Wednesday, May 8, 2013

An Animated Life






Today we say goodbye to a very special man. Ray Harryhausen has passed away at the age of 92, and with him passes a golden era in stop-motion and special effects history. Ray inspired and influenced countless filmmakers, animators, puppet-makers and special effects artists around the world, including myself. Ray transformed my curiosity about stop-motion into utter fascination. His book, An Animated Life became my bible; from 2010 to 2011 I lived by the good book of Ray, and it still remains my most treasured hardcover that I own to this day. Its safe to say that I would never have made Scrap Metal without the inspiration I received from Ray's work. He was a modern renaissance master of his medium, and it still boggles my mind to think that he animated 7 skeletons without a frame-grabber. That sequence still holds up today. It's sad to see you go Ray, but I will always have your films to bring me joy and to continue inspiring me. Thank you for everything, you truly lived an animated life. Say hi to Ray Bradbury for us.

-Good bye.