has changed over the years. For fans of the animation, there are a lot of great behind-the-scenes stories here.
Kid-Friendly: This is very kid-friendly and is a great way to inspire the young artists in your household. Kids will see the process involved in making movies and hopefully want to do it themselves.
Violence: No violence at all in the movie.
Pencils Vs Pixels is a celebration of the unique magic of 2D hand-drawn animation and an exploration of how the Disney Renaissance of the late 1980s and early 1990s led to an animation boom that was quickly upended by the computer animation revolution that followed. Narrated by Ming-Na Wen, PENCILS VS PIXELS features many of the legendary artists who brought these now-classic films to life as they guide us through the last few decades of animation and into the future that’s yet to come.