3:23 I remember when Beauty and the Beast came out, everybody's attention was on this scene, on how amazing the 3D was. Now everybody's attention is on how amazing the 2D is.
Perfectly said. That's the beauty of 2D animation, if this high quality, it ages wonderfully while even the highest quality 3D will look aged as the technology advances. I wish the same amount of research and money was put into the advancement of 2D animation.
That's because cgi already existed by the time, Baxter was described as having this chip in his head were he understood what to do, with his pencil and paper.
@@sabersquid2523 He also draw the animation from the last episode of Steven Universe but not the Steven Universe Future also hes animation is very smooth
3:07 I never noticed as a kid, how complex it was. Solid drawing, perspectives, 360° camera on 2D characters, clothes, everything in at once in smooth animation. Respect.
I never realized how many shots he has done where the "camera" swings around the characters. It's truly brilliant how adept he is at making 2D animation look 3D
What I think is the most impressive part about his animations is that he’s so good at drawing the exact style as the show/movie he’s drawing for, like, its super admirable
Thats a given. Get a template of the proportions and characteristics and anyone can adapt their drawings to it. Its his ability to rotate the characters fluidly in a moving space
TheBasicStickman Seeing Scenes from “Spirit”, “Treasure Planet” and that one cute bit of Mable cuddling Waddles the pig shook me as well I didn’t know they were made by him.
Same, I always subconsciously knew that those bits in the Gravity Falls intro were beautifully animated, and they were animated by James Baxter himself. Incredible.
So I guess this guy did the scene for the Steven Universe finale with Steven and Pink Steven. The animation in specifically that part really caught me off guard and I loved it. Anyone else seen it?
HE DID THAT INCREDIBLY SMOOTH PART IN THE GRAVITY FALLS INTRO??? I always wondered why that part in particular was so smooth compared to the rest of the sequence!
bruh I freak out when I see James Baxter in the credits for anything, Ive found him in movies/series I had no idea he worked for. Such a pleasant surprise
@@MayMay-qn2dd sorry the comment made it sound as if he was the one that anmited the whole movie which would be understandable most people dont really know how much is put into making animated movies sorry for the assumption.
@@JuanLopez-kk9wi I think he's like the main animator of Spirit though. There is a crew responsible for rendering and such, but I tink he does most of the animation movements(the outlines in particular)
bella is epic a cartoon TV show about a young boy raised by humanoid gemstone harnessing aliens living on Earth, which serve as gaurdian figures to him, and how they battle against 'homeworld', while simultaneously immersing the audience in the customs and vastly different world of these strange beings, and the monsters and beings alike that come from there.
@@yourannoyinglittlebrother8595 dont hope, youll eventually be like him one day Be more confident, but not narcisisstic ! Itll take a lot of time and patience, but itll pay off eventually !! I believe in you man !
That scene was the most beautiful and impactful scene in the entire show. Him fusing with himself, and the fluid, beautiful laugh, as it pans to White, and they fuse.
Team him up with the artist from Studio trigger who worked on the other episode that everybody loved, add Jones, and it's three of the best animators in history.
He probably spends so much time just... _looking_ at things and taking in their beauty because he's so damn good at capturing the small but essential movements that make things feel organic... absolutely precious to the world of animation
Somehow my brain often forgets that these sequences were actually animated by human hand. They're so perfect it just feels like they must have magically sprung into existence. Absolutely amazing.
You need a seemingly impossible rotating shot around a 2D animated character WHILE they're acting or moving? Baxter's your guy I'm thoroughly convinced he's a wizard
"Here's my animation reel, I made all the most memorable parts of everything I was involved in." -James Baxter PS also now I finally know what that horse was about
God, he's a genius. I want to be an animator when I grow up, and he is like my goal of becoming. It puts a lot of effort, and makes perfect scenes, too fluid, almost even seem like 3d animation. I hope you get to do more animations of this kind.
Hi, I'm currently pursuing my career in animation, too. Idk where you're at in terms of schooling but know this, don't ever doubt yourself and your abilities. You'll find it easy to get stuck in a dark hole where it all seems impossible to live your dream, but your not alone. Many artists feel that way, even myself. If you have a passion for animation, dive into it and don't look back, run with it. Of course, make sure you give yourself breaks, go for a walk, go on vacation, sit down and take a breather. View nature, people, places, animals, take inspiration from anything and everything you you see and do. I guess what I'm trying to say is, you can do what you set your heart on and you have many of us artists backing you up.
@@LivTheWiz I am going to a school for animation.. I am progressing so much in a short amount of time and I am so proud of myself. Just a year into modeling 3d objects and I went from just making a cube and painting it.. to making my whole room by myself... it looks exactly like my room.. down to everything.. and I was so proud of myself at that moment when it was finally done.. :)
I never realised that much of my childhood was all animated by the same man (at least alongside other animators, but seriously all of these were/are my favorite movies- plus Adventure Time) ... This simply is amazing. You sir are one of the reasons I have a deep love for 2D animation. EDIT because I forgot a crucial thing: Thank you to your daughter for making this compilation!!!
"How do you wanna be represented for all the amazing animation work you've done for the film industry?" James: "Make me a talking horse-" "Ok" James: "On a beach ball" "Ok..." James: "Saying my name."
it must be really nice to have a daughter thats such a fan. i can't imagine growing up on this kind of stuff and then your dad just casually drops "i made that" and has all the pencil tests to prove it. it must be amazing in retrospect to have worked on Roger Rabbit. a genuine hollywood funded love letter to a craft everyone knew would never be utilized quite the same once computers became the norm. im so glad you are able to still find younger people influenced by you that want you to work for them and you actually do it. what a life to live man. just amazing all around
He didn’t do all this animation alone. At the time Disney / Dreamworks had hundreds of traditional animators working on their films. Saying he animated these scenes single-handedly just isn’t true. He wasn’t clear about which part he was worked on, but I’d assume he was a lead animator and directed other artists how to draw in the frames. This might be obvious but it’s good to be upfront about the process.
@@jamesbaxter1236 if you were a boss from Mega Man you would be Pencil Man, wielding a giant pencil that draws attacks and hazards, maybe use the eraser to block attacks, and have a harder stage than all of the Wily bosses combined.
The Adventure Time horse is amazing once you realize they literally wrote a script that boils down to "Legendary animator cuts loose here" and the entire episode is them going "This guy is so great", named the character after him and said his name over and over, and then even showed the raw lineart in the end credits. just to really make the point.
IKR??? Not only are his animations smooth, but whenever he works on a scene, he gives it a nice, natural, touch, he gives the characters a more realistic feel by how he animates their little details and features, reacting naturally by what the character is doing, even the smallest eyelash moving with the edge of an eyelid as it opens really shows his profession and attention to detail. Respect this man.
I knew about him since I saw Spirit as a kid. In the bonus features I’d watch him teach how to draw Spirit over and over and over. And seeing that episode of SU, wondering if it was him, and many people confirming it was, he is still an inspiration to me.
The 3D rotating shots are MIND boggling, they are so well done where nothing looks bad, nothing shifts off its point, the proportions stay COMPLETELY consistent i couldn't imagine animating something like that so consistently well, an absolute machine of animation
Your ability to visualize three-dimensions of depth on a 2D surface is the most magnificent thing I've ever seen in animation. It feels like you were in the story capturing every angle, despite it being physically flat.
He didn’t do all this animation alone. At the time Disney / Dreamworks had hundreds of traditional animators working on their films. Saying he animated these scenes single-handedly just isn’t true. He wasn’t clear about which part he was worked on, but I’d assume he was a lead animator and directed other artists how to draw in the frames. This might be obvious but it’s good to be upfront about the process.
Well, there's lots of different things you can do, animate, paint backgrounds, color styling, storyboarding, character design. First, try a little of everything to see what you like and what you're best at. There's a bunch of good books. For animators, I usually recommend The Illusion of Life by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, and The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams.Then start getting a portfolio or a reel together of your best work. it helps to get to know a couple of people at some animation studios. they can help guide you and if they are aware of you it's much easier to get a job. You can usually find information online about recruitment at the larger studios. They can help you too. Main thing is to learn your craft.@@JackieM.
Oh my GOD! You did the "SANCTUARY!" scene from Hunchback?!! *And* the rotating view of the ballroom dance from Beauty and the Beast?! No wonder the camera rotation with perfect, on model, frame-smooth dancing Stevens in the new Steven Universe episode was so... PERFECT and DISNEY-tier! God!!! I love you!
i’m so grateful of getting to live in the context where i’m able to watch james baxter’s work. it’s just stunning and it’s amazing how even when i was younger and didn’t know anything about animations those bits were still the one sticking out to me for their smoothness and visuals. it’s crazy what this man has done to the animation field
Half these comments are about Steven Universe, but the animation was indeed breathtaking, so thank you. And thank you for every other film you have been a part of that i have seen growing up
I really enjoy how balanced your animation is. In terms of proportions, uses of squash and stretch. The only other animators I can think of that make their characters move like this are Milt Kahl and Frank Thomas. Excellent work : D
Never realized James Baxter worked on Who Framed Roger Rabbit! And the "sanctuary" scene from Hunchback of Notre Dame always makes me tear up. It's such a beautiful shot with so much passion behind it! Gorgeous work! Spirit is one of my top 10 favorite movies 💟
Damn I watched the new SU Episode, thats why Im here. The part with Steven! The camera turn was PERFECT! It had so much joy and happiness in it! I love it!
2:43 I KNEW IT I KNEW I RECOGNIZED THAT BUTTERY ANIMATION FROM SOMEWHERE (turns out i recognized it from just about everywhere lol, youre quite prolific)
* shows lion king * * shows Spirit * * from How to Train Your Dragon movie-series-thing * Me: *YOU'RE NOW MY FAVORITE ANIMATOR YOU ANIMATE ALL THESE THINGS I LOVE HOLY CRAP-*
I'll never forget the moment I was watching Adventure Time and the episode about the horse, James Baxter, came on. I have always loved art and comics and storyboarding, mostly, but the lesson of that episode sat with me despite not being an aspiring animator. I could tell the James Baxter horse was different and special but in a way that didn't make it "better" than the rest of the series. It was special because of what James Baxter, the horse, was bringing as his talent. Finn and Jake had to learn what their special talent was too, and that being James Baxter shouldn't be the priority, but instead an inspiration to be oneself and reflect that in their own talents and works. That day, I learned who James Baxter was, but I also learned who I wanted to be when I grew up. Myself.
James Baxter is true inspiration to thousands of animators around the world and his animation is so remembering that I noticed James baxter animated a scene in steven universe. His animation is so fluent and beautiful and recognizable.
What this demo reel shows is that James Baxter is responsible for so many iconic and incredible scenes in animation. I never knew, but he animated so many scenes that I always replayed because of now smooth and satisfying they were to watch.
I honestly cried watching this. I randomly remembered the horse clip from adventure time and searched for it and found this; and I realized you were responsible for many of my favourite movie scenes as a kid. Belle with the dandelion puff. Quasi with Esmerelda on the balcony. Moses and the burning bush. That weird waiter bug in rescue rangers. And just now I found a clip you did in Steven Universe. I am amazed at how many things you have made, and helped create, that I have loved and had no idea. Thank you.
This guy is the reason I LOVE 2d animation. The way he can make the characters fly off the screen and give them such beautiful facial expressions. It's like they're 3 dimentional objects, they're done so beautifully!
What im impressed is not the smoothness, but the CONSISTENCY. like when the animation changes angles, it retains the exact proportions of the character and everything, no imperfections, no sudden jolting, no inconsistent sizes. Just wow
Like many others I came here after seeing Steven Universe and I'm filled with so much emotions. Its so powerful how we all recognized the animation how familiar it felt and sought it out. Seeing all the scenes you've animated ..thank you so much your work has touched so many people and I think seeing how many have come here sharing the same feelings just shows how fantastic your animation is.
his daughter does such a good job starting out with ' simple ' shots that show his range , then slowly building up to more fluid impressive shots ... then the ending ones are just MARVEL AT THIS MAN'S SKILL AND FLUID ANIMATION. Such a great job editing these together in this way and matching the song.
